Early Childhood Education, Associate of Applied Science
Program Description
The Early Childhood Education Associate of Applied Science Degree program prepares students to work with infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children in both public and private school settings. Students completing the ECE Associate of Applied Science degree will achieve Step 9 on the Oregon Registry Steps for the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education.
Program Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Associate of Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Development will be able to:
1. Create healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging learning environments for young children based on knowledge of child development in context.
2. Create respectful, reciprocal, and supportive family teacher partnerships and community connections that support and empower family involvement in student development and learning.
3. Build effective and responsible assessment including observation, documentation, and other appropriate tools in partnership with families and professional colleagues to promote positive outcomes for each child.
4. Demonstrate an array of developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate approaches, instructional strategies, and tools to connect with children and families and positively influence each child’s development and learning.
5. Build curriculum designed to promote and assess meaningful, challenging, and comprehensive developmental learning outcomes for each child.
6. Demonstrate their professionalism as an early childhood educator with behavior reflective of ethical guidelines and professional practices associated with early childhood careers.
Career Considerations
Graduates of the ECE AAS degree will learn specific skills and knowledge that are imperative in working with infants, toddlers, young children, and their families in a variety of early childhood education and care settings. These settings include both public and private infant toddler centers, preschools, private kindergartens, and in-home care settings.
The ECE AAS course work and practical work experience focuses on obtaining knowledge and understanding of the growth and development of young children, guidance skills, and curriculum planning that supports positive social/emotional, cognitive, mental, and physical development in children. Our ECE AAS degree program focuses on seven crucial learning outcomes to help prepare students for working with young children and their families.
Program Course Requirements
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Term | Credits | |
| ECE 140 | Intro to Early Childhood Ed | 3 |
| FYE 100 | College Success | 2 |
| HDFS 225 | Child Development | 3 |
| HDFS 228 | Exceptional Child | 3 |
| WR 121Z | Composition I | 4 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Term | ||
| ECE 101 | ECE-Sem-Prac I | 3 |
| ECE 154 | Lit and Language for Children | 3 |
| HDFS 226 | Infant-Toddler Development | 3 |
| HDFS 240 | Contemporary American Family | 3 |
| PSY 130 | Understanding Child Behavior | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Term | ||
| ECE 102 | ECE-Sem-Prac II | 3 |
| ECE 150 | Creative Activities for Child | 3 |
| ECE 178 | Observing-Guiding Behavior | 3 |
| ECE 244 | Indiv Learning-Preschoolers | 3 |
| MTH 104 | Math Literacy (MTH060 or higher accepted) | 4 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Fourth Term | ||
| ECE 235 | Supporting Child Wellbeing | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Term | ||
| ECE 230 | Health Safety and Nutrition | 3 |
| MUS 204 | Music of the World 4 | 3 |
| PSY 215 | Lifespan Development | 4 |
| SOC 204 | Intro to Sociology 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Second Term | ||
| ECE 103 | ECE-SEM-Prac III | 3 |
| ECE 240 | Lesson and Curriculum Planning | 3 |
| ECE 247 | Admin of Child-Care Centers 4 | 3 |
| PSY 231 | Human Sexuality | 3 |
| SOC 205 | Inst-Social Change 2 | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Term | ||
| COM 218Z | Interpersonal Communication | 4 |
| ED 258 | Culturally Responsive Ed | 3 |
| PSY 201Z | Introduction to Psychology I | 4 |
| SOC 213 | Race Class and Ethnicity 5 | 3 |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Total Minimum Credits | 91 | |
- 1
Course offered only in Summer
- 2
Any program approved Social Science
- 3
Course offered only even years
- 4
Any program approved Music course can be taken
- 5
Any approved elective course can be taken, see advisor for list of course options