Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education

MA ECE Core Curriculum (18 credits)

Students still requiring further coursework to complete bachelor’s degree requirements will work with their faculty advisor to add further electives to their coursework to complete requirements. All 18 credits required.

• ECE 500 - Advanced Seminar in Early Childhood Education 3 credit(s)
• ECE 510 - Understanding Assessment and Research in Early Childhood Education 3 credit(s)
• ECE 530 - Public Policy and its Impact on Children and Families 3 credit(s)
• ECE 540 - Creating Responsive Communities for All Families 3 credit(s)
• ECE 650 - Management of Childcare Programs 3 credit(s)
• ECE 660 - Action Research Project 3 credit(s)

Trauma Studies Specialization (15 credits)

Today’s young children can face an enormous amount of trauma in their lives, so it is more important than ever that early childcare education providers understand how to detect the signs and symptoms of trauma stemming from life events like divorce, death, domestic violence, child abuse, deployment, and immigration. The Early Childhood Education Trauma Specialization equips students with the knowledge, tools, and techniques to help guide and support children facing tremendous strain at a highly impressionable time in their lives.

For 80 years Pacific Oaks has played a crucial role in the development of early childhood education in the United States. The Early Childhood Education Trauma Studies Specialization will provide students with an advantage and focused area of study that allows them to acknowledge the life experiences of, attend to children’s needs, and assist in finding the right help for children and families in crisis.

Students select 15 credits from the courses below to fulfill the Trauma Studies Specialization.

• ECE 651 - Family Violence and Child Abuse 3 credit(s)
• ECE 652 - Separation, Deployment Trauma and Early Development 3 credit(s)
• ECE 653 - Death, Divorce, and Difficult Times 3 credit(s)
• ECE 654 - Trauma, Culture, and Immigration 3 credit(s)
• ECE 655 - Parent Incarceration and Its Impact 3 credit(s)
• ECE 656 - Trauma and Early Development 3 credit(s)

Organizational Leadership and Management Specialization (15 credits)

Pacific Oaks’ MA degree in Early Childhood Education with Organizational Leadership and Management Specialization prepares graduates to integrate Pacific Oaks’ transformative approach to early childhood education into leadership roles in public schools, childcare programs, state agencies, and a variety of nonprofits serving children and families.

The specialization in Organizational Leadership and Management is based upon the theory that leadership requires knowledge, skill, and deep self‐knowledge to be authentic, and that authentic leadership is essential to creating organizations with sustainable value. Graduates from our MA in Early Childhood Education with Organizational Leadership and Management Concentration will understand that establishing responsible and ethical relationships, valuing and respecting each individual, and leading with passion and purpose are all necessary to ensure that organizations achieve goals that are aligned with the public good.

Through the development of management and leadership competencies grounded upon respect for human capacity, graduates will be prepared to become leaders of change, able to navigate the complexity and unpredictability of various organizations and to transcend cultural, political, and national barriers.

Students pursuing the Master’s in Early Childhood Education with a specialization in Organizational Leadership and Management (OLM) will complete the specialization coursework through the OLM program. This program is delivered online and includes a required synchronous component. Students wishing to participate asynchronously in any given week of a course must get the instructor’s approval. The request for asynchronous participation must be submitted and approved before the start of each week in which the student wishes to participate asynchronously. Failure to obtain approval in advance may result in the student being unable to participate asynchronously and may result in no credit being awarded for that week. Students who miss three or more class sessions in a course, regardless of format, will not pass the course

This MA degree does not qualify a student for a CA K‐12 teaching or service credential

Students pursuing the on‐ground course of study may also have the opportunity to enroll in online courses. All on-ground courses include an online component.

The MA program provides the coursework required for the Director permit in California.

Students select 15 credits from the courses below to fulfill the OLM concentration requirements.

• OLC 500 - Leadership and Organizational Behavior 3 credit(s)
• OLC 508 - Essentials of Human Resources 3 credit(s)
• OLC 510 - Data Driven Decision Making 3 credit(s)
• OLC 514 - Strategic Planning and Decision Making 3 credit(s)
• OLC 521 - Business Principles for Leaders 3 credit(s)
• OLC 528 - Human Diversity and Ethics 3 credit(s)
• OLC 535 - Project Management and Teams 3 credit(s)
• OLC 542 - Managing External Relationships 3 credit(s)
• OLC 548 - Marketing Strategies and Competitive Intelligence 3 credit(s)

Master of Arts in Education Degree Programs

• Master of Arts in Education Elementary Education

This MA degree option integrates preparation for the Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential

• Master of Arts in Education Special Education

This MA degree option integrates preparation for the Preliminary Education Specialist Teaching Credential

The Master of Arts degree with credential programs (Elementary Education or Special Education) focus on strategies of inclusion, issues of equity, social justice, and cultural competence. These programs are based on the principles of development theory and the standards of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing:

1. Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
2. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach themes.
3. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
4. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
5. Teachers are members of learning communities.