Grand Canyon University is a private, for-profit Christian university located in Phoenix, AZ. Originally founded by Arizona Southern Baptists in 1949, as a school that would provide Baptist education to students in Arizona, financial difficulties led to its sale in 2004 to Significant Education, LLC, making it the first for-profit Christian university in the nation. Since its switch to for-profit education, Grand Canyon has expanded its reach and improved its reputation, leading to acclaim from Forbes magazine.
Grand Canyon University offers a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education with two possible tracks, one leading to licensure, the other not. The non-licensure track is a 32-hour program for teachers who already have a Bachelor’s degree in education. For students who wish to lead to teaching licensure, a student teaching component is required, increasing the program to 44 credit hours. Designed according to the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the M.Ed. program prepares students with courses in instructional strategies, teaching methodologies, assessment techniques, theories of early childhood growth and development, and the impact of family and cultural diversity on early childhood.
Grand Canyon’s admissions requirements are relaxed and transfer-friendly; students need only
• An accredited degree
• Work experience
Tuition for online programs is $495 per credit hour; the number of credit hours necessary for graduation depends on the program. For the non-licensure track, tuition will be $16,000; for the licensure track, $22,000. Military personnel and veterans qualify for tuition reduction. In addition to federal grant and loan programs, Grand Canyon may offer other grants or tuition assistance.
