Doctor of Philosophy in Early Childhood Education

Graduate degrees in Curriculum and Instruction: Early Childhood Education prepare future educators for leadership roles in education. Our graduates go on serve as master classroom teachers and staff specialists in public or private school systems. Additionally, an early childhood education degree enables you to work at colleges or universities and in governmental or professional organizations. In our early childhood education program, you will work closely with faculty members and receive a comprehensive education. Our teacher education program is a model service-learning program for the entire state of Florida. We regularly receive recognition for the quality and preparation of our graduates. We believe our small class sizes, strong faculty mentorship and resources enable our graduates to find success. Our students often remark that our program has a 'small school feel while providing the benefits of a major university.

A bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 GPA An earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted while registered as an upper-division undergraduate student working towards a bachelor's degree.
A master's or specialist degree with at least a 3.0 GPA An earned master's or specialist degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average (GPA) in all coursework attempted.
GRE test scores*. Official test results are required from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). These scores are considered official only when they are sent directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions from the testing agency.
Ph.D. applicant target scores:Verbal 151+, Quantitative 145+, Writing 3+
*NOTE: The GRE requirements for master's and specialist programs have been waived through Fall 2026.
Language proficiency test (international students only) FSU accepts scores from TOEFL (minimum 80), IELTS (minimum 6.5), MELAB (minimum 77), Cambridge C1 Advanced Level (minimum 180), Michigan Language Assessment (minimum 55), and Duolingo (minimum 120)
Transcripts applicants must submit an official transcript from each college and/or university attended.
Admission to graduate study is a two-fold evaluation process. The Office of Admissions determines eligibility for admission to the University, and the academic department, program, or college determines admissibility to the degree program.
For this program, applicants must upload the following REQUIRED supporting documents to the Admissions Application Portal:
Statement of purpose should describe your purpose for pursuing a degree, qualifications and long-term career goals.
At least two (2) pages for Ph.D. applicants
Letters of recommendation
Three (3) for Ph.D. applicants
One page resume/curriculum vitae
Writing Sample it is acceptable to submit a paper used in another class or one that was published.
Paper based TOEFL (TOEFL): 550