The program in Early Childhood Studies develops professional leadership in all aspects of early childhood—counseling, guidance, therapy, management and development of programs and research. The Schwartz Program is unique in its multidisciplinarity. Its faculty derive knowledge and tools from the disciplines of psychology, social work and education, aiming to supply the unique needs of children from birth to age six.
The program is based on a systemic outlook and ecological developmental approach to early childhood. This outlook considers the many and varied environments that influence children’s development: family, educational frameworks, peer groups, community and culture.
The program’s aims
In order to achieve these aims, the program combines academic studies with fieldwork (practicums) in the fields of child development, mental health, educational programs, counseling, guidance and therapy. The program emphasizes a systemic approach and understanding the mutual relations between the various systems affecting children, in the family, the community and the society.
The program offers three tracks: guidance and counseling; mental health; policy and management. The core knowledge is common to all students.
The program is active under the auspices of the School of Social Work and Social Welfare and the School of Education.
Explanation on the program's courses (2021-2022)
Explanation on the program's courses (2020-2021)
General information
Head of the program in Early Childhood Studies: Prof. Idit Balit-Cohen
Coordinator of MA studies: Ms. Rama Botbinik
Advisor for prectical studies: Dr. Iris Zadok, e-mail: iris.zadok@mail.huji.ac.il
Program secretariat: room 310, tel: 02-5880452 extension 2, 02-5881845/8, e-mail: swm@savion.huji.ac.il
Office hours at the secretariat: Sunday-Thursday, 10:00-15:00.
To contact us, please click here
The program lasts two academic years. Classes take place on one day a week and in concentrated courses during the semester break and at the end of the academic year.
The study days in the program are Monday (in the first year) and Wednesday (in the second year). It is not possible to split the program between additional years.
The program offers three tracks: guidance and counseling; policy and management; mental health in early childhood. In each track, there are internal clusters of fields of study. Each cluster comprises mandatory and elective courses. The types of course and the number of credits required in each cluster in every track, as well as the total number of credits required for the degree, are shown in the study tables.
Study tables for those beginning studies in the 2017-18 academic year:
The study tables show the mandatory and elective courses of the MA in Early Childhood Studies program. The student may also choose courses offered by other departments of the Hebrew University.
Choosing courses from other departments and/or other universities requires the permission of the advisor for student affairs.
When planning studies, it is recommended that the student check the prerequisites for participation in the various elective courses carefully.
Exemption and recognition of previous studies
Study tables for those beginning studies in the 2016-17 academic year:
The acceptance committee will discuss each request according to the candidate’s qualifications and according to the program’s intake possibilities. Those candidates with the highest rankings of those meeting the acceptance requirements will be selected. In extraordinary cases, the acceptance committee will discuss special requests.
Requirements for acceptance to the guidance and counseling track
Requirements for acceptance to the mental health track
Requirements for acceptance to the policy and management track
Supplementary studies
Supplementary studies, set by the acceptance committee after checking previous academic studies, are meant to provide all students with a common knowledge-base that is an essential condition for acceptance to the program. These studies will include the following undergraduate courses or their equivalents, according to the candidate’s previous studies:
Anyone required to take three or more supplementary courses will be accepted to the program as a regular student only after completing these studies and achieving an average of at least 80 therein. Completing the supplementary studies in the first year of study is a condition for continuing in the program. The supplementary studies are not considered part of the degree course.
At the end of the summer before the beginning of the academic year, concentrated supplementary workshops will be offered, that can replace some of the abovementioned courses. Details at the secretariat.
Exemption (“ptor”) in English
In accordance with the procedures of the Hebrew University, receiving an exemption at university level is a necessary condition of acceptance to the MA in Early Childhood program. An exemption in English must be presented by the end of September before the beginning of the intended academic year.
A candidate who is not a graduate of the Hebrew University shall present an exemption from his/her undergraduate studies at one of the institutions recognized for this by the Hebrew University (List of the institutions recognized for the exemption in English)
A candidate whose undergraduate studies were not at an institution in the above list must present an alternative exemption on the basis of the psychometric exam, AMIR/AMIRM test, or English as a Foreign Language studies at the Hebrew University.
Registration for the 2018-19 academic year will begin in January 2018 and end on 30 June 2018.
For further details on the registration process, see the Guide for Candidates
The candidacy of anyone who does not carry out these two stages will not be brought before the acceptance committee. Anyone paying registration fees and not uploading documents to EKMD will be rejected on the grounds of lack of documentation at the end of the registration period.
