Due to the large demand for this program, the College will begin accepting new students every September. Students seeking admission to this program may not take course work in TLEC, TLSE, LTLA, or LTRE prior to formal admission to the program. Applications for the fall are posted at the Graduate School web site. Students interested in this program may apply earlier than this date, as there may a limited number of openings available and late applications may not be considered.
Courses in Early Childhood Education are offered primarily in DeKalb every semester (fall, spring, and summer). Limited course work is available at our other off campus locations, which may include Rockford, Naperville and Hoffman Estates. Students are free to take courses at any NIU campus that suits their scheduling and geographic needs. There are no plans at the present time to offer classes at other sites.
Early Childhood Education Master's requirements
It is the responsibility of students to know and observe all regulations and procedures relating to the program they are pursuing, as well as those of the university and Graduate School. In no case will a regulation be waived or an exception granted because students plead ignorance of, or contend that they were not informed of, the regulations or procedures. Questions on regulations and their interpretation pertaining to studies at the graduate level should be addressed to the office of the dean of the Graduate School.
Students planning to graduate should familiarize themselves with the dates relating to application for graduation and other pertinent deadlines (see the Graduate School Calendar). It is necessary to apply for graduation by the specified deadline in order to graduate in a particular term, whether or not the student plans to attend the commencement ceremonies.
Students must satisfy the degree requirements of the catalog in force during the term for which they have been admitted to and begin course work in a degree program; or they may, with the consent of their advisers, meet graduation requirements by complying with the provisions of a later catalog. Students readmitted to a degree program must meet degree requirements of the catalog in force at the time of the later admission (or of a subsequent catalog, as provided above). Aside from degree requirements, all students are subject to the regulations and policies stated in the catalog currently in force. Exceptions to regulations contained in the Graduate Catalog require the written approval of the office of the dean of the Graduate School, unless otherwise stated in the catalog.
Graduate students and students-at-large should notify the Graduate School immediately of any change in address so that receipt of mail will not be delayed.
Guidelines for Evaluating Life Experience for Substitution for Part or All of the Student Teaching Requirement
Life experience may be substituted for part or all of student teaching and internship experiences if the following four conditions are satisfied:
Additional information may be found in the graduate student handbook and the early childhood graduate clinical handbook (for substituting life experience for clinical experience).
Students taking more than one class at the DeKalb campus may have a health hold put on their records if their immunizations are not up-to-date. This may delay registration for classes. Please check with University Health Services to determine if your immunization record is up to date. For additional information please visit the UHS web site.
To access WebConnect, a student is required to logon onto the service using their Z-ID and password OR their Social Security Number and Personal Identification Number.
Students with a baccalaureate degree who wish to take teacher certification at the undergraduate level should apply to the Early Childhood program. For more information about the undergraduate teacher certification program in Early Childhood please contact the early childhood secretary at 815-753-8361.
NIU now offers housing for graduate students and those with families at the Northern View Community.
There are numerous awards and scholarships that are available for students, some specifically for teacher education. Other aid may be based on financial need, talent, or to members of particular groups. Some web sites that are available at NIU are the College of Education's Scholarship Page, the Scholarship Office, and the Financial Aid Office.
| Name | Title | Contact Info |
| Leslie Hecht, Ph.D. | Graduate Student Advisor | lbhecht@niu.edu 815-753-8457 |
| Maylan Dunn, Ph.D. | Early Childhood Faculty | mdunn@niu.edu 815-753-8082 |
| Moses Mutuku, Ph.D. | Early Childhood Faculty | mutuku@niu.edu 815-753-2845 |