Early Childhood Education (AA)

Early Childhood Education

Associate of Arts

��'s Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education guides candidates through an introductory study of theories and the best practices to utilize in an early childhood education PreK-4 environment. Through a sequence of carefully planned early childhood education courses, candidates are given the opportunity to develop their foundational knowledge of the best practices for working with young children while they are active in the field. Our curriculum prepares students for positions in various educational and clinical settings, including preschools, childcare centers, early intervention, and behavioral health.

Mission and Vision

The mission of the Department of Education at �� University is to develop educators and clinicians who are intellectually and spiritually sensitive, as well as professionally and socially responsible; namely, those who seek to bring out these same qualities in the children they serve. To accomplish this mission, our Associate of Arts program enables all individuals the opportunity to facilitate growth in intellectual curiosity, self-conﬁdence, knowledge, responsibility, and interpersonal relationships.��We aim to prepare pre-service teachers who, upon graduation, are highly skilled in both the art and science of teaching.

Course Requirements

EDUC 105: Health & Wellness (Three credits)
EDUC 107: Early Foundations (Three credits)
EDUC 108: Language & Literacy I (Three credits)
EDUC 109: Psychology of Diverse Learners (Three credits)
EDUC 200: Reading Methods (Four credits)
EDUC 202: Math Methods (Four credits)
EDUC 204: Language & Literacy II (Four credits)
EDUC 205: Observation & Assessment I (Three credits)
EDUC 206: Inclusive Practices PreK-12 (Three credits)
EDUC 207: Behavior Theories & Practices (Three credits)
EDUC 210: Comparative Issues in Education (Three credits)
EDUC 222: Aesthetic Education (Three credits)
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The Freshman Experience
- IMU 101: Introduction to �� (Two credits)
Outreach
- BTG 200: Beyond the Gates (One credit)

R: Reason & Faith

CST, PHIL, RLST (Three credits)

E: Expression & Creativity

ENG (Three credits)

A: Analytic Thought

BIO, CHEM, GEOL, PHYS, or SCI (Science + Lab) (Four credits)

C: Context & Systems

ECON, HIS, POLI (Three credits)

H: Humans in Connection

WL 101: Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Learners (Three credits)

WL 101: Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Learners (Three credits)
COMP 120: Research & Writing (Three credits)
Two of any MATH prefixes (Three credits each - Six credits total)
Any ENG prefix (Three credits)

Learning Outcomes

The Education Department has developed six broad learning outcomes that serve as the framework for the program’s curriculum. The associate program supports the introduction and development of these outcomes while the bachelor's program affords further reﬁnement and mastery. Some candidates may utilize the Associate of Arts program as a bridge for a degree with plans to matriculate into a Bachelor of Arts program in Early Childhood Education and/or Special Education. In the A.A. program, candidates will develop and begin to reﬁne the following learning outcomes:��

Create and facilitate a quality lesson plan.
Articulate a personal teaching philosophy statement.
Assess PreK-4 Early Childhood and PreK-12 Special Education student performance.
Demonstrate personal ethical and professional standards in a school setting.
Plan and implement differentiated instruction for students with special needs in PreK-4 Early Childhood and PreK-12 Special Education.
Demonstrate knowledge of best practices associated with child development, teacher, and learning in PreK-4 Early Childhood and PreK-12 Special Education population.

Student playing cards with kids

Career Outlook

This program curriculum is designed to allow students to transfer their 67 credits toward a bachelor’s degree. Students with an Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education could complete bachelor's degrees in:

Early Childhood Education PreK-4
Special Education PreK-12
Early Childhood PreK-4/Special Education PreK-12 dual degree

Career opportunities are available in several in-demand areas including early childcare settings, preschools, behavior and mental health services, early intervention, preK-12 education, and other clinical settings. An Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education provides candidates the foundation to support children, particularly through grade four, in roles such as: