Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education

The Master of Arts program in ‘Early Childhood Education’ provides candidates with an in-depth specialization in the field of education of 3 to 8-year-olds and helps shape their professional expertise. Masters students are equipped to assess education theories and recent research, to engage in their own research and attain the capacity to seek a doctoral qualification. They will be given the opportunity to become involved and to take a critical stand in the latest discussions of the trends and practices in the field at a local and international level.

Objectives & Outcomes

General Objectives

The course provides the educators with the potential of a profound understanding and specialization in the field of Early Childhood Education, by creating the appropriate circumstances that enable the teachers to redefine their professional identity or/and have the potential to continue their studies on a doctoral level.

Specific Objectives

The course aims to:

• the comprehensive and specialized understanding of theories and the profound study of research related to the field of Early Childhood Education
• research engagement based on current developments and trends
• urge the students to take a critical stand and contribute to discussions and practices on a local and international level

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the program, students are expected to:

• evaluate and redefine in a dialectical and reflective way their professional and research identity and the content of Early Childhood Education on a local and international level through (a) the continuous expansion of their knowledge about issues concerning the early childhood education on a theoretical, philosophical, and practical level (b) a deep understanding of the young child
• design, complete and present small or large scale educational research which mostly focuses on qualitative methodological approaches
• manage the everyday practice as educators researchers in the context of a continuous process of professional development
• get informed and receive further training concerning the general, specified and specialized issues of pedagogical and methodological approaches within the field of early childhood education through a wide range of sources.
• collect and analyze data based on their practice
  • get informed and receive further training concerning the general, specified and specialized issues of pedagogical and methodological approaches within the field of early childhood education through a wide range of sources.
  • collect and analyze data based on their practice
• identify issues/problems and apply/implement action plans for solving these issues and improving their practice
• manage their practice in a reflective way
• be scientifically qualified in issues concerning design, conducting and critical readings of educational research
• evaluate research results which are available at the school or in other educational contexts by critically reading these results
• engage in designing and conducting research on a classroom level, school level and/or in a wider context aiming to answer specific research questions
  • evaluate research results which are available at the school or in other educational contexts by critically reading these results
  • engage in designing and conducting research on a classroom level, school level and/or in a wider context aiming to answer specific research questions
• be familiarised with the contemporary trends in discussing fundamental issues of the pedagogical science in general and the different education sciences in particular, through the prism of different fields such as sociology, anthropology, history and comparative education.
• realize and evaluate the impact that issues emerging from the social dimensions of education has on their everyday practice
  • realize and evaluate the impact that issues emerging from the social dimensions of education has on their everyday practice
• interpret knowledge through the historical, social and cultural contexts in which is produced for generating critical interpretations and perceptions regarding education within and out of school.
• construct knowledge, attitudes, and skills that are based on a deep understanding of theories of learning and current issues related to the different cognitive subjects and areas of the Early Ages Curriculum but also to their overall professional competency in a variety/range of educational contexts/frameworks.
• develop comprehensive/completed plans of educational activities based on the different models, styles, and ways of organizing learning in early childhood education
• differentiate their approaches and their teaching material in a way that meets the needs of mixed ability classrooms
• design and implement educational activities by being aware of the current epistemological and methodological issues that are related to each of them.
• develop, implement and evaluate programs within different areas of the Curriculum with a research perspective
• contribute to the wider educational life of the context where they are employed in a way that enables the communication among school – society and offers authentic experiences to the children.
  • develop comprehensive/completed plans of educational activities based on the different models, styles, and ways of organizing learning in early childhood education
  • differentiate their approaches and their teaching material in a way that meets the needs of mixed ability classrooms
  • design and implement educational activities by being aware of the current epistemological and methodological issues that are related to each of them.
  • develop, implement and evaluate programs within different areas of the Curriculum with a research perspective
  • contribute to the wider educational life of the context where they are employed in a way that enables the communication among school – society and offers authentic experiences to the children.

Employment Opportunities

Kindergarten teaching and management, Childcare in the public and private domains, policy formulation and further research.