Early Care and Education (Birth to Second Grade)
Early Childhood Education
Degree (D,G,W)
The Birth to Second Grade Option combines the Early Childhood Development curriculum with a student transfer focus. The program prepares students for transfer to a four-year in-state institutions to complete requirements for a bachelor's degree and early care/education (Birth to Second Grade). The Birth to Second Grade Option is approved by the Department of Education as the first half of an associate/bachelor's preparation for a Birth to Second Grade teaching certification. This program offers full articulation with several four-year institutions. Students participate in laboratory hours in public and private school systems. This curriculum option offers students the opportunity to work toward a four-year degree while preparing for the various positions in the field of early childhood.
Program Graduate Competencies
The Program Graduate Competencies listed below identify the major learning goals related to your specific program of study and identify the knowledge and skills you will have when you graduate to be successful in your chosen field.
- Implement developmentally appropriate practices based on theories, norms and milestones associated with development in early childhood.
- Communicate information about student learning and behaviors in a collaborative manner with school, family and community members.
- Plan developmentally appropriate curriculum for quality infant/toddler, preschool and kindergarten through second grade programs in multicultural settings.
- Maintain a healthy, safe environment for children by following licensing requirements and legal issues affecting Early Childhood programs.
- Apply knowledge of the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language development of birth to second grade children in a classroom setting.
- Access and implement educational technology.
Core Curriculum Competencies
The Core Curriculum Competencies listed below identify what you will be able to do as a graduate, regardless of your program of study. You will acquire these core competencies through general education courses and program-specific coursework. You will be expected to use relevant technology to achieve these outcomes:
- Apply clear and effective communication skills.
- Use critical thinking to solve problems.
- Collaborate to achieve a common goal.
- Demonstrate professional and ethical conduct.
- Use information literacy for effective vocational and/or academic research.
- Apply quantitative reasoning and/or scientific inquiry to solve practical problems.
Graduation Requirements
Core Courses
Program/Major Courses
| ECE 111 | Childhood Nutrition and Safety | 3 |
| ECE 120 | Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECE 121 | Infant & Toddler Methods & Lab | 4 |
| ECE 123 | Early Childhood Methods I & Lab | 4 |
| ECE 125 | Early Childhood Methods II & Lab | 4 |
| ECE 127 | Childhood Classroom Management | 3 |
| ECE 226 | Assessment of Young Children | 3 |
| ECE 233 | Introduction to Exceptional Learners | 3 |
| EDC 120 | Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
Program/Major Support Courses
| EDC 108 | Applied Concepts in Educational Technology | 3 |
| EDC 220 | Parent, Family, and School Interaction | 3 |
| HIS 111 | United States History: Pre-Civil War | 3 |
| MAT 173 | Math for Teachers II: Rational Numbers and Probability | 3 |
| | |
| BIO 140 | General Biology | 4 |
| Or | |
| BIO 150 | Biology I | 4 |
Suggested Pathway to Graduation (Course Sequence Sheet)
Semester 1
Semester 2
| EDC 108 | Applied Concepts in Educational Technology | 3 |
| ECE 123 | Early Childhood Methods I & Lab | 4 |
| ECE 127 | Childhood Classroom Management | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Composition II | 3 |
| MAT 172 | Math for Teachers I: Numbers and Operations | 3 |
Semester 3
Semester 4
| ECE 125 | Early Childhood Methods II & Lab | 4 |
| EDC 120 | Foundations of Literacy | 3 |
| ECE 226 | Assessment of Young Children | 3 |
| MAT 173 | Math for Teachers II: Rational Numbers and Probability | 3 |
Semester 5
To complete program requirements, you must pass the above courses and earn at least 63 credits. The number of courses and credits required for graduation may be more depending on your need for developmental education courses and the elective choices you make (if electives are a part of the program). Some programs also have college-level courses that you must take if you do not score at a certain level on the College Placement Test. If this applies to your program, the courses are listed at the top of the sequence sheet before the first semester of the course list.
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