M.A.T. in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (IECE)
Master of Arts in Teaching Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (IECE)
Interested in becoming a teacher in early childhood education?
The MAT in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education could be your start to an exciting and fulfilling career in teaching!
The IECE program emphasizes an in-depth academic preparation and field experience that allows teachers to be knowledgeable about the field of early childhood/special education and to develop critical thinking and lifelong learning skills.
The program focuses on the following:
- Nurturing students as active agents in their own learning
- Authentic, performance-based assessment of teaching and learning
- Meeting the diverse needs of all students
- Responding constructively to socio-cultural differences among students
The program prepares students interested in working with children from birth-5 years of age in a wide variety of settings, including day care centers, public and private schools preschools, community programs and clinics. The program gives students authentic experiences with infants, toddlers, and preschool children in the areas of curriculum development, typical and atypical child development, programs and services for children and their families, family involvement and intervention, screening and assessment, program administration, current topics and practicum/action research.
Program goals:
- IECE Teacher Certification
- Preparation of teachers for education typical and atypical children in different settings
- Provide background information on Kentucky Child Learning and Assessment Standards
Helpful Links
For details about curriculum information, see the Sequencing Guide for MAT in IECE [PDF].
Admission Process
Applicants are required to submit credentials supporting their academic ability, writing proficiency, and positive disposition as determined through test scores, college grade point average, writing samples, letters of recommendation and interview. Suggested minimum test scores and grade point averages are listed in the application materials. Dispositional characteristics essential for success in graduate school and for teaching are also listed in the application materials. These dispositional characteristics are determined by the ability of the applicant to navigate the admission process, applicant interactions during the admission process, writing samples, letters of recommendation, and faculty review.
All applications are due by the posted application deadline. All complete applications are reviewed by faculty and interviews are scheduled for competitive applicants. Final admission decisions are made by faculty committees no more than 30 days after the application deadline and applicants are notified of the committee decision.
Application Process
The teacher education admission portfolio is a combination of forms, transcripts, test scores, and other requirements that applicants will submit to the College of Education and Human Development admission counselor, Taleia Fisher. Questions about the application process or the admission portfolio, should be directed to Taleia Fisher at 502-852-0587 or taleia.fisher@louisville.edu.
All of the directions and forms are listed as links below. Applicants should print, complete and sign forms as appropriate. Include other materials as directed. Applicants should compile all information and forms, and submit to Taleia Fisher in a sealed envelope with name and telephone number on the front of the envelope. (Do not staple forms, put forms in a binder, or in page protectors.) Application materials can be submitted in person or by mail.
Have you attended a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Information Session or met with an Education advisor? If the answer is “no,” then you are encouraged to attend a session BEFORE you start the application process! You can register at the link above. You will learn more about our programs as well as the academic requirements needed for admission.
Application Deadlines:
Fall Admission - June 1st by 5:00 p.m.
Spring Admission - October 1st by 5:00 p.m.
Please note: If the application deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, we will accept the admission portfolio on the Monday after the deadline by 5:00 p.m.
- Application to Graduate School at the University of Louisville. This should be completed four to six weeks prior to submission of the teacher education admission portfolio!
- The following academic requirements, writing and disposition documents, and forms comprise the application to teacher education. Please submit all by the application deadline as instructed above.
- Academic Requirements
- Graduate Record Exam Official Scores (If you have already submitted official scores to the Graduate School, you do not need to submit scores again to this program.) Need help preparing for the GRE? Sign up for a GRE Information Session.
- Bachelor's Degree from Accredited College or University
- Official Transcripts (If you have already submitted official transcripts to the Graduate School, you do not need to submit transcripts again to this program.)
- Overall Grade Point Average
- Oral Communication Proficiency
- Written Communication Proficiency
- TOEFL
- Writing Proficiency and Disposition Documentation:
- Supplemental Forms and Application Materials (Please note these files require the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download the file or click to read)
Once the application deadline has passed, all complete applications will be processed and sent to members of the faculty admissions screening committee -who will contact competitive applicants for interview.
- Interview (competitive applicants only)
Once all interviews have been completed, the faculty admissions screening committee will make admission decisions. Applicants will be notified by email of the admission decision. Those admitted will receive information about a mandatory orientation session for the program.
Contact Us
Department of Teaching and Learning
College of Education and Human Development
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
Office: 502.852.3538
E-mail: Betty Doyle
Career Pathways Certification
The Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education enables graduates to earn Birth-5 Kentucky teaching certification.
Opportunities for Graduates
- Kindergarten teacher
- Preschool teacher
- Early childhood special educator (0-5 years)
- Developmental Interventionist
- Infant-toddler teacher
- Early childhood parent educator
- Special educator for IEPs/IFSPs
- Home-based early childhood teacher
- Itinerant early childhood teacher
- Nursery school teacher
General Information
For general information on financial aid resources, please visit the University of Louisville's Student Financial Aid office. The College of Education and Human Development has it's own web page dedicated to financial aid that contains some extra information not listed here.
When considering the cost of higher education, please consider the following items:
Awards can be combined with institutional aid up to the University's total direct cost of attendance. Direct costs include tuition, room, board, and books. The University of Louisville is required to adhere to all federal, state, and institutional guidelines. Policy information is available on-line at UofL's Student Financial Aid office.
College of Education & Human Development (CEHD) Scholarship
The CEHD has a long history of offering scholarships to prospective and current students pursuing an education degree program. The CEHD provides over $225,000 annually and selects recipients three times per year. Scholarship selection is competitive and applies to tuition only. Apply online for a CEHD Scholarship before the deadline (March 1st, June 1st and/or October 1st). Applicants should expect notification in four to five weeks after the posted deadline.
TEACH Grant
Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides up to $4,000 per year to those who intend to teach in a public or private elementary school that serves students from low-income families. Teachers must be certified in a high-need field. (Amount is pro-rated based on part-time or full-time status up to a maximum of $8,000 for graduate students.)
Applicants must complete the FAFSA (although financial need is not required) and be admitted to a teacher certification program. Applicants must score above the 75th percentile on a college admission test or maintain a cumulative gpa of 3.25 for eligibility.
Recipients must teach for a minimum of four years within eight calendar years of completing the teacher certification program. Those who fail to complete the service obligation must re-pay the loan, with interest charged form the first date of disbursement.
Minority Teacher Scholarship Program
Since 1985, the Minority Teacher Recruitment Project (MTRP) has been addressing the shortage of minority teachers in our nation's classrooms. The program is a partnership among the University of Louisville's College of Education and Human Development, the Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), and the schools of the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC).
Scholarships of up to $5,000 annually are available to qualifying full- or part-time students of color pursuing initial teacher certification at UofL. Visit the MTRP webpage to view more information about the scholarship program.
