Early Education and Care

Early education and care prepares you to work with young children from birth to eight years old outside the public school system. Students can focus on becoming a lead preschool teacher or administrator, preparing to be an early intervention specialist, building the skills to open an at-home child care, or advancing in their current careers.

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Program Requirements

Early Education and Care Program Overview

The early education and care (EEC) program is specifically designed to support students who wish to work with young children aged 0-8 outside the public school system.

The EEC has multiple pathways for students to choose from depending on their career goals.

Early Education and Care Pathways

Early Childhood Professions in EEC

This concentration in early education and care allows students to focus on the early education profession of their choice. It is also the pathway to choose for students who want to go on to the MEd in early childhood education to earn their public school teaching license in preschool to second grade. 

Career Options

  • infant/toddler teacher
  • private preschool teacher
  • out-of-school programming coordinator
  • early interventionist
  • child care director

Leadership and Advocacy in EEC

Students who already hold lead teacher certification and are interested in advancing within their field will find this pathway the best fit. This concentration is designed for students who are already working in the field and class offerings are primarily online as well as scheduled around most EEC working hours.

 

Early Childhood Educators Scholarship

Students who are currently working in early education and care are strongly encouraged to apply for the Early Childhood Educators scholarship.

The Early Childhood Educators (ECE) Scholarship program is funded, subject to the availability of funds and appropriation from the Massachusetts Legislature. The scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance for prospective and currently employed early childhood and out-of-school educators and providers who enroll in a degree program in an approved area of study.

The scholarship amounts are awarded at a per-credit rate set by the state. Applicants may receive scholarships to cover up to three courses per semester during the traditional Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.

Students must have a valid, completed FAFSA on file with Salem State and complete the ECE Scholarship application in the MASSAid Student Portal. Applicants must have an active ECE Professional Qualifications Registry Number to be considered for the ECE Scholarship.

Please visit mass.edu for eligibility requirements, award amounts, and additional information for the Early Childhood Educators Scholarship Program, or refer to the ECE Scholarship Guide for further guidance.

 

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