Early Childhood Education, AAS

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Apply knowledge of child development when creating healthy and respectful learning environments for children that address individual needs.
2. Understand positive relationships and supportive interactions provide the foundation of work with young children.
3. Demonstrate the importance of play and implement developmentally appropriate curriculums that incorporate anti-bias materials and meet the specific needs of all children including those with developmental delays or special abilities.
4. Utilize appropriate assessment tools and strategies to plan and individualize programming that reflect the needs of young children.
5. Engage families and the community in collaborative relationships that embrace diversity and promote involvement in young children’s development and learning.
6. Uphold ethical standards and other early childhood professional guidelines while operating a high-quality program.

Required General Education Courses

All Students who obtain an Associate degree or an Associate of Applied Science degree must complete the FYS 101 - First-Year Seminar   course with a grade of a C or higher. This degree requirement can also be achieved by earning a degree from an accredited institution or transferring 24 or more credits from another accredited institution applicable to their degree. See an Academic Advisor, or connect with the Integrative Learning Department, for course completion and/or any questions pertaining to the FYS course.

• COMM 110 - Introduction to Communication Studies 3 CR

• or COMM 207 - Public Speaking  3 CR

• EDUC 200 - Foundations of Education 3 CR
• ENGL 151 - Freshman Composition 3 CR

• or ENGL 151H - Freshman Composition - Honors  3 CR

• PSYC 201 - Introduction to Psychology 3 CR

• or PSYC 201H - Introduction to Psychology - Honors  3 CR

• SOCI 201 - Introduction to Sociology 3 CR

• or SOCI 201H - Introduction to Sociology - Honors  3 CR

   

• Choose one (1) course from the following:

• ASTR 104 - Introductory Astronomy 4 CR
• BIOL 101 - Biological Science 4 CR
• BIOL 141 - Life Science for Elementary Educators 4 CR
• CHEM 100 - Fundamentals of Chemistry 4 CR
• CHEM 110 - General Chemistry 1 4 CR
• GEOG 100 - Physical Geography 4 CR
• MATH 111 - Mathematics for Elementary Teachers 1 4 CR
• MATH 112 - Mathematics for Elementary Teachers 2 4 CR
• MATH 115 - Math for Liberal Arts 4 CR
• MATH 125 - College Algebra 4 CR
• PHYS 111 - College Physics 1 4 CR
• SCIE 102 - Physical Science 4 CR
• SCIE 103 - Field Investigation in Environmental Studies 4 CR

Required Early Childhood Education Courses

• ECE 201 - Early Childhood Health, Safety, and Nutrition 3 CR
• ECE 210 - Child Growth and Development 3 CR
• ECE 215 - Positive Child Guidance 3 CR
• ECE 218 - Anti-Bias Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings 3 CR
• ECE 221 - Early Childhood Internship 1 3 CR
• ECE 224 - Introduction to Early Childhood Education 3 CR
• ECE 231 - Early Childhood Literacy 3 CR
• ECE 232 - Infant and Toddler Care 3 CR
• ECE 233 - Early Childhood Environments 3 CR
• ECE 237 - Young Children with Special Needs 3 CR
• ECE 240 - Child Care Administration 3 CR
• ECE 250 - Intentional Teaching in Early Childhood 3 CR
• ECE 260 - Positive Relationships with Families 3 CR

Elective Courses

Choose five (5) credits from the following electives:

• ECE 209 - Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education 3 CR
• ECE 217 - School-Age Learning Environments 3 CR
• ECE 219 - Creative Arts and Movement for Young Children 3 CR
• ECE 262 - Topics in Early Childhood 2 2 CR
• ECE 264 - STEM in Early Childhood 2 CR
• EDUC 204 - Exceptional Learner in School-Age Environments 3 CR
• EDUC 240 - Education Trends 3 CR
• LITE 213 - Children’s Literature 3 CR
• PEP 290 - Preschool and Elementary Physical Education 3 CR
• SERV 200 - Service-Learning 3 CR

Professional Certifications

The Child Development Associate (CDA) is a credential awarded by the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition headquartered in Washington, DC. The CDA recognizes skills of early caregivers and education professionals. It is designed for individuals who have work experience in early childcare settings. The CDA represents a national effort to credential qualified caregivers who work with children ages birth to five.

The CDA is different from the Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education conferred by KCC. KCC provides classes for academic credit that may be applied toward the completion of CDA education and training requirements. KCC does NOT award the CDA credential.

The Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition sets CDA assessment procedures and candidate requirements. KCC offers training toward the completion of the Direct Assessment CDA credential procedure. All interested students need to meet with the Early Childhood and Teacher Education department prior to registering for classes. For more information, call (269) 965-3931, extension 2109.

The following courses are recommendations. Other early childhood courses may apply toward the completion of CDA training requirements. To extend your preparation for the CDA, it is recommended that CDA candidates take ECE 224  along with ECE 232  or ECE 233 , depending on the CDA setting of your choice.

Information:

In order for work experience to be used toward completing the requirements of the Early Childhood Education internships, it must be observable and in an approved setting.

For more information, contact the Early Childhood and Teacher Education department at 269-965-3931, extension 2109 or visit https://kellogg.edu/academics/areas-of-study/early-childhood-education-teacher-education/ece/.