The Master of Science/Post Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Development (ECD) is a pioneering program, the first of its kind in Bangladesh. The program offers a detailed pedagogy on Early Childhood Development (ECD), the formation & growth during the early years. The program enhances the learning and knowledge of all who are interested in working in the field of ECD from both the private and public sector. The program is designed with a unique combination of classroom studies and field research which caters to those working on early childhood development to further their understanding of major issues. These issues encompass play, parenting, school readiness, program design and advocacy. The program is led by a team of highly qualified faculty members comprising of researchers, curriculum developers, ECD specialists, program specialists and resource professionals of national and global repute.
A master’s degree in early childhood development opens up a world of opportunities for prospective students. Graduates of this program are able to continue working in the field of early childhood. With specialist knowledge of early childhood concepts, theories, programs and research, graduates gain a myriad of opportunities to work in schools, early childhood centers, NGOs and INGOs working with children and other organizations, upon successful completion of this program.
Potential career options:
• School teachers, principals and school management personnel
• Personnel from NGOs, government agencies, academic/research institutions
• Program managers, planners and specialists
• Curriculum & material developers
• Researchers & evaluation specialists
Examples of organizations which BRAC University graduates have entered:
• Government organizations
• BRAC University
• BRAC International
• UNICEF
• UNHCR
• USAID
• Save the Children
• World Bank
• Sesame Workshop Bangladesh
• Plan International
• Phulki
• English medium schools -- Scholastica, Aurora, International School, Dhaka, Delhi Public School (DPS) and Sunbeams School
Anecdote from Alumnus:
“I liked many facets of the course, I liked the combination of theory and practice. It was not a traditional course where students sit for an exam… this course hired people from the practical field..e.g. for project design, we got someone who came up with vast knowledge of project design.”
Sudeb Kumar Biswas
Education Adviser, USAID, Bangladesh
With its reputation for academic excellence and commitment to student success, this program provides a strong foundation for a fruitful career. Upon successful completion of the degree, BRAC University graduates have a wealth of employment opportunities available to them. The institute’s focus on developing well-rounded students with a strong foundation in their chosen fields, as well as its connections to a broad network of employers, gives graduates a competitive edge in the job market. Students graduating from this program get priority in obtaining preference for job opportunities in BRAC Institute of Educational Development, and are also given referrals for jobs in other places, after graduation.
Course
No./Credit
Course Title PGD MSc.
ECD 521/3-credit FOUNDATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT √ √
ECD 523/3-credit PLAY AND CREATIVITY √ √
ECD 524/3-credit SCHOOL READINESS √ √
ECD 525/3-credit WORKING WITH FAMILIES √ √
ECD 520/3-credit PROGRAM DESIGN AND AN INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH √ √
ECD 526/3-credit CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT √ √
ECD 527/3-credit INDIVIDUALIZED TEACHING AND LEARNING √ √
be completed 27 36
All students will enroll in the Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) course. Students meeting qualifying requirements will complete a thesis to receive MSc degree. The MSc and PGD degrees are offered as a joint programme. After completing the core programme of nine courses, students can choose to either complete MSc or PGD. Nine core courses for 27 credits are a basic requirement for both MSc and PGD students. Students who wish to obtain the MSc degree need to undertake an additional 9 credits for Advanced Seminar and Dissertation, thereby completing 36 credits in total. Bifurcation of students into MSc and PGD groups will be based on the preference and eligibility of the students. The overall duration of completing the PGD program is 18-months (one and a half years), and the duration of completing MSc is 24-months (two years).
ECD521: Foundation of Early Childhood Development – 3 credits
This course is about children and how they develop from conception through the first 8 years. An introductory unit will cover historical perspectives and research in early childhood development, as well as major theories most applicable to early development. Although there are a variety of approaches to studying child development, this introductory course will use a chronological-age framework with corresponding units: Unit I: Young Children from a Multicultural Perspective; Unit II: Genetics, Prenatal Development, The Newborn, and Infancy; Unit III: Preschool Years; Unit IV: Primary Years. All units will include multicultural perspective pertinent to the domain and stage of development.
ECD 523: Play and Creativity – 3 credits
This course is designed to enable students to develop an understanding of the significance of creative expression and play in early childhood, the major theories of play, the influence of play and creativity on all domains of child development, how differences in gender and culture impact play and creative expression, the developmental nature of play in early childhood and how adults can be responsive, the concept of high-quality play and creativity, culturally contextual play models, particularly in Bangladesh, and the assessment of indoor and outdoor environments, including materials.
