Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education

Anticipated Student learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education program, students will be able to:

• Establish and maintain a safe, healthy learning environment.
• Advance physical and intellectual competence.
• Support social and emotional development and to provide positive guidance.
• Establish positive and productive relationships with families.
• Ensure a well-run, purposeful program responsive to participant needs.
• Maintain a commitment to professionalism.
• Advance to entry in the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education program.
  
  

Program Admission Requirements:

• Official college/high school transcripts. Application to a Associates Degree Program requires submission of transcripts from each undergraduate institution attended. If the applicant has no previous college experience we require submission of an official high school transcript stating completion of secondary school or its equivalent. International students must submit a foreign degree evaluation.
  
  

  Additional requirements:
  

• A current resume.
• Three references attesting to personal and professional qualifications. References must be from a: 1) recent employer, 2) education professional, or childhood development specialist and 3) former faculty member or dean.
• A goals statement indicating your professional goals and how a bachelor's degree in early childhood development will help fulfill those goals.
• TOEFL score of 550 if native language is not English.
  

A minimum GPA of 2.0 is required for transfer credits.

AAS Degree Completion Requirements:

60 total semester-credits consisting of 10 General Education courses, 7 Foundation courses, and 1 Elective course. All courses are equal to 3 semester credits with the exception of ECE 290-Internship I, and ECE 295-Internship II which are 6 semester credits each.

Two Proctored Exams will be required for this program. Each exam will be administered at the completion of each one-half of the program.

Course Descriptions:

105 Introduction to Psychology
This course focuses on the many voices of psychology. To some, the science of psychology provides its students with a better understanding of others' behaviors. Others view psychology as a pathway to self-understanding. Others see the potential for a future career, and some are drawn to psychology by the opportunity for intellectual discovery that its study provides. The overall goal of this course is to provide a comprehensive overview to the subject of psychology.
Prerequisites: None

110 Introduction to Sociology
This introductory course in sociology gives students the opportunity to use sociological imagination to master their social world. It examines aspects of the social environment that students might otherwise ignore, neglect, or take for granted. It looks beneath the surface of everyday life to help students understand and anticipate human behavior in a variety of environments.
Prerequisites: None


150 Cultural Anthropology
This course provides an up-to-date introduction to cultural anthropology and carefully balances coverage of core topics with contemporary changes in the field. No single theoretical perspective orients this course so a wide range of views and approaches can be applied effectively.
Prerequisites: None

160 English Composition I
The overriding goal of this course is to help students master the traditional five-paragraph essay and variations of this essay. It is designed to make a dramatic difference in the student's writing skills. The course embraces the four principles to effective writing: unity, support, coherence, and sentence skills. We will demonstrate how these four principles apply in the different patterns of essay development and in specialized types of writing.
Prerequisites: None


170 English Composition II
Prerequisite: 160 - English Composition I
In the English Composition I course we focus on grammar, sentence structure, and other aspects of the "mechanics" of English. In this course, our emphasis is on creating arguments that persuade, convince, and inspire. The goal is to develop the writing skills that will enable students to develop powerful arguments that are more than just correct; they produce the results intended. We identify the fixed types of questions that an argument can address, helping students to build writing projects around the need to develop answers to significant questions concerning facts, definitions, causes, values, and actions. These questions form a logical progression - questions of fact and definition must be settled before questions of cause can be addressed, and so on - which means that they can serve as the basis of a sequence of assignments.
Prerequisites: 160


175 Speech Communications
This course places emphasis on ethics and civility in communication. It provides a comprehensive and integrated treatment of computer-mediated communication, and engaging examples drawn frequently from popular culture. It presents communication as integral to the development of students as responsible citizens in a diverse world.
Prerequisites: None

195 Study of Physical Science
This course offers complete coverage of the physical sciences and examines the fundamental behavior of matter and energy. Physical Science introduces basic concepts and key ideas while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment.
Prerequisites: None

310 Concepts of Fundamental Mathematics
Basic College Mathematics will be a review of fundamental math concepts for some students and may break new ground for others. Students of all backgrounds will be delighted to find an approach that appeals to all learning styles and reaches out to diverse demographics. Through down-to-earth explanations, patient skill-building, and exceptionally interesting and realistic applications, this course will empower students to learn and master mathematics in the real world.
Prerequisites: All 100 series Gen-Ed courses

333 Personal Finance
This course provides comprehensive coverage of personal financial planning in the areas of money management, career planning, taxes, consumer credit, housing and other consumer decisions, legal protection, insurance, investments, retirement planning, and estate planning. The goal is to teach the fundamentals of financial planning so students can make informed choices related to spending, saving, borrowing, and investing that lead to long-term financial security. Provided financial planning tools help identify and evaluate choices as well as understand the consequences of decisions in terms of opportunity costs.
Prerequisites: All 100 series Gen-Ed courses

