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Apply now for the Jan. 6 term and get your app fee credited back! Learn more . Alumni who apply for Jan. 6 get 10% off tuition. Learn more .
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Step into a leadership role within your field of early childhood development and learning. Great for those aspiring for roles within administration or higher education, you’ll immerse yourself in in-depth exploration and research within the field, analyzing and applying seminal and current research to real-world practices. You’ll also gain the skills needed to lead and support fellow professionals. Through a tailored approach to the dissertation process, you can complete the program in as little as three years.
This program does not lead to licensure.
Quality You Expect
Our accredited programs are designed for working professionals who want a quality education. We’re committed to delivering high-quality, affordable and accessible online programs grounded in evidence-based content and relevant application.
Low Cost You Deserve
Because we’re 100% online, you only pay for the cost of delivering your education, not infrastructure like buildings or dorms. In fact, our affordability allows most of our students to graduate with no debt. We also offer over $2.5 million in scholarships and grants every year.
Flexibility You Need
Complete your coursework any time and anywhere there’s an internet connection. You’ll have access to academic resources 24/7, and highly responsive faculty and librarians. You decide how we fit into your life, not the other way around.
We believe in full transparency with our total cost of attendance. No hidden fees. No surprises along the way.
Find a plan that fits your budget.
When We Say Low Cost, We Mean It
Austin Peay State University
Grand canyon university, university of phoenix, walden university.
Source: Internal Research Completed June 202 4
Program Details
Focus of study.
Curriculum and Instruction
General Track
Health and Wellness
Instructional Leadership
Instructional Technology
Public and Nonprofit Leadership
Special Education
Second Language Instruction
STEM Education
The Ed. D. in Early Childhood Education provides an in-depth approach to research-based methods and theories in the field of early childhood development and learning. The degree emphasizes developmentally appropriate practices and research-based strategies to promote the learning needs of young children. Students completing the Ed. D. will gain experience as a scholar practitioner with the necessary skills to support other professionals in the early childhood field as well as support educational settings centered on early childhood. This program is not designed for licensure and is best suited for individuals currently in the early childhood profession. The focus of study allows students to select an additional concentration which will support their professional goals. Students will engage in scholarly research throughout the coursework to support their final dissertation.
Program Outcomes
- Design developmentally appropriate curriculum methods to support diverse learning needs and developmental growth of young children across all developmental domains.
- Analyze, synthesize, and apply seminal and current research to support scholarly work and classroom practices.
- Examine and implement appropriate assessments to support developmental growth for individual student needs.
- Construct models to support positive collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders in the early childhood field.
- Develop strategies to support advocacy efforts in early childhood.
- Evaluate the role of professional development and lifelong learning for early childhood professionals.
- Conduct research to support leadership, scholarship, best practices and address real world needs in the early childhood field.
Start Dates
With flexible start dates, you can begin your program when it’s best for you.
January 06, 2025 Term
Jan 03, 2025
Payment Due
Application Due
Jan 10, 2025
Unregister/Cancel Deadline
Feb 09, 2025
January 27, 2025 Term
Jan 24, 2025
Jan 27, 2025
Jan 31, 2025
Mar 09, 2025
February 17, 2025 Term
Feb 14, 2025
Feb 17, 2025
Feb 21, 2025
Mar 23, 2025
April 07, 2025 Term
Apr 04, 2025
Apr 07, 2025
Apr 11, 2025
May 11, 2025
May 19, 2025 Term
May 16, 2025
May 19, 2025
May 23, 2025
Jun 22, 2025
June 09, 2025 Term
Jun 06, 2025
Jun 09, 2025
Jun 13, 2025
Jul 27, 2025
July 07, 2025 Term
Jul 02, 2025
Jul 07, 2025
Jul 11, 2025
Aug 10, 2025
August 18, 2025 Term
Aug 15, 2025
Aug 18, 2025
Aug 22, 2025
Sep 21, 2025
September 08, 2025 Term
Sep 05, 2025
Sep 08, 2025
Sep 12, 2025
Oct 19, 2025
September 29, 2025 Term
Sep 26, 2025
Sep 29, 2025
Oct 03, 2025
Nov 02, 2025
Here are just some of the courses you’ll take when working towards this program. Visit the College Catalog to see all courses.
