EDHD-ECE Professional Development Schools

Graduate students in the Department of Human Development may choose to concentrate in Early Childhood Education (ECE). This concentration program focuses on the development and education of young children in the home and school contexts, as well as children’s relationships with their family and teachers. In addition to the core courses in the Department of Human Development, students may choose to take an array of elective seminar courses relating to early childhood curriculum and policy, teacher education and child care quality, parent involvement, school readiness, and the effects of environmental risk factors. Students also have the option of completing an internship in the early childhood field at local research institutions and professional organizations, such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, Westat, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., Child Trends, and Zero to Three. The ECE program hosts a biweekly seminar where students, faculty, and guest speakers present on issues related to early childhood research and policy.