A student who fulfills all his academic and financial obligations, including the successful completion of the final thesis and / or the final examination, will be awarded the degree "University Qualified in Early Childhood Studies" (M.A.) at a date determined by the University.
For more details on eligibility for the degree, through the final weighting and a verbal definition of the final grade, see the teaching and study procedures on the university's website.
A first-year student in the early childhood graduate program will move on to second year only if he has passed the relevant first-year compulsory courses (listed below) with a grade of at least 60.
General compulsory courses:
03802 Scientific Thinking
03804 Data processing and analysis
Mandatory for guidance and counseling:
03750 Practicum Workshop
03734 Preschool Curriculum: Theoretical Approaches and Their Application
03409 Fundamentals and Mental Health in Early Childhood
Mandatory for the mental health trend:
03425 Practicum Workshop
03528 Advanced Foundations in Mental Health
03409 Fundamentals and Mental Health in Early Childhood
Mandatory for policy and management major:
03152 Early Childhood Programs and Services
03734 Preschool Curriculum: Theoretical Approaches and Their Application
The practicum is a learning framework that connects theory and practice and includes field experience, group instruction and / or individual instruction.
The practicum takes place one day a week, in addition to the school day, during the two years of study for the master's degree and is accompanied by individual instruction which in many cases does not take place at the university.
Practicum frameworks:
In the field of guidance and counseling - the practicum takes place in group settings for preschoolers such as daycare centers for preschoolers and nurseries and accompanies the teamwork. In the first stage, the students learn to recognize and evaluate the needs of a boy or girl in the educational framework and in the family and community context, as well as to recognize and evaluate the needs of a group of boys and girls, staff and parents and examine the educational framework.
The second stage includes experiencing a variety of interventions: creating meaningful interaction with a boy or girl through observation, play and conversation, coaching staff, providing information and counseling to parents.
In the field of mental health - the practicum is held in settings for children at risk and for families in distress, such as multi-purpose dormitories and early childhood treatment centers. The male and female students work with the educational and therapeutic staff, with the families and with the boys and girls and are integrated into an intervention program determined according to the characteristics of the boy or girl, the family, the educational framework and the goals of the intervention.
The practicum framework is a place for application taught in theoretical courses. In most theoretical courses there are tasks that need to be performed in a practicum such as: observations, intervention with a boy or girl, intervention with a family, team training, analysis of the curriculum's sources of influence, examining the quality of education-care of the framework and more.
The training at the practicum:
The purpose of the training is to support the personal and professional development of each and every student.
The training takes place once a week in the mental health program and once every two weeks in the training and counseling program, each training session lasts one hour (60 minutes). In most cases, the instruction does not take place at the university on the school day, but according to a predetermination between the instructor and the student. This coordination requires maximum flexibility as well as inquiries.
The contents of the training refer to the professional development of the instructor, her experiences, her profession and her professionalism and there is an emphasis on professional ethics.
The instructor staff at the practicum is part of the program staff. Most of the instructors are graduates of the program and currently hold key positions in the field of early childhood in Israel.
The graduate program encourages students to study in the research plan which includes writing a dissertation (thesis).
In this plan, the scope of studies is 36 credits. The transition to the research track will be made in the second year only.
Zoom meeting in preparation for the theses - acquaintance with the lecturers 11.1.21
Zoom meeting in preparation for the theses - acquaintance with the lecturers 18.1.21
Conditions for admission to the research program (starting in 2009/10):
Click here to go through the guidelines for writing a research proposal and a dissertation
Schedule for writing the thesis
* If the thesis work has not been submitted by the specified date, please contact the head of the program and Dr. Arena Shemer to obtain permission to submit the work by 31.12 of that year
Student with the status of “supplementary to research”
The purpose of this track is to enable outstanding students to complete the writing of a thesis required for acceptance into a Ph.D. program. This track is intended for a limited number of exceptional students who did not complete a thesis during their regular master’s studies in the School’s graduate programs (or in other programs in Social Work, NGOs, and Early Childhood), and who now wish to complete a thesis as a preliminary step toward Ph.D. studies.
A request to write a thesis will be considered only if the candidate meets all of the following conditions:
Admission Process:
A candidate who meets all the above conditions shall submit a request for admission as a student in "supplementary to research status" to the graduate program office. At the time of submission, the student must attach their grades and the statement of intent for the proposed research. Simultaneously, the intended supervisor must submit a letter of agreement to supervise, including an explanation of the candidate’s suitability for the research completion track.
