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Online M.Ed. Applied Learning and Instruction Early Childhood Education

Create Nurturing Environments Where Kids Thrive

Online

2 Years

36 Credit Hours

$362 per Credit*

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Become a Leader in Early Childhood Learning and Development

  • Apply By: 05/21/26
  • Start Class: 06/04/26 

Earn your online early childhood education degree and elevate your ability to help children reach their full potential. You will learn how to engage young learners with innovative, research-backed strategies for creating developmentally appropriate, play-based curriculum.

Our M.Ed degree online courses are reviewed and approved by local school district leaders, ensuring what you learn is aligned with the educational needs of today’s children. Upon graduation, you will have met the course requirements for South Carolina’s early childhood education add-on certification.

Concentration Details

  • No application fee
  • Local South Carolina district leaders support course materials
  • Flexible, online format for working professionals
  • Develop much-needed literacy strategies for early childhood instruction
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What Will I Learn in the Early Childhood Education Program?

Develop an array of strategies for supporting children’s learning when you learn from top-tier curriculum rooted in research and evidence. Gain sought-after skills, including how to design play-based lessons, differentiate assessments for individual learners, collaborate with families for academic and social goals, and teach foundational literacy to pre-kindergarteners through fifth grade students.

Plus, our mentoring faculty go above and beyond to ensure you feel supported. Join the USC Upstate community to experience one-on-one guidance from dedicated instructors. If you need additional support, the Student Success Center also offers free tutoring, supplemental instruction and other resources.

Early Childhood Education Required Courses

Analysis of programs and practices for involving parents in early childhood educational settings. Emphasis on objectives, methods, techniques and materials for program development. Community resources for supporting programs for children in various instructional settings.
Analysis and discussion of theory and research related to the education of young children. Intellectual, social, emotional and physical development of infants, toddlers and young children will be examined. Special emphasis on implication for developing early childhood educational instructional programs.
An analysis of early childhood program models and curricula with theoretical orientation, related research, societal needs, and the student’s philosophy of education.
Theory, research and practices related to the play of young children in various instructional settings.
Demonstration and critical evaluation of reading and writing instructional approaches. Emphasis will be placed on evidence-based approaches, instructional materials and integrative, comprehensive, balanced curricula necessary to support student learning in the PK-5th grade classroom.

Our online Master of Education degree equips you with enhanced tools to take your classroom to the next level. Increase your repertoire of cutting-edge instructional strategies with seven core courses covering a range of modern education trends and challenges.

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Expand Your Horizons as an Early Childhood Educator

Make a real difference in kids’ lives with an online program that prepares you for a wide array of early childhood education roles. Upon graduation, you will have completed coursework that can be applied toward the relevant South Carolina add-on certification.

For additional career support, reach out to the USC Upstate Career Management office. They can help with resume and cover letter development, mock interviews, skills workshops, one-on-one career counseling and more.

Preschool Teacher $37,120 per year1

Early Childhood Daycare Administrator $54,290 per year2

Explore More M.Ed. in Applied Learning and Instruction Concentrations

Align your M.Ed. degree online program to your future when you select a required concentration. Each option is taught by world-class faculty and delivered in a flexible online learning format.

Applied Learning and Instruction, (M.Ed.): Elementary

Expert educators will teach you research-driven, grade-level specific teaching strategies you can use right away in this master’s elementary education.

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Applied Learning and Instruction, (M.Ed.): Literacy

Support literacy development in K-12 students with a master’s literacy education that prepares you to design and implement effective reading initiatives.

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Applied Learning and Instruction, (M.Ed.): TESOL

This TESOL online program prepares you to effectively teach and support multilingual K-12 students in a broad range of educational environments.

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Applied Learning and Instruction, (M.Ed.): Research in Practice Education

Strengthen your research literacy capabilities and take steps toward qualifying for the S.C. gifted and talented or project-based learning endorsement.

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Sources and Disclaimer

  1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Preschool Teachers.” Retrieved Sept. 25, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/preschool-teachers.htm.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare.” Retrieved Sept. 25, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes119031.htm.

*In-state tuition with South Carolina teaching certificate