Early Childhood Education: Special Needs (M.Ed.)

The  Education Department offers the master of education degree in early childhood education with an option in special needs. When completed in conjunction with a degree, certification is available as an early childhood special education teacher (birth through eight years). Certification requirements are additional to the master's degree but may be completed as electives for the degree.

This program is an advanced course of study designed for teachers, administrators, and other early childhood practitioners who wish to improve their professional competence and broaden their career opportunities. The program emphasizes the acquisition of knowledge and competencies in child development (birth through eight years), learning environments, developmentally appropriate curriculum, developmental and cultural diversity, and professional leadership. The coursework culminates in extensive field­-based experience.

Admission Requirements

All admitted students are expected to have had at least one course in child development at the upper­ division level and at least 200 hours of supervised classroom experience with children from birth through eight years of age, or the equivalent.

In addition to the early childhood core requirements described above, students choosing this option will concentrate on young children who are at risk for, or have, developmental difficulties and special needs. Coursework emphasizes an understanding of the role of the family, community, and social policy in early development and intervention. The program is non categorical in its approach to assessment and educational planning.

Admission Criteria

In determining admission of students to teacher education graduate programs, several criteria are used:

1. The undergraduate record. The undergraduate overall minimum grade point average for admission is 3.0.  The undergraduate grade point average of students admitted to the graduate programs in teacher education is approximately 3.55 (based on 2020 admissions). For UNH students pursuing the Accelerated Masters, a minimum GPA of 3.2 is required.
2. Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core) exam scores are required. Applicants must obtain, at a minimum, a qualifying score (as set by the state of New Hampshire at the time of testing) on all three (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) Core exams in order to be considered for admission. Current NH qualifying scores may be found at the ETS Praxis Website under the “Tests required for all licensure areas” page.
3. Clearance on a criminal history records check through the NH Department of Safety.
4. Additional required application materials can be found at the Graduate School website under programs.

The M.Ed. degree requires a minimum of 36 graduate-­level credits. The exact number of credit hours will depend on the student's background, competencies, and professional goals, and will be determined by the adviser. 

 Note: All coursework listed above must be completed, therefore some students may exceed the minimum credit requirement while completing the required coursework.

This graduate program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with certain undergraduate degree programs.

General Accelerated Master's policy, note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher grade expectations) compared to the policy.

Please see the Graduate School website and contact the department directly for more information.

• Students will demonstrate an understanding of theories of learning and development and theories of instruction, as they apply to children from birth through age eight.  
• Students will demonstrate the ability to translate those theories into developmentally appropriate practices for all children, including those who are culturally and/or developmentally diverse.