340 Critical Thinking
This course prompts students to question their own assumptions and to enlarge their thinking through the analysis of the most common problems associated with everyday reasoning. Three main concepts include the fundamentals of critical thinking, common barriers to critical thinking, and strategies for overcoming those barriers.
Prerequisites: All 100 series Gen-Ed courses

499 Senior Capstone
The Senior Capstone project allows students to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in their courses to the work environment. The Senior Capstone emphasizes the student initiative in defining and investigating problems or projects focusing on integration and application of theory through research. This project is completely individualized; students are encouraged to select work-related projects that are of particular interest to them and that will result in professional growth and benefit the organization.

The application of newly acquired knowledge and skills to the real world is the student's ultimate goal, and the Capstone Project is how students demonstrate that they have met this goal. The Capstone Project is a large-scale academic project in which students have up to six months to complete their work. Students should select a topic that both relates to their studies and their field of work.

The results of the Capstone Project must be presented in the form of a detailed final, written report. The formal paper should be 5,000-7,500 words in length (equivalent to approximately 25-35 typed pages) inclusive of a title page, a one to two page abstract or project summary, a background or introductory section, a succinct statement of the issues and questions being explored, a literature search, a description of the research design, protocol, or model followed, discussion of findings, results and/or recommendations, an appropriate bibliography and appendices as appropriate. The Project is to be appropriately formatted and cited according the APA citation guidelines.
Prerequisite: Students may begin the Capstone course if they have no more than 3 program courses left to complete.

ECE100 Safe and Healthful Learning Environment

This course will introduce the importance of maintaining indoor and outdoor environments that prevent and reduce injuries and stress the necessity of planning for and responding to emergencies. This course also addresses promoting wellness, using daily routines to introduce good health and nutrition practices and to recognize and report the signs of child abuse and neglect. Other topics will include creating indoor and outdoor spaces that support relationships and encourage exploration and discovery. Selecting developmentally appropriate materials and arranging equipment will motivate and engage children as active learners. Comprehending the guidelines for selecting materials which will correspond to families, cultures, languages, needs, skills, abilities, and interests of children will help meet program goals. Daily routines will be planned to create flexible schedules to meet each child's needs which will guide them to becoming independent.

ECE101 Family, School and Community

This course offers the opportunity to learn about each child as an individual. It will demonstrate how working as a team will ensure a well-run purposeful program that meets the needs of each child and how to evaluate and manage the program at school. This course will also demonstrate how to develop a care giving partnership with each family and offers a variety of ways for families to be involved in the program. Methods of providing support to families will be discussed.

ECE102 Skills for Early Childhood Teachers

This course prepares students to work with children in early childhood settings. The materials are based primarily on self-concept, social, guidance, physical, cognitive, communication and creative skills. This course provides ways to help children learn about themselves, provide experiences to be successful, build supportive relationships with children, develop social skills, and learn how to appreciate others. It will also examine indoor and outdoor environments that invite children to move and explore offering opportunities to use their muscles and gain new physical skills. Other content will include understanding their world, building thinking skills, language development, literacy-rich environments, expression through music and movement, and nurturing creativity through art experiences.

ECE103 Professionalism and Growth in the Early Childhood Field

This course provides guidance for early childhood education student who wants to develop professionally in the field of early childhood education. It provides guidelines for meeting high quality professional standards, improving performance, gaining new knowledge and skills and behaving ethically at work.

ECE104 Clinical Internship I

This internship experience will allow students to apply their learned knowledge into their academic career and will allow them to show their continued commitment to working as an educator in the best interest of children and families. The sixteen week course will immerse the students into the work of teaching and learning. The students will be fully engaged in this opportunity with hands on experience. The students will also be responsible for the social and academic growth of the children with the guidance and supervision of their mentoring teacher. This course is not a unidirectional relationship but rather a dynamic relationship of reciprocity where you will find yourself situated as a learner being taught by young children, family members, teachers, administrators, and even your own critical reflections. This internship experience will offer an infinite number of growth opportunities as a researcher in the community, school, and classroom. The students will enter this internship experience with eyes, ears, and minds attuned to studying the different contexts in which they find themselves and will connect their "research" to their planning and pedagogy in the classroom.

