Online EdS in Early Childhood Education

Promote brighter outcomes for children and families while you take steps to move your career forward.
Promote brighter outcomes for children and families while you take steps to move your career forward.

Ready to Get Started?

Fill out the form and we will contact you to provide information about furthering your education.

Please use our International Form if you live outside of the U.S.

  • 01 Step 1: About You
  • 02 Step 2: Contact Information

Online EdS in Early Childhood Education

Ready to Get Started?

Fill out the form and we will contact you to provide information about furthering your education.

Please use our International Form if you live outside of the U.S.

  • 01 Step 1: About You
  • 02 Step 2: Contact Information

$4,000 grant*

*if you start this program on October 9, 2023

NEXT START DATE

Course-Based: October 09, 2023

Become an Early Childhood Education Specialist

Positive, meaningful learning experiences are a vital part of child development from birth through age 8. Play a pivotal role in healthy growth—as an influential educator and advocate for young children—with an Education Specialist (EdS) in Early Childhood Education (Non-Licensure) degree from Walden.

An early childhood education specialist degree empowers educators to improve the policies, programs, practices, and systems that affect the lives of young children. This non-licensure program is ideal for teachers, community college instructors, curriculum specialists, and early childhood support services professionals who are ready to make a positive and lasting impact on children’s lives.

Why Choose Walden?

Gain Actionable Tools

Develop skills you can use in various settings, such as program design, instruction, policy implementation, and family education.

Build Your Confidence

In the capstone, work with an early education provider to identify a challenge, make recommendations, and create an action plan.

Expand Your Options

Open a path to more than one future with research and leadership skills that can serve you both professionally and academically.

Program Details

Curriculum

Completion Requirements

  • 45 quarter credits

Education Specialist candidates must have access to a school or learning environment that has early childhood education programming.

View the COMPLETE CURRICULUM PLAN.

Time to completion will vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-768-0539.

Admission Requirements

Completed online application and transcripts. Please note that the materials you are required to submit may vary depending on the academic program to which you apply.

More information for international applicants.

Tuition and Fees

Curriculum Component Requirements Cost amount
Tuition 45 quarter credit hours $640 per quarter hour $28,800
Program Fee Per quarter $170 $1,530
      $30,330*

*This sequence represents the minimum time to completion. Time to completion will vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286.

Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included.

Paying for Your Education

Our Enrollment Specialists can help you outline a plan and find resources for funding your education.

Learn more

PROGRAM SAVINGS

You have the drive and determination to be an education innovator. We want to help you reach your goals. Receive up to a $4,000 grant if you start this program on October 9, 2023. Contact one of our Enrollment Specialists to learn more.

Get Started Now

Program Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

All EdS graduates will be prepared to:

  • Apply discipline-specific knowledge to address issues in educational settings.
  • Apply evidence-based practices to address a problem within the academic and/or work environment and propose a solution.
  • Communicate information to a variety of stakeholders using oral and written formats.
  • Practice ethically as a professional in the field of education.
  • Collaborate with diverse stakeholders to promote continuous improvement in educational settings.
  • Advocate for social change to make a positive impact in educational settings.

Specialization Learning Outcomes

In addition to the shared EdS learning outcomes above, Early Childhood Education graduates will be prepared to:

  • Apply research-based skills in the areas of child development and learning to evaluate practices and policies.
  • Apply effective leadership practices, including collaboration and advocacy, to promote positive outcomes for young children and families.
  • Apply responsible assessment practices to support healthy development and positive learning outcomes for young children.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of cultural responsiveness in interactions with children, families, community members, and early childhood professionals.
  • Integrate professional resources, including technology, to create effective solutions to authentic problems in the early childhood field.
  • Apply a variety of perspectives that are knowledgeable, reflective, and critical to promote professional growth and positive social change in the early childhood field.
  • Design a scholarly response to address an early childhood education problem and contribute to the profession.

Lead the Way Toward Better Learning Outcomes 

In our early childhood education non-licensure program, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the complex family, cultural, societal, and developmental influences that affect child growth and learning. Learn what it takes to build programs and experiences that foster positive outcomes for diverse populations of children. Examine techniques for evaluating program effectiveness so that they can be continually improved.

