Early Education and Care & Educational Studies

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.

If you have a drive towards education but want to fulfill it through working in the outdoors, in out-of-school programming, museum, hospital, or other community setting, this internship intensive option may be the right fit for you. 

The TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) concentration equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to teach English effectively to non-native speakers, emphasizing linguistics, language acquisition, and culturally responsive teaching strategies, preparing graduates for diverse educational settings. It combines theoretical foundations with practical teaching experiences to ensure comprehensive training.

Students who are interested in a minor in education, but not currently pursuing teacher licensure, may select any 15 education credits in consultation with an advisor to complete the educational studies minor.

For those looking to add expertise in working with children on the autism spectrum, we offer a graduate certificate in autism studies that can be embedded in a master’s program or stand alone.

The graduate certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages is designed to prepare students to teach in a variety of community, international, workplace, and adult settings. Whether you are beginning your career in TESOL or looking to make a difference in the lives of English learners, this flexible 15-credit program can be tailored to help you meet your goals.