The Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood Special Education is a 39-credit-hour program designed to prepare and support early childhood special educators in the field. The program develops Relay students to become culturally responsive and inclusive educators through an intentional, yet flexible, pathway composed of Foundations courses, Content Pedagogy courses in early childhood education, special education, and early childhood special education, Clinical Practice courses, and a selection of Flex courses. 

In their Foundations courses, Relay students in this program will learn to establish culturally responsive and inclusive classrooms with specific inquiries into systems for instructional planning, teaching multilingual learners, and teaching exceptional learners. 

In the first year of the program, Early Childhood Content Pedagogy courses integrate learning from Foundations courses with a content focus on standards, curriculum, developmentally appropriate instructional methods, and assessment in early childhood. The focus in year one is providing appropriate scaffolds and supports in Tier 1 settings. In the second year of the program, Content Pedagogy courses focus on the delivery of specialized literacy instruction via whole-group, small-group, and one-on-one interventions. 

The program culminates in a capstone project in which Relay students demonstrate the impact of their practice on early childhood students’ outcomes including academic progress, social-emotional development, and student experience.

Academic Plans 

Relay’s programs are tailored to local contexts and are designed to meet educational requirements for educator certification/licensure in multiple states; therefore, academic plans for each program vary by state and clinical experience pathway (e.g., Resident/non-Resident). State- and program-specific academic plans for all program offerings described in this catalog may be accessed  on the Academic Plans site. Students are provided with a detailed course schedule at orientation.