Shape the future of young learners, and your career, with a graduate program built around what Illinois classrooms actually need.
º£½ÇÉçÇø’s M.A in Early Childhood Education was the first program in Illinois approved to offer three teaching endorsements within a single graduate degree, with alumni teaching across Illinois for over ten years. Three things sets this program apart:
- Triple Endorsement Program: You earn endorsements in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, and English as a Second Language within one M.A. degree. This credential combination Illinois is one school district increasingly required for preschool and primary grade positions. No additional programs. No extra semesters.
- Life Experience Credits: Lewis generates a personalized learning plan from the start, drawing on your past work experience, professional journey, and prior education to create a streamlined path to graduation. Where you’ve been matters here.
- Licensure Preparation: The program is designed to prepare you for the Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with dual endorsements in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education (with ESL fully embedded) so you graduate qualified and ready to reach.
Courses run in 8-week sessions, delivered online in the evening with scheduled live class meetings each week. Built for working professionals already in or entering the early childhood field.
Three Endorsements Through One Program
º£½ÇÉçÇø’s M.A. in Early Childhood Education is one of the only graduate programs in Illinois to offer all three endorsements within a single degree:
Early Childhood Education (ECE) Regular education classrooms, birth through 2nd grade. The core endorsement for preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, and primary grade teachers in Illinois public or licensed private schools.
Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Special education classrooms, birth through 2nd grade. An endorsement that more Illinois school districts now require for any teaching working with young children. Lewis holds an IEPP Exemplary Early Childhood Education designation.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Classrooms with emergent bilingual students, grades Pre-K through 12. Embedded directly into the M.A., it is not a separate add-on.
Optional: Bilingual Education Endorsement Bilingual candidates can earn a fourth endorsement covering dual language classrooms, Pre-K through 2nd grade, by completing one additional course and passing the .
These endorsements are quickly becoming required qualifications for early teaching positions across Illinois. Holding all three means graduates enter the job market with the credentials most schools are actively seeking.
Designed for Working Professionals
The program runs entirely online in the evening, with courses offered in 8-week sessions. Most major courses meet synchronously, with students attending one scheduled live online class session per week at a set time. This is not a self-paced program; the structure is intention, with regular attendance during live sessions being expected and is part of how students build practical skills and professional community alongside peers who are doing the same.
For educators already in classrooms, already managing families, and already balancing the demands of a career, this program is built to move with that life, not against it.
A Learning Plan Built Around You
Lewis doesn’t hand every student the same roadmap. Before you register for a single course, Lewis evaluates your prior education, professional experience, and personal journey to build a personalized learning plan that reflects where you actually are, and charts the most direct route to where you want to go.
That means your years working as a preschool teacher, early intervention specialist, paraprofessional, or child care director aren’t just background. They’re part of your path forward.
What You’ll Learn
Lewis M.A. in Early Childhood Education courses are designed to meet the needs of educators working in today’s classrooms, including the linguistic, cultural, developmental, and learning differences students bring with them every day.
You’ll develop critical thinking and practical skills in three core areas:
Child Development - Understanding the stages of a child’s growth from infancy through early primary grades, and what those stages mean for instruction, assessment, and support.
Family Engagement - Building lasting relationships with families as partners in their children’s education, with strategies that work across languages, cultures, and family structures.
Child Psychology - Developing a deeper understanding of how young children think, process, and develop, and how that understanding shapes every decision a teacher makes.
Sample Courses
Lewis M.A. in Early Childhood Education courses address current issues of inclusiveness, speech and language, and the foundations of reading, writing, math and science across early childhood settings.
- Introduction to Early Childhood Education
- Child, Family, Culture and Community
- Beginning Linguistics and Development of Speech and Language in Early Childhood
- Instructional Methods in Early Childhood Inclusive Education
- Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Inclusive Education
- Exceptional Learners in Inclusive Communities.
Career Options for M.A. Graduates
Completing the M.A. in Early Childhood Education positions graduates for a range of roles across Illinois’ early childhood education system:
Public School Teacher — in regular education, inclusive education, or special education settings, Preschool through Grade 2. The three-endorsement combination makes Lewis graduates particularly competitive in districts running both general education and dual-language programs.
