The Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Care and Education prepares student-professionals to work with young children in a variety of private and public care and educational settings. This program of study focuses on the fundamentals of early childhood development and the methodologies of planning and implementing programs designed to promote healthy development in children from birth to five years of age.
Degree Program Objectives
In addition to meeting institutional and general education objectives, the Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Care and Education seeks to prepare its graduates for professional care of children from birth to five years in a variety of settings via the following program outcomes. Graduates in this degree program will be able to:
Articulate the major theoretical concepts undergirding the effective practice of infant and toddler care as a subspecialty of the larger disciplines of developmental psychology and early education.
Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals and methodologies of planning and implementing infant and toddler education and care programs.
Apply historical and contemporary informally and formally gathered data in the development of infant and toddler care programs.
Critically evaluate the relationship between infant and toddler development and interactions with parents, siblings, peers, care providers, educators and communities.
Identify and practice interpersonal, group, and presentational communication skills applicable in personal and professional intercultural environments.
Degree Program Requirements
Required Course - 3 semester hours
RQ295 / COLL100 - Foundations of Online Learning - Required as the first course in all undergraduate programs.
General Education Requirements (34 semester hours)
English Composition - 6 semester hours
EN101 / ENGL101 - Proficiency in Writing [Required]
EN102 / ENGL102 - Effectiveness in Writing
EN202 / ENGL200 - Composition and Literature
Social Sciences - 6 semester hours
SS101 / ECON101 - Microeconomics
SS102 / ECON102 - Macroeconomics
SS111 / GEOG101 - Introduction to Geography
SS133 / SOCI111 - Introduction to Sociology
SS134 / PSYC101 - Introduction to Psychology
SS190 / ANTH100 - Introduction to Anthropology
SS210 / CHFD220 - Human Sexuality
SO220 / SOCI220 - American Popular Culture
Science - 4 semester hours including the required 1 hour lab
SC100 / SCIN100 - Introduction to Biology
SC198 / SCIN101 - Introduction to Biology Lab
SC101 / SCIN102 - Introduction to Chemistry
SC199 / SCIN103 - Introduction to Chemistry Lab
SC102 / SCIN104 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology
SC122 / SCIN105 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab
SC103 / SCIN106 - Introduction to Physics
SC123 / SCIN107 - Introduction to Physics Lab
SC104 / SCIN108 - Introduction to Astronomy
SC124 / SCIN109 - Introduction to Astronomy Lab
SC106 / SCIN110 - Introduction to Oceanography
SC126 / SCIN111 - Introduction to Oceanography Lab
SC107 / SCIN112 - Introduction to Meteorology
SC127 / SCIN113 - Introduction to Meteorology Lab
SC108 / SCIN114 - Introduction to Physical Geology
SC128 / SCIN115 - Introduction to Physical Geology Lab
SC105 / SCIN116 - Introduction to Forestry
SC125 / SCIN117 - Introduction to Forestry Lab
SC110 / SCIN118 - Introduction to Human Ecology
SC120 / SCIN119 - Introduction to Human Ecology Lab
Mathematics - 3 semester hours
MA112 / MATH110 - College Algebra
MA113 / MATH111 - College Trigonometry
MA125 / MATH125 - Math for Liberal Arts Majors
MA225 / MATH225 - Calculus
History - 6 semester hours
HS101 / HIST101 - American History to 1877
HS102 / HIST102 - American History since 1877
HS111 / HIST111 - World Civilization before 1650
HS112 / HIST112 - World Civilization since 1650
HS121 / HIST121 - Western Civilization before The Thirty Years War
HS122 / HIST122 - Western Civilization since The Thirty Years War
HS215 / HIST223 - History of the American Indian
HS217 / HIST221 - African-American History before 1877
HS218 / HIST222 - African-American History since 1877
Humanities - 3 semester hours
HM101/ SPAN100 - Spanish I
HM102 / SPAN101 - Spanish II [Prerequisite: HM101]
HM103 / FREN100 - French I
HM104 / FREN101 - French II [Prerequisite: HM103]
HM105 / ARAB100 - Arabic I
HM106 / ARAB101 - Arabic II [Prerequisite: HM105]
HM107 / RUSS100 - Russian I
HM108 / RUSS101 - Russian II [Prerequisite: HM107]
HM109 / CHIN100 - Chinese I (Mandarin)
HM110 / CHIN101 - Chinese II (Mandarin) [Prerequisite: HM109]
HM111 / GERM100 - German I
HM112 / GERM101 - German II [Prerequisite: HM111]
HM200 / MUSI200 - Music Appreciation
HM230 / RELS201 - Introduction to World Religions
HM240 / ARTH200 - Art Appreciation
HM277 / PHIL200 - Introduction to Ethics
PH101 / PHIL101 - Introduction to Philosophy
GM200 / COMM200 - Public Speaking
Literature - 3 semester hours
All literature courses require successful completion of EN101 - Proficiency in Writing or EN102 - Effectiveness in Writing
HM201 / LITR220 - American Literature before the Civil War
HM202 / LITR221 - American Literature from The Civil War to Present
HM221 / LITR210 - English Literature: Beowulf to 18th Century
HM222 / LITR211 - English Literature: 18th Century to Present
HM211 / LITR201 - World Literature through the Renaissance
HM212 / LITR202 - World Literature since the Renaissance
Political Science - 3 semester hours
SS121 / POLS210 - American Government I
SS131 / IRLS210 - International Relations I
Core Requirements (21 semester hours)
PY100 / CHFD210 - Childhood Educational Development
PY101 / CHFD212 - Infant and Toddler Programs
PY103 / EDUC111 - Observation Techniques
PY309 / CHFD312 - Special Needs Students
PY377 / CHFD308 - Infant-Toddler Development
PY384 / CHFD331 - Parenting
SO210 / CHFD225 - Introduction to the American Family
Elective Requirements (3 semester hours)
Students must complete 3 semester hours comprised of lower (100-200) level courses not taken to fulfill the requirements listed above. Additional general education courses may be taken to fulfill elective requirements.
