The Graduate Programs in Early Childhood Education prepare teachers to meet national standards of excellence in teaching and to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to understand and nurture children’s learning.  Graduates learn to support children’s understandings of the world through inquiry and active learning and to create environments that build on children's varied strengths and cultural wealth.

The programs emphasize deep knowledge of human development, learning processes, instructional strategies, and subject matter.  All courses utilize technology and focus on how teaching, learning, and assessment connect.  Special attention is given to how issues of diversity – of culture, language, family, and learning styles – can best be used to positively impact schools and schooling in urban settings.