The School of Education offers five different tracks in Elementary and Early Childhood Education. These tracks are available in Bloomington and Indianapolis:

• Elementary Education General track
• Elementary Education Early Childhood track
• Elementary Certification Master's Degree Program track
• Urban Education track (IUPUI)

The Elementary and Early Childhood Education program provides extensive professional development for practicing teachers and others with an interest in elementary and early childhood education. Students in the:

• Elementary Education or the Early Childhood Education tracks must complete 36 credit hours.
• Elementary Certification Master's Degree program track is a 37 credit hour alternative that provides teacher certification. This track is intended for individuals with undergraduate degrees in areas outside of education and is available only at the Bloomington campus.

In addition to meeting the standard School of Education admission requirements, students interested in pursuing a master's degree in elementary and early childhood education must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be admitted if they show promise of future successful professional activity.

Elementary Education General track

The Elementary Master's Program in the School of Education offers an advanced degree for experienced teachers seeking to enhance their knowledge and skill as teachers.

Core courses in the major include opportunities for students to explore current theories of learning and instruction, to engage in inquiry and reflection on teaching practice, to examine the social and cultural contexts of contemporary schools, and to analyze the nature and purposes of current perspectives on curriculum. Students also select courses in the advanced study of content areas relevant to elementary education. The program encourages candidates to pursue individual interests in depth through elective courses. Since most of the candidates in the program are practicing teachers, no additional formal field experience is required. Students, however, often use the course assignments as an opportunity to integrate current curriculum theory and teaching methods into their own classroom practices. As a culminating experience, students elect to write a thesis or complete a practicum project. The practicum option is often selected by students and is carried out as an action research project in their own classroom or school. Recent examples of such projects can be found at the School of Education on each campus.

Major (12 cr.)

• J500 Instruction in the Context of Curriculum (3 cr.)
• E535 Elementary School Curriculum (3 cr.)

Choose two of the following courses (Students may choose other courses related to elementary education with the approval of an advisor):

• E545 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Reading in the Elementary Schools (3 cr.) (Bloomington) OR L500 Instructional Issues In Language Learning (3 cr.) (Indianapolis)
• E547 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Social Studies in the Elementary Schools (3 cr.)
• E548 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Science in the Elementary Schools (3 cr.)
• E595 Problem Analysis in Elementary Education: (variable title) (1-3 cr.)
• J511 Methods of Individualizing Instruction (3 cr.)
• N543 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Mathematics in the Elementary Schools (3 cr.)

Foundations (3 cr.) (Choose one of the following courses)

• H504 History of American Education (3 cr.)
• H520 Education and Social Issues (3 cr.)
• H525 Anthropology of Education (3 cr.)
• H530 Philosophy of Education (3 cr.)
• H540 Sociology of Education (3 cr.)
• P510 Psychology in Teaching (3 cr.)
• P515 Child Development (3 cr.)
• P516 Adolescent Development (3 cr.)
• P525 Psychological Issues in Education (3 cr.)
• P540 Learning and Cognition in Education (3 cr.)
• P544 Applied Cognition and Learning Strategies (3 cr.)

Electives (15 cr.)

Elective courses must complement the major, and may be from within or outside of the School of Education. Students wishing to focus on a particular discipline, such as mathematics, science, or social studies, may include courses from these fields here. Elective courses must be approved by a program advisor.

Thesis, Practicum, or Other (6 cr.)

• X599 Master’s Thesis in Education
• J538 M.S. Practicum/Internship
• Other courses approved by your faculty advisor

Early Childhood Elementary Education track

The program in Early Childhood Education is primarily for individuals who already have a teaching license in early childhood or elementary education and are seeking advanced professional development. Students can choose to focus their courses on the study of preschool or primary education. Several courses are taught over the distance education network, which links the Bloomington and IUPUI campuses.

Major (15 cr.)

