MAT Early Childhood Education

The ISBE-approved curriculum for birth to grade 2 will prepare candidates with the knowledge of child development and the developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) of indoor and outdoor activity ideas matched to early learning standards as well as instructional strategies for literacy, numeracy, social sciences, science and the arts.

The alternative licensure path is an option for prospective Early Childhood Education teachers who need to earn a salary while pursuing a teaching license. This alternative licensure program enables candidates to hold a paid position as the teacher of record while pursuing an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL). This transformative and affordable experience is available online and on-campus.

Our alternative licensure programs follow rigorous guidelines that include:

• accelerated coursework
• field experiences
• teaching experiences
• licensure testing

Candidates enroll in six semesters of program coursework including two intensive summer sessions as they complete a 43-credit hour program leading to a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT).

The alternative licensure programs simultaneously combine accelerated coursework with classroom experiences and one-to-one mentoring.

Candidates in this program will have the guidance and support of a site-based mentor/coach and a University coordinator throughout the two years of required provisional teaching.

Program Requirements

The Early Childhood Education program requires that applicants have one of the following:

• a degree in English/language arts, mathematics, one of the physical sciences, or one of the social sciences.
• the equivalent of a degree - 32 credit hours in English/language arts, mathematics, one of the physical sciences, or one of the social sciences.
• 32 credit hours in a combination of the four core content areas - English/language arts, mathematics, physical sciences, and social sciences.

Please view the admission requirements, as well as the program requirements and course descriptions in the SXU Academic Catalog for additional information.