Bank Street Graduate School of Education has launched a new partnership with Smith College to create an accelerated master’s degree pathway in Early Childhood General Education. This initiative offers Smith students a unique opportunity to fast-track their graduate education while preparing to become the kind of curious and courageous teachers today’s schools need.
Through the partnership, qualified Smith students who have completed prerequisite coursework in education and child study and psychology can apply during their senior year—or within three years of graduation—for admission to begin graduate studies at Bank Street. Under this new agreement, students may transfer 10 undergraduate credits toward their master’s degree, saving both time and 31 percent in tuition costs.
Bank Street program director Abby Kerlin said, “We are thrilled to offer this unique partnership program that further bolsters students’ undergraduate foundation as social justice educators and builds their capacity for thoughtful, reflective teacher research, curriculum development, and relationship-building.”
The accelerated program provides a balanced curriculum of coursework, mentored fieldwork, and reflective practice. Highlights of the program include:
- Developmental Foundation: Students become well-grounded in child development and active learning techniques through coursework and direct observation.
- Supervised Fieldwork: Extensive hands-on practice in classrooms provides the training students need to stand out as forward-thinking educators and changemakers.
- Holistic Approach: Students learn to foster lifelong learning skills through play, social interactions, and sensory experiences, as well as engagement in literacy, mathematics, science, arts, and social studies.
- Lifelong Community: Graduates join a global network of educators committed to equity, inquiry, and transformation, with ongoing access to mentorship and professional development.
The Accelerated Early Childhood General Education MSEd Program for Smith College students leads to eligibility for New York State teacher certification for Birth through Grade 2. The program is scheduled to begin in Fall 2026, with scholarships and financial aid available to qualified applicants.
For more information, contact Program Director Abby Kerlin at akerlin@bankstreet.edu or Director of Graduate Admissions Andie Hine at gradadmissions@bankstreet.edu or 212-875-4404.