{"id":5928,"date":"2025-10-17T11:54:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T15:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/?p=5928"},"modified":"2025-10-17T12:04:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T16:04:05","slug":"new-masters-program-in-early-childhood-policy-and-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/new-masters-program-in-early-childhood-policy-and-leadership\/","title":{"rendered":"New master&#8217;s program in early childhood policy and leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"837\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ma-photo.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5929 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ma-photo.png 837w, https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ma-photo-300x242.png 300w, https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ma-photo-768x620.png 768w, https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ma-photo-480x388.png 480w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 837px) 100vw, 837px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>We\u2019re thrilled to announce the launch of the brand-new Master of Arts in Early Childhood Policy and Leadership at the CUNY School of Professional Studies \u2014 a fully online, asynchronous program designed to prepare early childhood professionals to become leaders, advocates, and decision-makers in early childhood education policy and administration.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The new program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#x2705; Is designed and developed by leaders and practitioners in early childhood and public policy<br>&#x2705; Combines graduate education with credentialing aligned to state standards<br>&#x2705; Builds both theoretical insight and professional skills tied to systems-level impact<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why earn a master\u2019s in early childhood policy and leadership?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As one of the few graduate programs in the country focused specifically on early childhood policy and leadership, this master\u2019s degree equips professionals with the knowledge, skills, and experience to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Lead early childhood organizations and systems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Influence policy at the local, state, and federal level<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advance equity and inclusion in early learning<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Drive program quality and family engagement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Connect learning to real-world challenges in New York City, New York State, and beyond<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Earn a MA in Early Childhood Policy and Leadership at the CUNY School of Professional Studies\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wQXvLEmw3Gc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students choose between the following two tracks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Early Childhood Public Administration<\/strong>: For students interested in obtaining an interdisciplinary perspective to early childhood policy and leadership<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Children\u2019s Program Administrator Credential<\/strong>: For current and aspiring children\u2019s program directors and administrators and those seeking the New York Association for the Education of Young Children\u2019s CPAC Credential<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>&#x1f4a1; Program at a Glance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Feature<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Format<\/strong><\/td><td>100% online and asynchronous, allowing working professionals to balance career, life, and study.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><br><strong>Credits<\/strong><br><\/td><td>30 graduate credits required.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Certificate Options<\/strong><\/td><td>Students who do not plan to complete the full master\u2019s degree may choose to complete the 12-credit certificate in early childhood policy or the 18-credit certificate in children\u2019s program administration.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Part-Time Option<\/strong><\/td><td>Can be completed in two years, with a part-time option available.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Credential Boost<\/strong><br><\/td><td>18 of the credits are eligible toward the Children\u2019s Program Administrator Credential (CPAC) issued by the New York Association for the Education of Young Children, which measures program management and leadership ability.<br><br>If you hold an \u201cInitial\u201d teacher certification, the master&#8217;s degree can be used to meet the graduate-level coursework requirement to attain \u201cProfessional\u201d certification.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Esteemed Faculty<\/strong><\/td><td>Taught by leading scholars and practitioners in early childhood and public policy<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What you\u2019ll learn<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Through dynamic discussions with peers and faculty, applied projects, and community-based learning opportunities, students will explore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Early childhood systems and governance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Policy development and implementation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Budgeting and resource management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leadership in diverse communities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Research, data, and evaluation&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Where you\u2019ll go<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Graduates of the MA in Early Childhood Policy and Leadership are qualified for a range of roles, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Policy analyst or advisor<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Director or manager in educational, nonprofit, and government settings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Education and child care advocate<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who should apply<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This program is ideal for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Early childhood educators, administrators, and site leaders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advocates in policy, social services, or public health<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Staff in community-based organizations and city agencies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anyone with a bachelor\u2019s degree who aspires to lead change in early childhood<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Applicants should have<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>A bachelor\u2019s degree (recommended GPA of 3.0 or higher)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A personal statement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A current resume (not required for the advanced certificate)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One letter of recommendation (not required for the advanced certificate)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>An interview may be requested for some applicants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-vivid-green-cyan-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/sps.cuny.edu\/academics\/graduate\/master-of-arts-in-early-childhood-policy-and-leadership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Apply now<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about the new master&#8217;s,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/docs\/MA_Generalflyer_Oct2025%201.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Download the flyer\">Download the flyer<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sps.cuny.edu\/academics\/graduate\/master-of-arts-in-early-childhood-policy-and-leadership\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Visit the CUNY SPS website\">Visit the CUNY SPS website<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Email <a href=\"mailto:policyleadershipma@earlychildhoodny.org\">policyleadershipma@earlychildhoodny.org<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019re thrilled to announce the launch of the brand-new Master of Arts in Early Childhood Policy and Leadership at the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13588,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"initiatives":[118],"audiences":[125,126],"organizations":[],"cbk":[],"article_type":[],"coauthors":[243],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5928"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13588"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5928"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5928\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5933,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5928\/revisions\/5933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5928"},{"taxonomy":"initiatives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/initiatives?post=5928"},{"taxonomy":"audiences","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audiences?post=5928"},{"taxonomy":"organizations","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/organizations?post=5928"},{"taxonomy":"cbk","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cbk?post=5928"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=5928"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodny.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=5928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}