• E505 Organization and Administration of Early Childhood Education Programs (3 cr.)
• E506 Curriculum in Early Childhood Education (3 cr.)
• E508 Seminar in Early Childhood Education (3 cr.)
• E525 Advanced Curriculum Study in Early Childhood Education (3 cr.)
• J500 Instruction in the Context of Curriculum (3 cr.)

Foundations (3 - 6 cr.)

• P515 Child Development (3 cr.)
• An additional course in the history or philosophy of education to be selected in consultation with a faculty advisor.

Electives (9 - 12 cr.)

• Select courses from inside or outside the School of Education to complement your program. These courses must have a unified focus and the approval of an advisor. Course selections are open and may be taken in Sociology, Library Science, Psychology, Folklore, Language Education, or other areas. NOTE: Up to six credit hours may be at the 300- or 400-level.

Elementary Certification Master's Program (certification plus master's degree)

The Elementary Certification Master's Program admits students whose bachelor's degrees are not in education and who wish to be trained as elementary school teachers and earn a master's degree. Through a combination of course work, field experiences, and mentorship support, students are engaged in rich learning experiences.  Students are immersed in experiences that not only prepares them to teach but also connects them to the larger education community.  This 18 month, K-6 program is designed to develop and support thoughtful, innovative practices and reflective teaching in elementary schools.  The Elementary Certification Master's Program is a cohort-based program (15-24 student per year) beginning each fall semester.

Fall (14 cr.)

• E543 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Mathematics (3 cr.)
• E548 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Science (3 cr.)
• E555 Human Diversity in Education (3 cr.)
• L545 Advanced Study of Reading in the Elementary School (3 cr.)
• M501 Laboratory/Field Experience and Seminar (2 cr.)

Spring (14 cr.)

• E547 Experience in Elementary Social Studies Curriculum (3 cr.)
• L549 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Language Arts (3 cr.)
• L559 Trade Books in the Elementary Classroom (3 cr.)
• Z501 Art Methods for Educators (3 cr.)
• M501 Laboratory/Field Experience and Seminar (2 cr.)

Summer (3 cr.) (Choose one of the following)

• P510 Psychology in Teaching (3 cr.)
• P515 Child Development (3 cr.)
• P530 Instructional Psychology (3 cr.)
• P540 Learning and Cognition in Education (3 cr.)

Second Fall (6 cr.)

• E579 Inquiry in Elementary Education (1 cr.)
• E594 Seminar in Elementary Education (1 cr.)
• M550 Practicum (Student Teaching) (4 cr.)

Urban Education track - Indianapolis

Focused on urban education, this rigorous transformational program

• Engages directly and unflinchingly with the tough issues all teachers face.
• Addresses topics such as curriculum, special education, ELL, assessment, teacher leadership, politics, school as an organization, research, culture and communities, and education philosophy.
• Prepares you to succeed with diverse learners in any school setting.

Join a community of learners who stay together through 36 hours of course work. Take two courses per semester for two years—fall, spring, and summer. Learn through face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses—many as short as 8 weeks—to accommodate teachers’ busy schedules.

Fall - Year 1

• J500 Instruction in the Context of Curriculum (3 cr.)
• K505 Introduction to Special Education (3 cr.)

Spring - Year 1

• L500 Instructional Issues in Language Learning (3 cr.)
• P507 Assessment in Schools (3 cr.)

Summer I - Year 1

• T550 Cultural/Community Forces in Schools (3 cr.)

Summer II - Year 1

• Y520 Strategies for Educational Inquiry (3 cr.)

Fall - Year 2

• Y510 Action Research (Prerequisite-Y520) (3 cr.)
• T531 Organizational Change in Culturally and Linguisticaly Diverse Schools (3 cr.)

Spring - Year 2

• A560 Political Perspectives in Education (3 cr.)
• T590 Research Practicum-Action Research Learning Community (Prerequisite-Y510) (3 cr.)

Summer I - Year 2

• A500 Introduction to Educational Leadership (3 cr.)

Summer II - Year 2

• H530 Philosophy of Education (3 cr.)