Featured Faculty
Our real-world coursework is taught by experienced faculty.
Tiffany Hamlett
Katrina Landa
Marsha Moore
Rebecca Wiehe
Gordon Vessels
Lauri Etheridge
Francoise Bachelder
Tiffani Bateman
Ellen Brewer
Admission requirements, ace general admission requirements.
- Complete and submit all application components including the admission application, the enrollment agreement and payment agreement.
- Submit the nonrefundable application fee. *
- Provide official transcripts from an institution that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education indicating successful completion of the level of education required for entry to the program. **
- Secure electronic transcripts can be mailed to [email protected] .
*The application fee is valid for one year from date of submission.
**Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview.
Program Admission Requirements
- Transcript showing Masters’ or doctoral level
- Minimum grade point average 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for full admission
- Provisional admission is not permitted
- Applicants must achieve and maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the program
International Transcript Requirements
All applicants must submit, to the Admissions Office, an official evaluation from a NACES-approved organization.
- Transcripts that are international and/or not in English must be evaluated through a NACES -recommended agency.
- Texas applicants for licensure programs may only submit evaluations from agencies approved by the Texas Education Agency .
- International applicants must request the course-by-course evaluation. The evaluation report must show that the non-U.S. education is equivalent to the education/accreditation level required for the program.
English as a Second Language Applicants
All applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate competence in the English language as demonstrated in one of three ways:
- Submission of an official transcript showing a degree from a United States secondary school or regionally accredited college/university.
- Submission of an official minimum score on the paper or internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams.
- The minimum TOEFL score required for the internet-based version is 80, and the paper-based version requires a minimum TOEFL score of 20 for each of the three skills: Reading, Listening and Writing.
- The minimum IELTS score required is 6.5. Note: IELTS is not acceptable for Texas programs leading to certification.
- The testing agency must send test scores directly to American College of Education.
- Applicants to the Texas Educational Leadership program whose first language is not English must submit a minimum scaled score of 24 for speaking, 22 for listening, 22 for reading and 21 for writing from the Internet-Based TOEFL (IBT) or evidence of an undergraduate or graduate degree earned at an institution of higher education in a country outside of the United States listed in Figure: 19 TAC §230.11(b)(5)(C) .
Search NYU Steinhardt
Early Childhood and Childhood Education
Phd in teaching and learning concentration.
Become a researcher or teacher educator dedicated to understanding children’s development and learning, and supporting them in their education from birth through elementary school. This rigorous doctorate will prepare you to conduct research in child development and education, including in specific content areas such as literacy, numeracy, and social studies.
What You'll Learn
- Qualitative and quantitative methodologies and how to apply them to academic research in education
- How to develop and design a research proposal, implement a research agenda, evaluate results, and disseminate findings
Your Academic Experience
A flexible, highly individualized phd program.
The program of study is distributed among courses in the foundations, cognate areas, research, specialization, and dissertation research and preparation. You will be able to personalize your program around your individual interests and choose from such related areas of specialization as teacher education, curriculum development, child development, innovations in schooling, and specific content areas such as literacy, numeracy, and social studies.
Work with Faculty on Shared Research Interests
Our faculty's research interests center on key themes in early childhood and childhood education, including:
- Human and child development
- Social contexts of learning
- The influence of culture on teaching and learning
- Multiple ways of knowing
- Families as partners in children’s learning
- The uses of evaluation and assessment in teaching and learning
- The impact of language and literacy development on children’s learning
- Curriculum development
You'll have the opportunity to work closely with them on grants and studies as you as establish your own research agenda.
Become Part of a Tight-Knit Research Community in a Global Urban Center
At NYU Steinhardt, you will have access to a world-class facility for conducting educational research. The PhD in Teaching and Learning is designed to prepare you for all aspects of the research process, including developing and designing a research proposal, implementing a research agenda, and disseminating findings. You will interact with a close community of fellow student researchers and receive close mentoring from faculty as you pursue educational research in the heart of New York City.