Career Outlook

A child’s early years lay the foundation for lifelong learning, success, and well-being. Help more children get off to a strong start in the world with an early childhood education specialist degree from Walden.

An early childhood education specialist degree can position you as an expert and leader within your school, district, or organization. Open the door to new professional roles and responsibilities. Earn a valuable academic credential, and at a lower cost, than it takes to earn an EdD or PhD in Education—and transfer seamlessly into a doctorate program later if you choose to.

An EdS in Early Childhood Education can position you to pursue career options such as:2

  • Early childhood educator (non-licensure)
  • Early childhood leader/administrator (non-licensure)
  • Faculty, higher education
  • Child and family services professional

An EdS in Early Childhood Education can position you to work in settings such as:

  • Early childhood care and education centers
  • Community colleges
  • Private schools
  • Government and nongovernmental organizations

Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

An EdS in Early Childhood Education can position you to pursue career options such as:2

  • Early childhood educator (non-licensure)
  • Early childhood leader/administrator (non-licensure)
  • Faculty, higher education
  • Child and family services professional

An EdS in Early Childhood Education can position you to work in settings such as:

  • Early childhood care and education centers
  • Community colleges
  • Private schools
  • Government and nongovernmental organizations

Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

 

Walden’s Riley College of Education and Leadership has nearly

60,000

alumni.2

 

Resources

Meet Your Academic Team

Stacy Wahl
Dr. Wahl is the Associate Dean II of the Riley College of Education and Human Sciences' doctoral programs and has graduated over 60 doctoral students. Dr. Wahl authored book chapters on critical thinking and decision making, published numerous articles, and presents at national conferences. She is an RN with board certification in critical care and professional development. Dr. Wahl is passionate about life-long learning and fostering the academic growth of her students. Her research interests include culturally inclusive pedagogies, burnout, thought leadership, emotional intelligence, improvement science, employee retention and satisfaction, and trauma informed pedagogy. She is a Walden diversity, equity, and inclusion ambassador, and in December of 2021, Dr. Wahl received Walden University's Teaching Excellence Award.
Amy White
Academic Coordinator
Dr. White started as an assistant band teacher, and social studies instructor at the middle school and high school level. After serving in the public school system, she completed a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction, with a minor in political science. and research. She has served as an adjunct professor of political science, an assistant professor of Middle and Secondary Education and an associate professor of Educational Leadership and Research. Dr. White joined Walden University as contributing faculty in 2005, and in 2015, became full-time, core faculty in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. In 2017 she was appointed as program leadership for several doctoral programs in the Riley College. Dr. White resides near Charlotte, NC with her husband and 3 children. She is published in both political science and education.
Mary Howe
Core Faculty
She taught in the public school system for over 20 years and have had the privilege of teaching in two countries (US & Australia) and three states (Iowa, Nebraska & Texas). Her teaching experiences cover grades 3-6, Special Education, English as a Second Language, and Adult Basic Education. Her higher education experiences focus on literacy education and elementary and literacy methods and assessment for undergraduate and graduate programs in face-to-face and online classes since 1997. She was involved in assessment of graduate students’ portfolios, mentored master’s students, and have been a mentor for doctoral students 2000 to 2009 and 2009 to present. Her experience at Walden involves serving as full-time faculty URR for the past 9 years and doctoral chair and methodologist.

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Questions about our Online EdS in Early Childhood Education?

Fill out the form and we will contact you to provide information about furthering your education.

Please use our International Form if you live outside of the U.S.

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1Source: Walden University Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA), as of December 31, 2019.

2Source: (Burning Glass Technologies Labor Insights™). Industry Analysis, active selections "nationwide" and  last 12 months” and “Industry: educational services.” AND “education: master’s.” Retrieved April 2020.

Note on Educator Licensure or Certification
This program does not lead to educator licensure or certification. Educators are advised to contact their individual school districts as to whether this program may qualify for salary advancement.