ECE105 Clinical Internship II

This internship experience will allow students to apply their learned knowledge into their academic career and will allow them to show their continued commitment to working as an educator in the best interest of children and families. The sixteen week course will immerse the students into the work of teaching and learning. The students will be fully engaged in this opportunity with hands on experience. The students will also be responsible for the social and academic growth of the children with the guidance and supervision of their mentoring teacher. This course is not a unidirectional relationship but rather a dynamic relationship of reciprocity where you will find yourself situated as a learner being taught by young children, family members, teachers, administrators, and even your own critical reflections. This internship experience will offer an infinite number of growth opportunities as a researcher in the community, school, and classroom. The students will enter this internship experience with eyes, ears, and minds attuned to studying the different contexts in which they find themselves and will connect their "research" to their planning and pedagogy in the classroom.

ECE106 Clinical Internship III

This internship experience will allow students to apply their learned knowledge into their academic career and will allow them to show their continued commitment to working as an educator in the best interest of children and families. The sixteen week course will immerse the students into the work of teaching and learning. The students will be fully engaged in this opportunity with hands on experience. The students will also be responsible for the social and academic growth of the children with the guidance and supervision of their mentoring teacher. This course is not a unidirectional relationship but rather a dynamic relationship of reciprocity where you will find yourself situated as a learner being taught by young children, family members, teachers, administrators, and even your own critical reflections. This internship experience will offer an infinite number of growth opportunities as a researcher in the community, school, and classroom. The students will enter this internship experience with eyes, ears, and minds attuned to studying the different contexts in which they find themselves and will connect their "research" to their planning and pedagogy in the classroom.

ECE107 Clinical Internship IV

This second internship experience will allow students to apply their learned knowledge into their academic career and will allow them to show their continued commitment to working as an educator in the best interest of children and families. This sixteen week course will immerse the students into the work of teaching and learning with additional hands on experience in the classroom setting. The students will also be responsible for the continued social and academic growth of the children with the guidance and supervision of their mentoring teacher. This final internship experience will offer an infinite number of growth opportunities as a researcher in the community, school, and classroom. The students will enter this second internship as a professional with experience keeping their eyes, ears, and minds attuned to studying the different contexts in which they find themselves and will connect their "research" to their planning and pedagogy in the classroom.

ECE108 Observation and Interview in Early Education

This course includes a rationale for interviewing and observing children as a way to understand their behavior, learning, and development and makes connections to the work of major developmental theorists and educational researchers.  It provides practical tips for incorporating observations and interview of children into teachers’ busy schedules and discusses the analysis o observational data and its uses for guiding educational practices (e.g. instruction, cooperative grouping, and parent conferences).

ECE109 Problem Solving in Early Childhood Education

This course introduces future childcare providers and preschool teachers to a child-centered philosophy of education and care.  The problem-solving approach encourages “kids to do what kids do” as they learn to take responsibility for their words and actions.  The problem-solving approach is explained, stressing environment first, then progressing to listening skills, negotiating, conflict resolution, and setting limits.

ECE110 Essence of Play for Children and Practitioner

This course examines the vital importance of play as a developmental tool, supporting all those who work in early childhood education and who care in developing and implementing the highest quality play experiences for young children.

ECE111 Children’s Literature

This course explores how children’s literature can capture attention and foster a lifelong love of reading.  It examines understanding children’s responses to literature, the history of children’s literature, beginning books, picture books and all of the genres (fantasy, poetry, realistic fiction, historical fiction, biography, and informational books), planning the literature program, and extending and evaluating children’s understanding of literature. 

ECE200 History and Philosophies of Education This course presents an analysis of the historical and contemporary 'big ideas' that have influenced societies' and practitioners' views of children and the nature of the curriculum. It offers both concepts and key writings from the major educational innovators throughout history, beginning with the ancient civilizations and proceeding to the current 21st century. The course provides students with a wealth of primary source material by philosophers, classical to postmodern, whose ideas have helped shape educational practice.

ECE201 Child Development

This course examines the biological, physical, perceptual, moral, and socioemotional nature of development in children from their prenatal beginnings through their early years. Learning objectives include developing an understanding about children’s care as well as exploring diversity, careers, and research in child development.

ECE300 Education Psychology

This course presents current controversial issues designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. It presents current controversial issues designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. The course examines issues of social experience, standardizing curriculum, producing good citizens, charter schools, bilingual education, school violence, homework, and merit pay.

ECE301 Foundations of Early Childhood Education

This course provides a practical introduction to caring for and educating of children from birth to age 8. The course presents an overview of important theory grounded in the key skills new educators need to succeed - from respect for the diversities of children and families to achieving the most current National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards.

