Early Childhood Education - AAS-T
Credits: 99-101 | Length of Program: 6 quarters
Subject: Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood Education - Associate in Applied Science - T
Early Childhood Education is the systematic study of the care, development and education of children from birth to age eight. Students gain the knowledge and competency necessary for a professional career working with young children. The Associate in Applied Science Degree in Early Childhood Education is designed to transfer to four year colleges and universities. This program differs from the Early Childhood Education AAS by offering more general education courses as part of the core requirements, making it more transferable to colleges and universities. This degree will only transfer in full to the colleges and universities who choose to articulate with South Puget Sound Community College. Please see faculty in this area for an updated list of articulations.
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Graduates with an AAS-T degree can qualify for positions as preschool teacher, child care director, child care program supervisor, child care provider, non-certified early childhood teacher, or elementary school classroom aide/paraeducator and may transfer to articulated four year college and university degree programs such as Early Childhood, Human Development and Social Services. This degree transfers to BAS programs in teacher education for those that want to earn a teaching certificate and teach in the K-12 classrooms. These BAS programs are especially designed to give students an endorsement in Early Childhood along with their primary certificate making them highly qualified to teach in Preschool through third grade classrooms. See ECE Faculty for more information. Graduates may be employed by child care centers, cooperative preschools, family child care homes, parks and recreation departments, private preschools, public schools and state and federally funded preschools. See Society, Services & Education » Early Childhood Education for more career and employment information.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the key elements of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation (www.naeyc.org) and the Washington State Department of Early Learning Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals (www.del.wa.gov)
The Early Childhood Education AAS-T degree can be completed in three years attending evenings only or in two years with a combination of day and evening courses. The majority of ECED and EDUC courses meet in the evening. Practicums (ECED& 120, ECED 205 and ECED 250) require daytime hours.
At the completion for the Early Childhood Education Program, the successful student will be able to:
- Critically thinking in order to analyze, evaluate and solve problems using multiple methodologies
- Having multicultural awareness thru exhibiting an understanding of the ways economic, political, social, and culture factors impact identity and interactions
- Computation through identification, understanding and communicating the differences between quantitative and qualitative date and be able to explain results
- Demonstrating ethics through identifying complex ethical issues and recognizing and evaluating interrelationships of related issues
- Communicating effectively through written and verbal communications skills
Distribution: AA, AS, DTA, SOCIAL SCIENCE, NURSING SOCIAL SCIENCE, AA-AAS-T-SOCIAL SCIENCE
Distribution: AA, AS, DTA, SOCIAL SCIENCE, NURSING SOCIAL SCIENCE, AA-AAS-T-SOCIAL SCIENCE
Distribution: DIVERSITY
3-5 credits from the following list:
Distribution: AA, AS, DTA, DIVERSITY, SOCIAL SCIENCE, NURSING SOCIAL SCIENCE, AA-AAS-T-SOCIAL SCIENCE
Other courses may be considered as elective credits. Contact your advisor for approval. Up to 5 credits from credit bearing community based training, parent education, or individual Building Bridges modules may be used toward elective credits with advisor approval.
Communication:
Distribution: AA, AAS, AS, DTA, COMMUNICATION, GER-CIS, AA-AAS-T-COMMUNICATION, AAS-COMMUNICATION: Reading/Writing, AAS-READING-WRITING
Distribution: AA, AS, DTA, COMMUNICATION, AA-AAS-T-COMMUNICATION
Computation
Distribution: AA, AS, DTA, NATURAL SCIENCE, QUANTITATIVE, AA-AAS-T-QUANTITATIVE, AA-AAS-T-NATURAL SCIENCE
Distribution: AA, AS, DTA, NATURAL SCIENCE, QUANTITATIVE, AA-AAS-T-QUANTITATIVE, AA-AAS-T-NATURAL SCIENCE
Humanities
Natural Sciences
Distribution: AA, AS, DTA, NATURAL SCIENCE, LAB, AA-AAS-T-NATURAL SCIENCE
Diversity Requirement
Diversity-designated courses at South Puget Sound Community College provide opportunities for students to develop awareness of their own social and cultural identities, seek understanding of others, and cultivate skills to communicate across cultures and differences. All programs require the completion of a diversity course.
Effective Catalog Year 2020-2021
Graduation Requirements for AAS-T in ECE: 94 credits in courses numbered 100 or above from ECED/EDUC course offerings and the General Education requirements available in Building 22 or at spscc.edu/start.
State Stackable State Certificate Requirements
Prerequisite for Short Certificate of Specialization: Completed Initial Certificate
Prerequisite for State Early Childhood Education Certificate: Completed Initial Certificate and Short Certificate of Specialization
Electives
If any of the required courses have been waived, select courses with the assistance of an advisor to complete the 94-credit minimum requirement.
Program Information
The Early Childhood Education AAS-T degree can be completed in three years attending evenings only or in two years with a combination of day and evening courses. The majority of ECED and EDUC courses meet in the evening. Practicums (ECED& 120, ECED 205 and ECED 250) require daytime hours. Many ECED and EDUC courses require observation hours in addition to class time. See course outlines for details. Students can enter the program any quarter but are strongly encouraged to start with the Initial State Certificate and meet with an ECE advisor for detailed information necessary for planning their degree. Contact (360) 596-5378 for advising day information.
- Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university should work closely with an advisor to ensure maximum transfer of credits.
- ECED& 107 requires CPR/First Aid and a Food Handlers Cards be obtained while taking this class.
- To successfully complete the practicum experiences in ECED& 120, ECED 205 and ECED 250, students will volunteer in a Head Start, school or child care center which will require a Department of Early Learning portable background check and requires a tuberculosis test.
- ECED/EDUC courses may be taken in any order, except ECED 205, ECED 250 and ECED 238. It is recommended but not necessary to take ECED& 105 first. It is recommended but not necessary to get the ECE stackable certificates while obtaining your ECE degree.
- “C” or better must be obtained in all courses with an EDUC or ECED prefix to apply to the ECE degree or certificate.
- It is possible to receive up to 12 credits toward the degree for students having a Child Development Associate (C.D.A.) credential. See advisor for details.
- An alternative pathway is the Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree which can be used as an upside down pathway to enter The Evergreen State College.