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

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

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
First Term		Credits
ECE 140	Intro to Early Childhood Ed	3
HDFS 225	Child Development	3
HDFS 228	Exceptional Child	3
WR 121Z	Composition I	4
	Credits	13
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 (or higher)	4
	Credits	16
Fourth Term
ECE 235	Supporting Child Wellbeing (Only offered in summer)	3
	Credits	3
Second Year
First Term
ECE 230	Health Safety and Nutrition	3
MUS 204	Music of the World	3
PSY 201Z	Introduction to Psychology I	4
SOC 204Z	Introduction to Sociology	4
	Credits	14
Second Term
ECE 103	ECE-SEM-Prac III	3
ECE 240	Lesson and Curriculum Planning	3
ECE 247	Admin of Child-Care Centers (Only offerred even years)	3
PSY 231	Human Sexuality 1	3
SOC 205Z	Social Change and Institutions	4
	Credits	16
Third Term
COM 218Z	Interpersonal Communication (Human Relations Option)	4
ED 258	Multicultural Education	3
PSY 215	Lifespan Development	4
SOC 213	Race Class and Ethnicity 1	3
	Credits	14
	Total Minimum Credits	91

¹

Elective Option, any approved course can be taken.

Program Entrance Requirements

• Enrollment in Oregon Central Background Registry
• Verification of MMR vaccinations
• Food Handler’s Certificate
• Students will need to complete either ECE 140 Intro to Early Childhood Ed (3 cr.), or HDFS 225 Child Development (3 cr.) with a grade of C or higher, before beginning practicum courses