Early Childhood Education (MAE)
Master of Arts in Education
Elevate your teaching career and/or enhance your teaching for early childhood students.
- Delivered entirely online
- Begin any term - Apply now for Spring 2026, Summer 2026, or Fall 2026
- You may be eligible to receive a scholarship - See below for details!
Features
Entirely Online | 31 Credits | 2 Years
- Designed for classroom teachers who hold an early childhood teaching license and are teaching children from birth through third grade
- Elevate your teaching skills with courses addressing current curricula, issues, trends, teaching methods, literacy, assessment, research and leadership roles
- New: Students with an Iowa Endorsement 100 or 1001 may also earn an Iowa 262 Pre-K-K Early Childhood Special Education endorsement
- Recognized with top honors as a best online master's in education program in 2025 by U.S. News and World Report
As an Online & Distance Education student, you’ll have a dedicated Enrollment Contact and Program Coordinator to assist you with registering for classes, navigating the course sequence and billing process, preparing for graduation and much more.
Dawn Mollenkopf
Program Coordinator & Professor
Department of Literacy, Early Childhood and Special Education
dawn.mollenkopf@uni.edu
319-273-3019
Lisa Jaeger
Enrollment Contact
Online & Distance Education
lisa.jaeger@uni.edu
319-273-2504
Request Information
Courses are offered entirely online using a combination of Zoom video conferencing on Tuesday evenings and Blackboard, a learning management system that will enhance your learning experience and provide a sense of community with fellow classmates.
Our graduates are prepared to:
- Advocate for change for their students and school community
- Become a teacher leader in curriculum and innovative instructional methods
- Apply action research to topics of interest or areas of concern in classrooms and schools
- Understand and communicate how to promote equity and inclusion in the early childhood classroom
- Model best practices and offer leadership in areas of coaching, social-emotional learning, assessment and evidence-based practices
Individualized Support Services
Throughout every step of your program, you'll have a dedicated team of support staff ready to assist you. You'll also have access to UNI services such as:
- Personalized academic advising
- Support from Financial Aid, Career Services and Rod Library staff
- Academic support and tutoring opportunities from the Learning Center
- Access to student accessibility services and staff
- Technical support assistance
Courses are offered entirely online using a combination of Zoom video conferencing on Tuesday evenings and Blackboard, a learning management system that will enhance your learning experience and provide a sense of community with fellow classmates.
Our graduates are prepared to:
- Advocate for change for their students and school community
- Become a teacher leader in curriculum and innovative instructional methods
- Apply action research to topics of interest or areas of concern in classrooms and schools
- Understand and communicate how to promote equity and inclusion in the early childhood classroom
- Model best practices and offer leadership in areas of coaching, social-emotional learning, assessment and evidence-based practices
Individualized Support Services
Throughout every step of your program, you'll have a dedicated team of support staff ready to assist you. You'll also have access to UNI services such as:
- Personalized academic advising
- Support from Financial Aid, Career Services and Rod Library staff
- Academic support and tutoring opportunities from the Learning Center
- Access to student accessibility services and staff
- Technical support assistance
To be admitted, students must have:
- 2.75 is the minimum GPA to be accepted without provision; applicants with a GPA lower than 2.75 may still be admitted provisionally, at the discretion of the program and the Division of Graduate Studies.
- Early Childhood Education teaching license (can be from any state; does not need to be current)
Along with the application, you’ll need to submit:
- Resume and/or CV
- Official transcripts, for all institutions attended
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required.
Available Scholarships
College of Education Scholarships:
Graduate tuition scholarships are available for College of Education graduate students who are applying or enrolled in an online program, pending scholarship criteria. You may be eligible for any of the following scholarships:
- COE Dean's Graduate Scholarships
- Graduate Tuition Scholarships (funded through the UNI Division of Graduate Studies)
- Other COE and COE department scholarships funded through the UNI Foundation
Apply for these scholarships using the COE Graduate Scholarship Application. Deadline is April 15.
Online & Distance Education Scholarship
Online & Distance Education offers $2,000 scholarships for degree-seeking students enrolled in select graduate programs. There is no deadline to apply.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available for part-time graduate students in the online Early Childhood Education MAE program. To get started, contact the UNI Financial Aid Office for information and for assistance with filing out the FAFSA. Graduate students enrolled in 5+ credits per semester can qualify for some forms of federal financial aid.
Next Steps
Express Interest
Complete our online information request form. We'll send program updates, important information and application deadlines directly to your inbox!
Apply
Along with the application, students must submit the required additional application materials listed above.
Apply for Scholarships
Online & Distance Education offers scholarships for qualified students. Learn more and apply for the scholarship today.
Delivery of this program is contingent on a sufficient number of students being accepted into the program.
Brenda Kaufmann
"This program helped me reach my goals because of my professors. They were always available to answer my questions and I felt very supported. Because of this experience, I'm certain that I'll be a better educator and leader.
I felt connected with my cohort because the classes met online through Zoom. Having that interaction where we could see and talk to each other not only helped to solidify our learning, but helped to build our connections to each other. I feel that I've made good connections that will last long after the program is finished!"
Class of 2021, Early Childhood Education MAE
Kelsey Evans
"This program has reassured me that I'm in the right profession. It's helped reignite my passion for making learning meaningful for our youngest learners. I've learned more about current practices and about what I can do to make the most out of school for young children. The professors were very helpful, supportive, and accommodating to each learner's needs. I also felt connected with my cohort because we had numerous group projects and class discussions that allowed us to get to know one another. I would recommend this program to anyone. It's a great program and you'll leave with a great breadth of knowledge in the education field."
Class of 2022, Early Childhood Education MAE