Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education, Alternative Certification (MAT)

Admission Requirements

Candidates who meet the following criteria may be eligible to apply to the Master of Arts in Teaching program:

  1. Application to Graduate School. This should be completed three to four weeks prior to the application deadline.
  2. Bachelor's degree with minimum undergraduate degree GPA of 2.75 (official transcripts required)
  3. C or higher in ENGL 102 (or equivalent) and oral communication courses
  4. TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo
  5. Professional Writing Requirements
  6. Signed Professional Code of Ethics/Technology User Agreement/Statement of Understanding of Admissions Guidelines
  7. Three Letters of Recommendation
  8. Interview

Candidates considering applying to the MAT program should contact the Education Advising and Student Services office (teacher@louisville.edu) prior to applying for admission.

Admission is competitive. Candidates who meet minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission to the program. 

Program Requirements

EDSP 533Inclusive Early Childhood Curriculum3
EDSP 537Infant/Toddler Instruction and Care3
EDSP 600Creativity and the Young Child3
EDTP 627Practicum for Alternative Certification Program 11.5
EDSP 632Universal Design for Learning Using Technology3
EDSP 657Guidance for Young Children3
Mid-Point Assessment (see requirement below)
EDSP 515Communication and Socialization in Early Childhood3
EDSP 583Early Childhood Special Education Assessment3
EDSP 584Families and Collaboration in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education3
EDTP 678Supporting the Second Year Alternative Certification Teacher I1.5
EDTP 679Supporting the Second Year Alternative Certification Teacher II1.5
Minimum Total Hours30
1

Requires two semesters.

Midpoint Assessment: Completion of all courses listed above with 3.0 cumulative GPA and no lower than a “C” in each course;   satisfactory dispositions assessment; satisfactory performance on all Hallmark Assessment Tasks; Target performance or better on all rubrics.

Degree Assessment: All program course work with 3.0 cumulative GPA (and no more than a total of two “C’s” in degree courses); satisfactory performance on all Hallmark Assessment Tasks; Target performance or better on all rubrics.

Degree Candidacy: Students not enrolled during the semester in which they intend to graduate must register for degree candidacy as outlined in Academic Policies, Procedures, and Requirements.

Certification Assessment: Satisfactory dispositions assessment; passing scores on required PRAXIS exams; completion of degree requirements.

Praxis Disclaimer: Teacher certification requirements are subject to change. Before registering for certification test(s), please refer to the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) website at epsb.ky.gov/ or ets.org/praxis/ky  for current requirements.

The Master of Arts in Teaching in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (Alternative Certification) prepares students to meet the requirements for certification and/or licensure.  If you plan to pursue professional licensure or certification, you should first determine your state’s criteria for examination and licensure to see how/if our program meets those requirements prior to enrollment. We recommend that you also contact your state’s licensing board directly to verify that the requirements have not changed recently and to answer any questions especially those regarding additional requirements beyond the degree. 

Although this program has determined that it meets educational requirements for licensure in other US states and jurisdictions, this program is designed specifically to align with Kentucky certification requirements for the supervised student teaching or culminating clinical experience.  Therefore, students in this program are required to complete their student teaching or clinical experience at an approved placement location in the state of Kentucky.  Please contact the program director to discuss possible arrangements to complete culminating experiences in Southern Indiana before enrolling in the program.

More information about certification or licensure is available at the following website:  https://louisville.edu/oapa/licensure-information (you may search by school or by the name of the program then click on 'View Details' to display the information).

For programs with an online option, more information about certification or licensure is available here: https://louisville.edu/online/About-Us?tab=disclosures.