Specific post-secondary teacher roles depend on your level of education. Full-time, tenured faculty are typically required to have a Ph.D., while some adjunct or part-time professors work with a master’s degree. Either way, a master’s degree is a required step on the path to a doctorate.
Once you’re faculty at a college or university, you may be required to divide your time between teaching, working directly with students and conducting your own research. You need to be comfortable crafting a course syllabus, planning relevant lessons and assignments and possibly working with colleagues to develop a department’s overall curriculum. Since students will regularly come to you with questions that you’ll need to be able to answer confidently, it’s also important to keep up with the newest developments in early childhood education.
This is a challenging career choice that requires you to have full mastery of your specialized subject material, and pursuing a concentration in early childhood education can help give you the background needed to teach with authority. A master’s degree in a relevant field is essential to prepare for this position, and an Online Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (Early Childhood Education) is a great place to start. ASU Online offers a flexible, fully online Master of Education in curriculum and instruction centered on early childhood pedagogy, community collaboration, technology, administration, policy analysis and advocacy. This degree can prepare you for the work experience you should have prior to looking into post-secondary educator positions.