The WSU MAT-ECU program reflects what is currently known about best practices in early childhood teacher preparation. With an emphasis on urban schools, the program prepares teaching residents to meet the needs of children with and without disabilities in varied settings. The MAT-ECU teacher residency program was developed using a PDS philosophy that centers on shared responsibility for teacher preparation between universities and schools as well as a shared responsibility for student learning. It involves students working in classrooms as paraprofessionals while working on their graduate degree and initial licensure.
Admission
The program is limited to individuals who have:
- Completed at least a BA/BS degree from an accredited higher education institution prior to entry into the program.
- For full admission, a GPA of 3.000, or a GPA of 2.750 to 2.999 to be admitted on probation.
Applicants to the MAT ECU residency program must pass a criminal background check that they obtain at their own expense. Information regarding the approved background check service provider is available from College of Applied Studies Advising.
Program Requirements
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) early childhood unified residency (ECU-R) track is offered for students seeking initial KSDE license in early childhood unified: birth–3rd grade (ECU) and/or elementary education unified: K-6th grade (EEU). The graduate level initial licensure program consists of 36 credit hours. The core curriculum consists of:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select courses in child development and pedagogy | 28 | |
| Select research and reflection (within the 4 credit hours of research, students are required to complete an action research portfolio) | 4 | |
| Select an internship with university supervisors provided | 4 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
MAT ECU-R Program of Study
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| CESP 729 | Theories of Early Childhood Development | 3 |
| SPED 603 | Foundations of Early Childhood Unified | 2 |
| SPED 614 | ECU Assessment and Methods: Infants, Toddlers and Families | 3 |
| SPED 617 | ECU Assessment and Methods: Preschool | 3 |
| TALS 711 | Diversity and Inclusion | 2 |
| TALS 712 | Health, Movement and Physical Activity | 2 |
| TALS 738 | Methods and Assessment: ELA and Social Studies | 3 |
| TALS 739 | Methods and Assessment: Math and Science | 3 |
| TALS 740 | Universal Design for Learning | 1 |
| TALS 741 | Learning and Educational Assessment | 2 |
| TALS 742 | Integrating Learning Through the Arts and Movement | 2 |
| TALS 743 | Internship I | 1 |
| TALS 744 | Internship II | 1 |
| TALS 748 | Internship III | 1 |
| TALS 749 | Internship IV | 1 |
| SPED 796 | Family and Professional Collaboration | 2 |
| Capstone Courses | ||
| TALS 860 | Seminar in Research | 2 |
| CAS 501 | Teacher Licensure Capstone | 0 |
| TALS 862 | Evidence Based Inquiry: Capstone Project I | 1 |
| TALS 863 | Evidence Based Inquiry: Capstone Project II | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
Applied Learning
Students in the MAT ECU residency track are required to complete an applied learning or research experience to graduate from the program. The requirement can be met by completing a capstone research project in which the emphasis is on applying professional practices to research and is directly linked to applied learning.