ECD 524: School Readiness – 3 credits
This course will introduce the participants to the basic concepts of school readiness, language and literacy development stages, basic components of early literacy, and numeracy. In addition, participants will explore the interaction of social and emotional development in addressing a child's readiness for school. Children will not enter school ready to learn unless families, schools, and communities provide the environments and experiences that support infants, toddlers, and preschool children's physical, social, emotional, language, literacy, and cognitive development. That is why the course will aid participants in developing a good understanding of the role parents, teachers, or adults can play in creating a positive environment for children to be creative, innovative, and ready for school. In addition, the course will offer strategies (including talking, singing, and playing with language, reading aloud, storytelling, story-retelling, writing, etc.) on how parents support early literacy and numeracy, which can improve the readiness of young children at home. This course will also explore the strategies teachers can follow to address the diverse need of the children in the classroom and create policies that ensure smooth transitions to kindergarten. This course addresses how children's self-regulation develops over time, helps them do well at school, and the ways parents and teachers can help support self-regulation at home and in the classroom. The participants will be engaged in various activities and learning experiences to understand the ‘Ready Child Equation' to describe the range of components that influence children's readiness for school.
ECD 525: Working with Families – 3 credits
This course focuses on ways of working with young children’s primary caregivers, typically with families in support of children’s optimal growth and development. The course begins with a review of a typology of program strategies for supporting optimal child development, with a view to locating working with families within the mix of strategies used to promote early childhood development (ECD). The potential contributions of family-involving programs are then considered, looking at the various possible purposes and outcomes of family involving programs. The course covers the contents of situation analysis to understand the family contexts, beliefs, & goals and to determine the strengths & needs for different family involvement programs; the purpose of parenting programs and how they are created; the various modalities of working with families including home visiting and parent groups; how to facilitate interactions with primary caregivers and other caregivers, the process for determining the content of parent enhancement initiative, e.g. Generative Curriculum and finally evaluation of parenting programs from a variety of countries to have a better understanding of the efficacy of different approaches.
ECD520: Program Design and An Introduction to Research – 3 credits
This course has been divided into two units explaining two major concepts, a) Program designing and evaluation and b) Introduction to Research. The topics related to these two concepts have been selected with a view to develop the ability among the students of designing and evaluating a program. Topics include elements of designing a program, what is program evaluation, benefits of program evaluation, difference between monitoring and evaluation, methods of evaluation and some research concepts relating to evaluation. In addition to those the students will be introduced with different evaluation tools.
ECD 526: Contemporary Issues in Child Development – 3 credits
This is an advanced course in Child Development. In this course, a relatively new perspective is applied to studying human development. Interpersonal neurobiology is used as the framework for exploring contemporary thinking in early child development. The course includes in depth exploration of cutting-edge theories and research that informs practices in the field. The course covers the contents on introduction and approaches to studying child development, brain development, the ecology of childhood, coping and competence, communication and learning, and introduction to observation, screening, and assessment.
ECD 527: Individualized Teaching and Learning – 3 credits
Individualized teaching is an educational approach that takes into account what each child brings to the teaching and learning situation. The premise of this approach is that no two children enter into an educational activity in quite the same way. Children bring their own experiences, interests, attitudes, skills, personality, etc. to an activity. To teach effectively - that is, to bring about some positive changes - the teacher or parent must be responsive to these traits, which exist in unique combinations in each child. When adults fully understand these traits, they tend to see differences as various strengths, rather than problems, and therefore are more likely to successfully engage with children. This course will enable the students to understand the importance of individualizing in early childhood education, factors affecting individual differences, and the dimensions of the individual child, as well as the strategies of individualizing and inclusion.
ECD 528: Policy Development and Advocacy – 3 credits
The course will enable students to understand the importance of the policies and analyze current policies in place in terms of their impact on young children and their families. This course covers the contents on early childhood development and the policy process, international agreements and their influence on policy, national early childhood policies, current issues, advocacy, and the policy process, policy case studies from around the world, school readiness, early learning and development standards (ELDS), transition, financing, and policy analysis.
ECD 529: Research Methodology – 3 credits
Research methodology course is designed to introduce the basic concepts of research and applications for the study of early childhood programs, practice and policy. This course will cover the different aspects of ECD research including design and methodology, measurement, instruments, tools and report preparation. The goal of this course is that the students be able to understand research, conduct research studies, and apply research findings to their professional work in early childhood development.
ECD 531: Advanced Seminar – 3 credits
This course introduces a wide variety of approaches to research and a range of research studies, equip students in understanding research paradigms and methods and provide knowledge and skills needed for designing and conducting research projects.
ECD 532: Dissertation (Thesis) – 6 credits
Each Masters level student will be assigned a dissertation supervisor or thesis committee. Initial guidance on the selection of a dissertation topic and a supervisor will occur during the Advance Research Seminar. This phase will enable student to collect data and writing of a thesis and submit it to the thesis committee.
BRAC University provides a range of facilities to support students in their academic and personal pursuits. The library offers a vast collection of books, journals and other resources to support students’ learning and research needs. The academic skill support center provides guidance on various study skills, including effective reading and note-taking strategies, exam preparation, and time management. The tech-support team ensures that students have access to the latest technology and resources and to enhance their learning experience. The well-being and mental health support center provides a range of services to help students maintain their emotional and mental well-being, including counseling, workshops, and support groups. With these facilities and services, BRAC University empowers its students to achieve their full potential.