CE100: Preparing for a Career in Early Childhood

Early childhood professionals are responsible for creating developmentally appropriate environments to meet the needs of children they serve. This course provides the opportunity for you to prepare for successful careers in an early childhood environment. Topics addressed include exploration of early childhood roles and settings, developmentally appropriate assessment methods, contemporary educational and social issues, and the components of high-quality care.

Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None

CE101: Introduction to Early Childhood Education

This course will present an overview of the field of early childhood development. You will learn the foundations necessary to provide safe, healthy, and high-quality care for young children. An emphasis will be placed on governing standards and regulations, historical perspectives, and current trends. This course will also focus on what it means to be an early childhood professional and will assist you in developing effective professional practices in the field. In addition, you will explore protective factors and the role of resilience in working with children and families from diverse backgrounds.

Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None

CE114: Early Childhood Development

This course surveys children's physical, social-emotional, and cognitive development from birth through age 8. In order to provide developmentally appropriate and high-quality care, you will examine topics including stages of attachment, milestones in developmental domains, factors that can influence early development, and developmentally appropriate intervention strategies. Using your understanding of how young children develop, you will discuss issues in early childhood care, safety, and health concerns, including early trauma, guidance techniques, and behavioral expectations.

Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None

CE215: Early Childhood Curriculum Planning

In this course, you will learn curriculum planning in early childhood settings that serve young children. Attention will be given to planning developmentally appropriate play-based activities using the planning cycle. You will learn various curriculum models, learn how to address standards through integrated and emergent curriculum, and learn how to guide children's behavior using the pyramid model and trauma-informed care.

Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None

CE220: Child Safety, Nutrition, and Health

This course will advance your understanding of the factors that affect the health, nutrition, and safety of young children. You will explore how to promote children's health through the basic concepts of healthy lifestyles, food, and nutrition. You will also identify aspects of safety, including safety management, safety for children with special conditions, and environmental control.

Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None

CE230: Creative Activities for Young Children

This course is designed to help early childhood care professionals provide creative, developmentally appropriate practices in a child care environment. You will examine materials and activities that will help foster children's social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development, with an emphasis on activities that encourage independence, exploration, risk-taking, and opportunities to think and act creatively.

Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None

CE240: Young Children With Special Needs

This course is designed to help future early childhood professionals become effective caregivers and advocates for young children with special needs and their families by learning to observe and assess young children and apply strategies to address learning differences. You will explore some of the more common learning differences and disabilities currently encountered in the inclusive classroom. You will explain the value of early identification of special needs and the importance of how to implement trauma-informed practices to meet the diverse needs of children with special needs. Additionally, you will demonstrate how to communicate and collaborate with families in real-world situations for the benefit of children with special needs.

Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: None

CE299: Associate's Capstone for Early Childhood Development

This final course in the Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Development provides you with the opportunity to integrate and apply your learning through your program of study in a comprehensive manner. You will reflect on the courses taken and develop an understanding of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards, developmentally appropriate practices based upon child development research, curriculum, and professionalism. This course will include a comprehensive professional portfolio that integrates your learning experiences throughout the program.

Quarter Credit Hours: 5 | Prerequisite: Last term

CE300: Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood

This field-based course focuses on the various methods of assessment and observation, including standardized and authentic assessment strategies, as a way to assess children's growth and the development of knowledge and skills in early childhood education via project-based learning (PBL). You will apply assessment strategies through field experiences and case studies to identify developmental levels, interests, and abilities, and interpret the data collected. You are expected to explore authentic and meaningful assessment methods and develop an interdisciplinary project connecting curriculum, pedagogical content, and program outcomes. This course has a field component that requires 5 hours of observation of a target child from birth-age 3 or age 3-5 and participation in one of the following early childhood settings: child/day care or home center. The culminating project will be presented in the form of a public product at the end of the course.

Quarter Credit Hours: 6 | Prerequisite: None

CE340: Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children

This course introduces you to autism spectrum disorder in young children. Topics include the historical and theoretical foundations of autism, current diagnostic criteria, relationships with families of children with autism, and communication skills with children with autism spectrum disorder. You will differentiate the characteristics of autism including social, emotional, behavioral, sensory-motor, and cognitive characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Quarter Credit Hours: 6 | Prerequisite: None

CE370: Funding Development and Financial Planning in Early Childhood Programs

This course will focus on early childhood funding development and financial planning to create high-quality, sustainable programs in various early childhood fields. Topics addressed include efficient accounting systems and funding streams in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Emphasis will be placed on creating fund development plans based on sound financial planning, which align with program vision, philosophy, mission, and goals to support education, training, resource development and trauma-responsive care.

Quarter Credit Hours: 6 | Prerequisite: None

CE371: Early Childhood Administration

This course provides an overview of the principles and practices essential to prepare early childhood administrators. Topics covered in this course include business planning, fiscal management, program evaluation/accreditation, family and child advocacy, community involvement, and creating diverse and equitable early childhood programs. Research-based developmentally appropriate practices are incorporated throughout the course topics. Upon completion of this course, you will be prepared for an administrative role within the early childhood field.

Quarter Credit Hours: 6 | Prerequisite: None

CE401: Current Issues and Trends in Early Childhood

This course focuses on current issues and trends in early childhood including policy and legislation that affects the field. Topics addressed include foundations of high-quality education for all children, current research, applied educational theory, ethics, and professionalism. The emphasis will be to examine issues and trends in early childhood through contemporary viewpoints.

Quarter Credit Hours: 6 | Prerequisite: None

CE402: Early Childhood Family, Community, and Advocacy

This course will focus on the multiple needs of children from diverse backgrounds in the context of family, early childhood settings, and community. Emphasis will be placed on partnering with diverse families in reciprocal relationships building on families' strengths to meet the variety of needs of children. Research-based practices will focus on the professional role of advocacy in early childhood including the use of a wide variety of community resources to support children and families.

Quarter Credit Hours: 6 | Prerequisite: None

CE490: Bachelor's Capstone in Early Childhood Administration

The Bachelor's Capstone in Early Childhood Administration is the final course of your degree plan and builds on the concepts of all the courses you have taken within the program of study. The capstone course provides you with the opportunity to integrate and synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired throughout your coursework in a Professional Portfolio that demonstrates your mastery of the stated outcomes of your degree program. This course has a field component that requires 5 hours in an early childhood environment in one of the following: Head Start, Early Head Start, or daycare/preschool. The field component should involve the following age ranges: birth to age 3 or age 3-5 and will emphasize application of the program outcomes. You will also develop resources that you can use in your career as an early childhood administrator.

Quarter Credit Hours: 6 | Prerequisite: Last term or permission of the Dean