Elementary Education (Early Childhood Concentration)

Overview

The Elementary Education (Early Childhood Concentration) program from Texas State University offers advanced studies in curriculum, teaching, and learning for educators who are certified to teach at the levels of early childhood through middle grades (EC-8). Texas State also offers the concentrations below that allow students to focus on a particular area of interest while interacting within a larger community of intellectual inquiry in education. Course work may be completed on the San Marcos and Round Rock campuses.

Through school, community, and professional partnerships, the Department of Curriculum and Instruction advances scholarship and pedagogy that influence educational practice and policy. Faculty and graduate students in the talent development concentration:

• encourage the creative actions of youth, adults, and communities
• support the development of skillful practice and of responsive and responsible actions
• increase equity in education

• enhance well-being and engagement

Career Options

A master’s in elementary education offers graduates options to teach in a variety of settings. Graduates are qualified to teach in their area of specialty and become grade level or content team leaders, mentor teachers, instructional coaches, or writers of textbooks. This degree also prepares graduates interested in working in academia to pursue a Ph.D. or work at the collegiate level.

Talent development graduates pursue careers in school settings and in nontraditional educational settings. The knowledge, skills, and creativity developed through the program may be applied in a wide variety of careers. Graduates include classroom teachers, district curriculum specialists, campus instructional coaches, reading specialists, athletic coaches, university instructors, and self-employed artists and web designers. Some students have completed Ph.D. degrees after graduation.