Early Childhood Educator, A.A.S.
A.A.S. Degree—64 credit hours
Curriculum Code 1264
This program prepares students for careers in early childhood development. It provides mid-management skills needed to work in kindergartens, nursery schools, daycare centers, and special programs for children from infancy through age 8.
Required General Education Courses
28 credit hours as follows:
A minimum level of competency in mathematics is required for graduation for all A.A.S. degrees. This minimum competency may be demonstrated in one of three ways:
- Placement into MTH-120 or higher; or
- Successful completion with an earned grade of “C” or better in BUS-120, MTH-102, MTH-109, MTH-121, or MTH-133 or higher-level mathematics course for designated career programs; or
- An equivalent transfer course from another college with an earned grade of “C” or better.
Select 7 credit hours from Math or Physical and Life Sciences:
BIO, BUS-120, CHM, EAS, GEL, NAT, PHS, PHY
Select 3 credit hours from Humanities and Fine Arts:
ARB, ART, FRE, HUM, LIT, MUS, PHI, SPA, THE
Required Career Courses
30 credit hours as follows:
| ECE-101 | Introduction to Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECE-105 | Health, Safety and Nutrition | 3 |
| ECE-107 | Infant and Toddler Development | 3 |
| ECE-109 | Child, Family and Community | 3 |
| ECE-201 | Math, Science and Social Studies | 3 |
| ECE-202 | Growth and Development/Young Child | 3 |
| ECE-205 | Curriculum-Early Childhood Programs | 3 |
| EDU-103 | Observation/Clinical Experience | 3 |
| EDU-104 | Intro. to the Foundations of Reading | 3 |
| EDU-111 | Intro to the Exceptional Child | 3 |
Electives
Select 6 credit hours from the following:
| ASL-101 | American Sign Language I | 3 |
| ASL-110 | Deaf Culture and History | 3 |
| ASL-114 | Fingerspelling and Numbers in ASL | 3 |
| ECE-203 | Administration of EC Programs | 3 |
| ECE-211 | Special Topics in Education | 1-3 |
| EDU-105 | Classroom Management | 3 |
| EDU-106 | Language Diversity in the Classroom | 3 |
| EDU-108 | Foundations of Bilingual Education | 3 |
| EDU-205 | Literature for Children/Young Adults | 3 |
| PEH-170 | First Aid | 3 |
| PEH-181 | Fundamentals of Rhythmical Movement | 2 |
| REC-180 | Perceptual Motor Development | 3 |
(Note: Directors Level Credential: Students must earn the A.A.S. degree and successfully pass ECE-211 and EDU-105 to be eligible to apply for IL Director Credential – Level 1.)
(Note: Level 4 Infant and Toddler Credential: students must earn the A.A.S. degree and successfully pass ECE-203 and ECE-211 to be eligible to apply for IL ECE Credential – Level 4.)
IL Gateway Application: ilgateways.com/en/credentials
Suggested Schedule
Semester 1 (15 credit hours)
| COM-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| ECE-105 | Health, Safety and Nutrition | 3 |
| ECE-202 | Growth and Development/Young Child | 3 |
| PSY-101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| ___-___ | Humanities and Fine Arts Elective | 3 |
Semester 2 (15 credit hours)
| COM-102 | Composition II | 3 |
| ECE-101 | Introduction to Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECE-201 | Math, Science and Social Studies | 3 |
| EDU-103 | Observation/Clinical Experience | 3 |
| PSY-104 | Life-Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
Semester 3 (16 credit hours)
| COM-103 | Speech Fundamentals | 3 |
| ECE-205 | Curriculum-Early Childhood Programs | 3 |
| EDU-111 | Intro to the Exceptional Child | 3 |
| ___-___ | Science/Math Elective | 3 |
| ___-___ | Science/Math Elective | 4 |
Semester 4 (18 credit hours)
| ECE-107 | Infant and Toddler Development | 3 |
| ECE-109 | Child, Family and Community | 3 |
| EDU-104 | Intro. to the Foundations of Reading | 3 |
| - | | |
| MTH-102 | Mathematics for Paraprofessionals | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| MTH-121 | Math for Teachers I | 3 |
| - | | |
| ___-___ | Career Elective | 3 |
| ___-___ | Career Elective | 3 |