An integrated circuit having an embedded multiple time programmable memory includes a processing core for executing stored instructions with a data memory and a non volatile memory. The non-volatile memory block provides for storage of program instructions and includes a plurality of blocks of non-volatile memory, each of which can be written to once and read from many times and each having a size that is equal to or less than a program memory address space addressable by the processing core for output of data there from. It also includes a reserve storage location for storing a status word defining the one of the plurality of blocks addressable by the processing core, the status word operable to be changed in response to external signals when another of the plurality of blocks is to be selected, such that once another of the plurality of blocks is selected, the status word cannot indicate as addressable by the processing core a prior one of the plurality of blocks that was defined by the status word as being previously addressable by the processing core.