Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (MAT)

Master of Arts in Teaching in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education  (IECEMAT)
Unit: College of Education and Human Development (GE)
Department: Early Childhood and Elementary Education 
Program Webpage:  louisville.edu/education/degrees/mat-iece

Program Information

Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education Birth to Primary Teacher Certification Program

The IECE program emphasizes in-depth academic preparation and field experiences that allow teachers to be knowledgeable about the field of early childhood/special education and to develop critical thinking and lifelong learning skills. The program emphasizes:

• Nurturing students as active agents in their own learning
• Authentic, performance-based assessment of teaching and learning
• Meeting the needs of all students
• Responding constructively to sociocultural differences among students

The program prepares students interested in working with children from birth to age 5 in a wide variety of settings—day care centers, public and private preschools, community programs, and clinics. This program gives students authentic experiences with infants, toddlers, and preschool children in the areas of curriculum development, typical and atypical child development, programs and services for children and their families, family involvement and intervention, screening and assessment, program administration, current topics, and practicum/action research.

The goals of this program include:

• IECE Teacher Certification
• Preparation of teachers for the education of typical and atypical children in different settings
• Provide background information on Kentucky Child Learning and Assessment Standards

Admission Requirements

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

1. Application to School of Interdisciplinary Studies. This should be completed three to four weeks prior to the application deadline.
2. Minimum test scores as required byEPSB. Please note: when submitting test scores through ETS, use the general University of Louisville code, 1838.
3. Bachelors degree with minimum undergraduate degree GPA of 2.75 (official transcripts required)
4. C or higher in ENGL 102 (or equivalent) and oral communication courses
5. TOEFL
6. Professional Statement
7. Signed Professional Code of Ethics/Technology User Agreement/Statement of Understanding of Admissions Guidelines
8. Three Letters of Recommendation
9. 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

Certification Assessment: After Student Teaching: Satisfactory dispositions assessment; 2.0 or higher in student teaching; satisfactory certification work sample;  passing scores on required PRAXIS exams; positive recommendation from ECEE program committee.

Degree Assessment: Satisfactory dispositions assessment, all program coursework with 3.0 cumulative GPA (and no more than a total of two grades of C) in degree courses, satisfactory degree work sample.