Looking for a Career Change? Always Wanted to Be a Teacher?

Seton Hill's Master of Arts in Teaching: Early Childhood Education is designed just for people who want to earn their master's degree and early childhood teaching certification together. This unique program, housed within the School of Education and Applied Social Sciences, is dedicated to the preparation of classroom teachers who:

• Provide students with equitable and differentiated learning opportunities.
• Communicate in culturally and linguistically appropriate ways.
• Advocate for socially-conscious change. 

Why Earn Your Early Childhood Education MAT at Seton Hill?

• 30 credit master’s in teaching program combines online courses with in-person field experience and 12 weeks of student teaching.
• Prepare for your teaching certification in Pre-K to Grade 4 while earning a master's degree.
• No GMAT or GRE required for admission to the program.
• Seton Hill offers graduate students financial aid, tuition discounts and comprehensive enrollment support.
• All instructors have classroom experience.
• You can graduate in one year as a full-time student (two courses per eight-week session) or in two years part-time (one course per eight-week session).
• As a leader in the use of mobile technology for teaching and learning, Seton Hill will prepare you for today’s classroom as well as tomorrow’s.
• Seton Hill University's on-campus Child Development Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and is an active resource for all Seton Hill Education Programs.
• You will receive consistent personal support from an academic advisor, keeping you on track for graduation and career goals.
• Our Career and Professional Development Center can assist you with everything from writing a resume to finding a position – and the Center will continue to be available to you after you graduate.

Engaging Courses, Including:

• Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Pedagogy
• Instructional Strategies: English, Social Studies, Science, Mathematics
• Structured Literacy: Language Development, The Science of Reading
• Restorative Practices: Assessment and Classroom Management
• Creative Thinking: Integrating the Arts, Movement and Play
• Action Research Seminar

After Earning This Degree, You'll Be Able to:

• Provide culturally-relevant instruction to students (Pre-K-Grade 4) across the curriculum.
• Supplement core instruction with structured literacy practices.
• Implement accommodations for students with disabilities in inclusive settings.
• Deliver a standards-based curriculum with developmentally appropriate strategies.
• Use action research to examine and improve their own practice.
• Engage in continuous collaborative learning with families, colleagues and stakeholders.

Solid Career Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the career outlook for certified elementary educators is solid. In 2022, the median annual wage for kindergarten and elementary school teachers exceeded $61,000. Seton Hill's MAT in Early Childhood Education can prepare you for a career in:

• Public, Private and Parochial Schools
• Adoption and Child Care Agencies
• Alternative School, Preschool and After-School Programs
• Educational Software Design
• State and Federal Education Assistance and Support Programs
• Tutoring Programs
• Textbook Development

Streamlined Admission Requirements

• A completed graduate study application form (Apply online now for free!).
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (any major) and official undergraduate transcripts from all institutions attended.
• Official transcript(s) from any institution(s) in which postbaccalaureate or graduate course work was completed.
• One letter of recommendation written by an appropriate professional.
• A current resume.
• A personal statement explaining how the Seton Hill graduate program can help you accomplish your professional goals.

In addition to the admission requirements above, applicants to the Master of Arts in Teaching: Early Childhood Education must have:

• Maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA while earning an undergraduate degree.
• Completed at least 6 credits of mathematics, 3 credits of composition and 3 credits of literature.