Early Care and Education, AAS

Program Start Date: Fall or Spring term
Minimum Program Length: 74 academic weeks; 5 terms day, 6 terms night; 64 credits
Program ID:  AAS.ECE
Curriculum Code: 35207

Program Description

The Early Care and Education program offers a combination of classroom instruction and supervised hands-on experiences that prepare students for direct entry into the field of Early Care and Education.

Practical Experience

Students gain early childhood development skills through rotations in child development centers, Head Start programs, private, and public and/or special education facilities.

Professional Opportunities

Students with the associate degree may become teachers in child development centers, preschools, Head Start programs and after-school programs. Students may also qualify as instructional assistants in the school system, private and public kindergartens or special education facilities.

Unique Aspects

Student entering the program must have a criminal background investigation (CBI) and health form completed during ECD 102 . Any positive CBI check within the last seven (7) years will result in the student being dismissed from the Early Care and Education Program.

A minimum of C or higher is required in all ECD courses.

Requirements for Associate in Arts (AA)

Students are responsible for checking with the specific college or university to which they plan to transfer (and preferably with their target program within that institution) to determine the transferability of any course.

EEDA Career Cluster:

Education and Training

Program Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate expertise in early childhood development, account for individual differences, assess environmental impacts on learning, and make evidence-based decisions as educators.
2. Recognize diverse families, foster mutual relationships, involve parents as partners, and leverage community resources for child development and learning.
3. Comprehend assessment’s instructional role, ethically employ diverse assessment tools, record child development, and collaborate for individualized learning.
4. Build supportive relationships with children, tailor teaching to individual needs, and use diverse, evidence-based approaches aligned with universal design principles.