Each doctoral student is assigned a faculty advisor in the student’s chosen area of specialization. This advisor serves as an interim academic advisor until the student selects a doctoral dissertation advisor.
You'll be well prepared for roles including:
- Teacher educator or researcher in early childhood and childhood education in colleges and universities
- Early childhood and childhood education specialist in government organizations and nonprofits
- Curriculum specialist or evaluator in early childhood and childhood education programs
Erin O'Connor
Professor of education & chief of education at cooper.
Professor of Childhood Education
Fabienne Doucet
Executive director, metropolitan center for research on equity and the transformation of schools and associate professor of early childhood and urban education.
Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with
Early childhood education, ph.d. in curriculum and instruction: emphasis in early childhood education.
The program offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. In addition to taking a core curriculum shared with all students of Curriculum and Instruction, students will complete courses specific to the Early Childhood Education program. This is an interdisciplinary emphasis area with courses across departments and programs. The goal of the program is to train the next generation of early childhood researchers and leaders.
Students in the Early Childhood Education Ph.D. program will have opportunities to engage with faculty and research through the Texas A&M Institute for Early Childhood Development and Education ( https://education.tamu.edu/early-childhood-institute ). The Institute is a close community of interdisciplinary scholars working to bring cutting-edge research to practice, transforming the lives of young children. This unique resource will allow you to tailor your Ph.D. experience to your interests, develop partnerships with community leaders in early childhood education, conduct collaborative research, and develop the skills needed to become a leader in the field of early childhood education.
To be admitted to a graduate program, you must apply to the TLAC department and Texas A&M University.
Ph.D. Curriculum
Degree Plan
Graduate Student Handbook
Download the TLAC Graduate Student Handbook
Program Details
Degree: Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction Emphasis: Early Childhood Education Degrees Offered: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Delivery: Traditional Credit Hours: 64 (for students who already have a Master’s degree), or 96 (for students without a Master’s degree)
For a better understanding of your total cost of attendance (COA), please visit our cost and tuition rates webpage ( https://aggie.tamu.edu/billing-and-payments/cost-and-tuition-rates ). This webpage will provide you with an opportunity to review estimated COA information for undergraduate, graduate and professional students, as well as other resources such as the tuition calculator and billing and fee explanations.
Contact Advisors
Sydney Zentell
Academic Advisor IV
View Directory Profile
Contact Faculty
Marc Goodrich
Associate Professor
Margaret Quinn
Paola Guerrero-Rosada
Assistant Professor
Arianna Pikus
Early Childhood Institute https://education.tamu.edu/early-childhood-institute
Lab Schools Becky Gates Children’s Center https://bgcc.tamu.edu
Charlotte Sharp Children’s Center https://csccprek.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Which doctoral degree is right for me, ph.d. or ed.d..
Please visit our web page at https://tlac.tamu.edu/academics/online-ed-d/#program-comparison to view the key components of the Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs.
I still have further questions—who can I contact to help me answer those?
Please feel free to contact our Graduate Advising Office with any questions you may have. Our office information can be found at https://tlac.tamu.edu/student-services/graduate-advising .
Can you guide me through the application process?
Please visit our web page at https://tlac.tamu.edu/admissions/masters-admissions or https://tlac.tamu.edu/admissions/doctoral-admissions for step-by-step information about applying for our master’s and doctoral programs.
How to Apply: Master’s Application Information | Doctoral Application Information
How soon can I apply?
Prospective students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible!
I live out of state. Do you accept out-of-state applicants?
Yes, we accept in-state and out-of-state applicants.
Is there any opportunity for financial assistance?
Yes, there are opportunities for financial assistance through the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid at https://financialaid.tamu.edu .
What are the typical program costs?
You can base the cost of attendance on 64 graduate credit hours (for doctoral students).
Is the GRE required?
GRE is only required for Ed.D. applicants.
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