A Fulfilling Career as an Early Childhood Teacher

GSU Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education program readies students for the classroom by providing a significant amount of field experiences in school settings.  During your training, you will have the opportunity to encounter the types of situations and challenges you will face as a practicing teacher.  Our program is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education to prepare candidates for a professional educator license and early childhood special education approval.

Incoming professionals are given three options for completing the program that are based on their prior preparation and educational background.  Students that possess a Professional Educator License endorsement in Elementary ED. or Special Ed. and have supervised experience will not need to complete additional clinical hours in those areas. The program also provides a track for initial licensure for those candidates that do not currently hold a professional educator license. They will need to complete all of the programs requirements. 

The last option is for any students who have completed a significant amount of undergraduate work in early childhood education (or a closely-related field).  These students will be required to complete the core and professional courses. 

Once a student has nearly completed the program, they will be required to do a Culminating Experience (3).   This will be used to demonstrate the integration of everything that was learned in the form of a portfolio, a research study/project, thesis, internship or other experience.  The Culminating Experience must be approved and is supervised by a committee of three faculty members.  

Please check with the GSU website or the Graduate Early Childhood Education Student Handbook for all of the Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education degree details and requirements.   Any further questions, contact a department advisor.   

We encourage you to explore our many degree, certificate and individual course offerings listed on our website.  Each college has stellar programs and world-class professors; all of which are focused on delivering academic excellence in a small-class setting.  Learn more about the rich history, cultural amenities and beautiful campus that contributes to making us one of the top colleges in Illinois.  

Master of Arts in Psychology – Clinical Sequence

Becoming a psychologist can be a rewarding career and future job prospects are quite good.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, they predict a faster than average growth for the profession.  At Governors State we offer a Master of Arts in Psychology degree that provides the professional preparation for students seeking to enter into the field of human services or as a stepping stone toward a doctorate degree.  Our program consists of a choice of two sequences, either clinical or theoretical.   

The clinical sequence is designed for students interested in variety of clinical venues including clinical research and academic settings and is based on the scientist-practitioner model.  The program offers a blend of research and clinical work and is aligned with course requirements for eligibility for examination for the Licensed Professional Counselor in Illinois.

Our program allows you to gain experience in the planning and execution of research, knowledge of psychological dysfunction and treatment along with assessment procedures, and develop proficiency in the content, theories and methodological approaches to psychology.  In addition you will become knowledgeable and observant of the ethical standards of the profession. 

Psychology has many specialties and fields including working in adolescent or child mental health, adult mental health, learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, substance abuse or geriatrics.  Clinical psychologists work in hospitals, private practice or in academic settings.   As part of our program at GSU, psychology students have the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom at lab sites and our on-campus Family Development Center.

Many psychologists’ jobs require a doctorate degree and GSU’s Master of Arts in Psychology degree provides excellent preparation to continue on to advanced studies.  Please see our website for the complete program requirements and information. 

We encourage you to explore our many degree, certificate and individual course offerings listed on our website. GSU has a highly diverse student body made up of individuals of all ages and backgrounds and our courses are taught by gifted professors.  Learn more about the rich history, cultural amenities and beautiful campus that contributes to making us one of the top colleges in Illinois.  

The Field of Education is Looking for Leaders

The field of education is in need of qualified leaders who are prepared to meet real-world problems and issues with sophisticated, multi-dimensional perspectives. This is why doctorate programs are designed; to enhance those qualifications and improve upon your skills as an effective leader.

Governors State University offers a high quality Interdisciplinary Leadership Doctorate program to make you the in demand leader the field of education needs. With core courses in areas such as leadership, research, planning and communication, this Doctorate of Education program will enhance your qualifications and teach you effective leadership skills. In addition you will have the opportunity to choose one of four excellent concentrations that include: Superintendent (P-12), Higher Education Administration, Public Safety and Not-for-Profit/Social Entrepreneurship.

The GSU program gives future leaders the tools to develop and hone leadership skills, and prepares you to work across different disciplines with ease. Students are introduced to the theories, principles, practice and applications of effective leadership and how to incorporated research and data-driven decision making into that work. A significant strength of the program is its experiential component, through which all graduates will integrate theory and practice.

 
The particulars of the Governors State Interdisciplinary Leadership Doctorate of Education, (Ed.D.) degree program requires a minimum of 60 credit hours. More hours may be taken in order for a student to specialize in his or her studies, or more credits may be required in order to meet prerequisite requirements for the doctoral program. In addition GSU requires that all doctoral students register for a minimum of 9 graduate credits per semester. The doctoral program must be completed within seven years.

There is a provision for students to apply for an extension under extenuating circumstances. To make it convenient for working adults, all of our courses are offered online or in a hybrid format (part online, part face-to-face).

We invite you to explore our many degree, certificate and individual course offerings listed on our website. Each college has stellar programs and world-class professors; all of which are focused on delivering academic excellence in a small-class setting. Learn more about the College of Education’s quality advanced degree programs designed to prepare the leaders of tomorrow.