The School will consider each application based on the candidate’s qualifications and the program’s capacity in that academic year. The School reserves the right to invite the candidate for an interview.
Curriculum:
A candidate approved to write a thesis must register at the Hebrew University as a “student in research completion status” and will be subject to tuition fees according to the University’s tuition regulations.
According to the decision of the Teaching Committee, a student in this status must complete 6 academic credits:
The final thesis in the research completion track must be submitted no later than September 30 of the academic year in which the student is enrolled. A student who does not meet this deadline will not be permitted to continue with the thesis.
Successful completion of the research completion track will not affect the student’s original master’s degree certificate or final grade. A student who successfully completes the track will receive a separate certificate.
The program offers three plans:
Guidance and Counseling, Mental Health and Policy and Management.
The core of knowledge is common to all students, but each major has unique fields of study:
In training and counseling, the students acquire knowledge and skills for training and counseling in early childhood educational settings.
In the field of mental health, the students acquire knowledge and skills in intervening with boys and girls and families in situations of risk and stress.
In the policy and management plan, the students acquire knowledge and skills in the development and management of frameworks and services for preschool children and girls.
It is important to note that studies in the field of counseling and guidance and in the field of mental health, require practical studies in addition to the day of lectures at the university.
Moreover, individual instruction does not necessarily take place on the school day at the university.
The program is designed to prepare both female and male students for guidance and counseling positions in early childhood educational settings, individually and in groups. Studies in the field include theoretical and professional courses, a research seminar and research courses, a practicum accompanied by individual guidance and a group workshop.
The studies in the field of guidance and counseling are intended to achieve the following goals:
Assimilation of the ecological-developmental approach to understanding the training needs of the educational framework.
Providing knowledge and tools for systematic and analytical thinking in the field of early childhood, for the purpose of identifying needs and challenges, evaluation and intervention in the work of the educational framework staff.
Familiarity with early childhood services in the community to increase cooperation between all those involved in the welfare of preschool children and their families.
Development of tools and skills of individual and group training in educational settings.
Developing an infrastructure of theoretical research that will advance knowledge in the field of early childhood guidance and counseling.
Leadership development that promotes the understanding that the quality of educational-therapeutic work depends first and foremost on the degree of guidance provided to staff in the framework.
The program is designed to train people from a variety of therapeutic professions to work with at-risk boys and girls and their families, and with the staff in the educational settings in which they reside. Studies in the field include theoretical and professional courses, a research seminar and research courses, a practicum accompanied by individual guidance and a group workshop.
The studies in the field of mental health are intended to achieve the following goals:
Expanding the toolbox and knowledge in the field of therapeutic intervention in early childhood children.
Assimilation of an integrative approach to professional intervention with preschool children, with their parents and with their families.
Providing knowledge and tools for systematic and analytical thinking in the field of early childhood, for the purpose of locating, evaluating and intervening in situations of risk, distress and trauma in infancy and early childhood.
Familiarity with agencies and systems which are beliefs about providing services to at-risk boys and girls.
Develop social policy among early childhood caregivers, while imparting guidance, counseling, intervention, and leadership skills.
Developing an infrastructure of theoretical research that will advance knowledge in the field of mental health and work with at-risk boys and girls.
This trend is being supported by the Irving Harris Foundation.
The early childhood policy and management trend develops and imparts early childhood knowledge focused on the development of programs, policies and management in the field of early childhood services. The program is intended for male and female students who are interested in acquiring knowledge about parenting children and early childhood frameworks out of a desire to learn to develop new programs in the field of early childhood or to manage services in this field.
The policy and management studies are designed to achieve the following goals:
Assimilation of an integrative approach to professional intervention with preschool boys and girls, with their parents and their families.
Providing knowledge and tools for systematic and analytical thinking in the field of early childhood, along with familiarity with the field of services, understanding policy in the field, and managing and developing existing and new programs in the field of early childhood.
Familiarity with the various policy systems, frameworks and institutions that provide services to preschoolers. Knowledge and tools in management, organizational change, human resource development and team development. As well as in community development and resource mobilization, public relations and marketing and organizational leadership development.
Development of social policy among early childhood therapists, while imparting training management skills and leadership.
Development of an infrastructure of theoretical research that will promote the knowledge in the field of early childhood and the knowledge about the frameworks and services provided to families and boys and girls in early childhood.