60 Credits AAS 3523/2518, Academic Catalog 2024-2025
Resources
Award Description
The Early Childhood Education Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree is designed to prepare individuals for employment in a variety of early childhood and educational settings as early childhood teachers, family child care providers, nannies, directors or site coordinators, and paraprofessionals within a school system.
Education for early childhood licensure is provided by South Central College according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services educational requirements. Students learn about child growth and development, positive child guidance strategies, providing safe environments, maintaining children’s health, enhancing literacy, cultural sensitivity, children’s mental health, special education, and best practices for promoting developmentally appropriate learning experiences for young children.
The AAS degree in Early Childhood Education can be transferred seamlessly to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, with or without certification.
Campuses: Faribault and North Mankato
Estimate for 60 credit program
Tuition is paid on a semester by semester basis and will vary depending on the courses and total credits you take.
Tuition and Fees: $12,302
Tools and Equipment: $ n/a
Total Estimated Cost: $12,302 *
Compare the costs and you'll see that tuition at South Central College is much more affordable than other institutions.
*Based on 2023-2024 tuition and fees rates. Does not include extra expenses for online delivery, course fees, or course differential. Books, transportation, and living expenses also not included.
The course requirements listed below are specific to the current school year (noted above). If you need to view the program from previous years view our Catalog Archive.
Required Technical Courses (15 Courses)
Complete the following courses:
ECE 1205 Introduction to Early Childhood Education (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of the early childhood field, including theories, philosophies, missions, and regulations. It examines the roles and responsibilities of professionals in a variety of career settings. (Prerequisite: None)
ECE 1210 Child Growth and Development (3 Credits)
This course is the first in a series of courses that is required for a certificate, diploma, or degree in Child Development Careers. The course provides an overview of typical and atypical child development across cultures, from prenatal through school age. It includes physical, social, emotional, language, cognitive, aesthetic, and identity/individual development. This course integrates developmental theory with appropriate practices in a variety of early childhood care and educational settings. (Prerequisites: None)
ECE 1220 Health, Wellness, and Nutrition (3 Credits)
This course will guide the student in obtaining skills needed to establish and maintain a physically and psychologically safe and healthy learning environment for young children. Topics include preventing illness and accidents, handling emergencies, providing health, safety, and nutrition educational experiences, meeting children's basic nutritional needs, child abuse and, current health-related issues. This course does NOT include CPR or first aid certification. (Prerequisites: None)
ECE 1230 Behavior Guidance (3 Credits)
This course examines positive child guidance techniques for individual and group situations. Emphasis on problem prevention and positive guidance strategies, communication, setting limits, problem solving and behavior modification. Examines ways to establish supportive relationships with children and guide them in order to enhance learning, development, and well-being. (Prerequisites: None)
ECE 1240 Diverse Children and Family Relations (3 Credits)
Examines how to work with many types of families. Investigates the importance of the family/school partnership, study methods of effectively communicating with families, and identify community organizations and networks that support families. Various classroom strategies will be explored emphasizing culturally and linguistically appropriate anti-bias approaches supporting all children in becoming competent members of a diverse society. (Prerequisites: None)
ECE 1270 Creative Activities and Environments (3 Credits)
This course presents an overview of skills to provide appropriate learning environments for young children. It examines the role of the teacher in providing learning experiences to meet each child's needs, capabilities, and interests, and ways to implement the principles of developmentally appropriate practices. (Prerequisite: None)
ECE 1310 Infant-Toddler Development and Learning (3 Credits)
This course will examine infant and toddler development as it applies to early childhood educational settings. Students will integrate strategies that support diversity and anti-bias perspectives, analyze development, correlate prenatal conditions with development, summarize child development theories, analyze the role of heredity and the environment, examine research-based curriculum models, and examine culturally and developmentally appropriate environments for infants and toddlers. (Prerequisite: CDEV 1210)
ECE 2310 Introduction to Special Education (3 Credits)
This course examines the development of children with differing abilities. Students will integrate strategies that support diversity and anti-bias perspectives, providing inclusive programs for children, apply legal and ethical requirements including ADA and IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). Exploration of differing abilities of children with physical, cognitive, health/medical, communication, and/or emotional/behavioral disorders, adapt curriculum to meet the needs of children with developmental differences, and cultivate partnerships with families who have children with differing abilities. (Prerequisites: CDEV 1210)
ECE 2510 ECE Internship (3 Credits)
This course is designed to provide the student with a purposeful occupational experience in the Child Development and Family Services field. Each internship is an individualized experience. Site selection is based on each student's area of interest in conjunction with the instructor's approval to provide experience related to the skills and knowledge acquired in the program. The focus of the Child Development program is to allow students to integrate and apply skills and knowledge gained in the actual work environment. (Prerequisite: Instructor approval must be granted)
ECE 2520 Children with Challenging Behaviors (3 Credits)
This course supports students' understanding of children's behavioral problems and identifies intervention strategies to prevent and resolve problem behaviors. Effective behavior modification techniques and designing behavior plans will be explored. (Prerequisite: CDEV 1230)
ECE 2530 Curriculum Planning (3 Credits)
This course provides an advanced level of curriculum planning. Emphasis is on organizing, implementing, and evaluating developmentally appropriate curricula. (Prerequisite: CDEV 1270)
ECE 2550 Cognitive Development (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of cognitive and multimedia learning experiences in either home, school, or center-based settings. Students integrate knowledge of child development, learning environments, and teaching methods to promote curiosity, attention, perception, memory, problem solving, logical thinking, and media literacy. (Prerequisite: CDEV 1210)
ECE 2560 Introduction to Language and Literacy (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of language and literacy learning experiences in home, school, or center-based settings. Students integrate knowledge of child development, learning environments, and teaching methods to promote literacy, conversation, literature, literacy, and bilingualism. (Prerequisite: CDEV 1210)
ECE 2580 Observation and Assessment (3 Credits)
This course focuses on the appropriate use of observation and assessment strategies to document children's development, growth, play and learning, and to join with families and professionals in promoting children's success. The students will explore recording strategies, rating systems, multiple assessment tools, and portfolios. There will be a focus on increasing objectivity in observing and interpreting children's behavior, observing development characteristics, and increasing the awareness of normal patterns of behavior. (Prerequisites: ECE 1210 and ECE 1230.)
ECE 2590 Introduction to Children's Mental Health (3 Credits)
This course provides an overview of social-emotional learning experiences. Students integrate knowledge of child development, learning environments, and teaching methods to promote emotional development, moral development, self concept, self esteem, social skills, diversity awareness, and social studies. (Prerequisite: CDEV 1210)
Arts and Sciences - Sociology or Psychology (1 Course)
Select at least one course from MNTC Goal Area 5 in PSYC or SOC.
Arts and Sciences - Communication (1 Course)
Select at least one ENGL or COMM course from MNTC Goal Area 1.
Required Arts and Sciences (7 - 9 Credits)
To complete an AAS Degree, students must complete 15 MNTC credits from 3 of the 10 MNTC goal areas.
PLEASE NOTE: All program plans are preliminary and curriculum may change without notice. Your catalog of record may have different requirements.