Child Care Center Teacher or Director — Supervising staff, overseeing daily operations, planning curriculum, and managing budgets in licensed early childhood programs.
Head Start Personnel — Full-day, year-round programs serving families across income levels, where bilingual and culturally competent educators are consistently in demand.
Home Visitation and Parent Education — Working directly with at-risk families to provide resources, referrals, and support that help children thrive before they ever enter a classroom.
Add Endorsements to an Existing License
Early Childhood Education Subsequent Teaching Endorsement - Birth to Grade 2 (18 credit hours)
Already hold an Illinois PEL? You can add the Early Childhood Education endorsement through 18 credit hours of additional coursework, without completing a full degree program. Endorsements added this way are recognized at any grade level, regardless of the underlying endorsement on your existing license.
Early Childhood Special Education Letter of Approval
More Illinois school districts now require that PEL holders teaching in early childhood settings be approved to teach early childhood special education (non-categorical) for children up to age six. º£½ÇÉçÇø offers a state-approved Letter of Approval for educators who already hold a PEL with an Early Childhood or Special Education endorsement.
The coursework covers four areas: methods, assessment, language development, and family and community relationships. This approval does not expire.
Please refer to the office graduate admission for requirements and next steps.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
- ECACE Scholarship
- Gateways Scholarship
- Mines-Quinlan Annual Scholarship
- TEACH Grant
- Lasallian Book Scholarship
º£½ÇÉçÇø also maintains employer discount partnerships with school districts. Contact a graduate admission counselor to find out whether your district qualifies.
Visit the page for current scholarship eligibility details.
Admission Requirements
- Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 for the final 60 credit hours
- Official college transcripts from all institutions previously attended
- Successful completion of the Lewis University College of Education and Social Sciences Graduate Writing Examination
- Completed graduate application
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal interview with the appropriate Department Chair or Program Director to discuss education goals
Please refer to the for application requirements and specific next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions - M.A. in Early Childhood Education
What makes º£½ÇÉçÇø’s M.A. in Early Childhood Education different from other programs in Illinois?
Lewis was the first program in Illinois approved to integrate all three endorsements (Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, and ESL) within a single M.A. degree. The program has alumni teaching across Illinois, and it is one of the only graduate level programs in the state where all three endorsements are earned simultaneously rather than sequentially.
Is this program available fully online?
Yes. Courses are delivered online in the evening in 8-week sessions. Most major courses include a required weekly live online class meeting at a scheduled time. This is not a self-paced program; regular synchronous attendance is expected.
Who is this program designed for?
Working professionals already in the early childhood field (such as preschool teachers, teacher assistance, paraprofessionals, and child care staff) as well as career changers and recent graduates looking to enter early childhood education with advanced credentials. The online evening schedule and personalized learning plan are both built around the realities of working adults.
What does “Life Experience Credits” mean?
At the point of admission, Lewis evaluates your prior coursework, professional experience, and relevant credentials to build a personalized pathway to graduation. This means students don’t all start from the same place, your background informs the plan, which can shorten the time and cost to complete the degree.
What is the Illinois PEL, and does this program prepare me for it?
The Professional Educator License (PEL) is the credential required to teach in Illinois public and licensed private schools. This program prepares candidates for the PEL with dual endorsements in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education, with ESL embedded. The program is fully approved by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board and the Illinois State Board of Education.
Can I add the Bilingual Education endorsement?
Yes. Bilingual candidates who pass the IELTS Target Language Proficiency exam and complete one additional course can add the Bilingual Education endorsement (PreK–2nd grade) to their degree — making it effectively a four-endorsement program for qualifying students.
What if I already have a PEL and just want to add endorsements?
Lewis offers a standalone Early Childhood Education Subsequent Teaching Endorsement (18 credit hours) and a state-approved Early Childhood Special Education Letter of Approval for educators who hold an existing PEL. Neither requires completing a full master's degree. Contact the Office of Graduate Admission for details.
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