ECE302 Children with Special Needs

This course examines theory and evidence-based practices from the fields of special education and early childhood education. It explores specific intervention strategies that enhance the effective use of embedded learning opportunities within daily curriculum activities and routines. It encourages a family-centered, inclusive approach to working with young children with special needs and their families.

ECE303 Language Development

This course encourages recognition of culturally linguistically diverse children, the language variations among children, new advances in linguistics and neurology, and the importance of literacy as they impact our understanding of individual development. The course explores syntax, morphology, semantics, phonology, and pragmatics.

ECE304 Cirriculum for Young Children

This course provides the process of planning and implementing a curriculum and setting up an inclusive child- centered environment. New research and new or revised perspectives are included. Ancillary and CD ROM materials include activity plans, lesson plans, assessment forms, curriculum webs, room arrangements, and puppet patterns, as well as a 4-color insert on outdoor play.

ECE305 New Dimensions in Early Childhood Development

This course provides an overview of the evidence underlying current public and private efforts to enhance early care and education. It examines public policy as a means to promote better early learning experiences and better development for young children. The course also provides recent evidence about brain development in the early years of life and the effects on health, learning, and behavior throughout life.

ECE306 Teaching Strategies in Early Childhood Education

This course sets out to explore some of the wider issues to be investigated by beginning teachers - and those who support them - when working with early years and primary age children, while at the same time, exploring some of the delight and enjoyment in the teaching role. It will examine how children acquire positive approaches to learning, know what research says about why approaches to learning are so important, and recognize what supports and what undermines children's enthusiasm and engagement in learning.

ECE307 Early Childhood Research

Early Childhood Education spans the human life from birth to age 8. Infants and toddlers experience life more holistically than any other age group. Social, emotional, cognitive, language, and physical lessons are not learned separately by very young children. This course presents the latest research in this vital field.

ECE308 Evidence-Based Practices and Programs

This course presents the latest research on school readiness, early intervention, transitioning to Kindergarten, publicly funded programs and home-based programs. It examines what research tells about the long-range effects of various programs for young children.

ECEP400 Play and Learning for the Preschool Child

This course examines the vital importance of play as a developmental tool, supporting all those who work in early childhood education and who care in developing and implementing the highest quality play experiences for young children.

ECEP401 Guiding Preschool Behavior

This course introduces future childcare providers and preschool teachers to a child-centered philosophy of education and care. The problem-solving approach encourages "kids to do what kids do" as they learn to take responsibility for their words and actions.

ECEP402 Strategies for Classroom Management

This course explores creating and managing a developmentally-appropriate early childhood classroom. Topics include young children's growth and development, long-term and short-term planning, room arrangements, center ideas, and scheduling and management.

ECEP403 Promoting Literacy in Preschool

This course introduces the important connections between language and early literacy. It explores the essential components and processes of young children's learning, and of intervention. Students will examine the foundational practices and theories that every early child educator should know.

ECEP405 Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Preschool and School Age Settings

This course provides a guide for thoughtful consideration of classroom and caregiver practices in Infant settings. Developmentally appropriate practice is discussed and explored, including the theory and research of play. This course also addresses environments such as physical, social/emotional, and cognitive/language. Well-known curriculum approaches are explored in-depth, allowing the student to understand how these approaches fit into the principles of developmentally appropriate practice.

ECEI406 Quality Programs for Infants and Toddlers

This course provides an introduction to curriculum and care for infants and toddlers. It stresses the need to integrate (1) concepts of child development with caregiving, (2) knowledge of play as curriculum, (3) the physical and social environment, and (4) adult relations.

ECEI407 Infant/Toddler Mental Health

The fields of infant mental health and early intervention have expanded rapidly, contributing to fragmentation across systems of care. This course provides a unifying, interdisciplinary framework for clinicians based on current neuroscientific research, clinically oriented to assist in assessment and intervention.

ECEI408 Family Cultures of Infants and Toddlers

This course examines lengthy observations of three-year-olds in the United States, Russia, Estonia, Finland, Korea, Kenya, and Brazil. The focus is on how and where children spend their time, and who they are with, at an age when they are learning what it means to be a part of their culture. The book provides unique insight into variations in young children's lives in different societies and from different social class groups.

ECEI409 Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Infant and Toddler Settings

This course provides a guide for thoughtful consideration of classroom and caregiver practices in Preschool & School Age settings. Developmentally appropriate practice is discussed and explored, including the theory and research of play. This course also addresses environments such as physical, social/emotional, and cognitive/language. Well-known curriculum approaches are explored in-depth, allowing the student to understand how these approaches fit into the principles of developmentally appropriate practice.

ECEI410 Bridging: Assessment in Early Childhood Education

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