Early Care and Education Associate of Applied Technology Degree / Associate in Applied Science – T Degree

CIP Code

13.1210

Prepares students for careers in the Early Care & Education field as child care directors, teachers, leads, and assistant child care providers.

To obtain the degree, a student must complete the required courses and elective credits. Students participate in practicum experiences at the Hayes Child Development Center on the Lakewood Campus or in an approved local early learning program.

Students will complete four practicum experiences. The fourth practicum will be in an area of the student’s choice: Leadership in ECE; Child Development – Infant/Toddler; Child Development – School Age; Family Childcare Professional; or Special Needs. Degree candidates may petition for credits based on possession of a current CDA credential.

Students are required to develop a program portfolio to be completed and presented prior to graduation.

All courses must be completed with a minimum of a “C” grade to graduate. The Washington State ECE Stackable Certificate is embedded in the degree program, so students may earn stepping-stone credentials on their way to completing an associate degree.

Proficiency in reading, writing, and an understanding of the English language are required. ENGL& 101 must be completed by the end of the fourth quarter. Students are required to take the Accuplacer assessment or equivalent before entry into the program and must meet with an ECE faculty advisor. All degree students must fulfill portfolio requirements, which must be completed by the time of graduation from the program.

Students pursuing an AAT or AAS-T degree must complete all college degree requirements prior to graduation. This includes courses that meet the capstone project, diversity, and computer literacy requirements.

Employability Requirements

To become a licensed child care provider in Washington, you must participate in a Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) licensing orientation and apply for and receive licensure. State law requires DCYF to run background checks on anyone who is authorized to care for or has unsupervised access to children in licensed child care facilities.

Program Length

This program is approximately 6 quarters long, depending on the time students need to satisfactorily complete all graduation requirements and hours of enrollment. All courses must be completed with a minimum of a “C” grade to graduate.

Admission Dates

Summer, fall, winter, and spring quarters.

Program Outcomes

• Use child development theories to promote optimum learning outcomes for children.

• Build family and community relationships in an inclusive learning environment.

• Use observation techniques, assessment tools, documentation and planning procedures for all learners.

• Implement a developmentally appropriate assessment cycle which plans for the needs of each child.

• Apply developmentally and culturally appropriate teaching and guidance theories, principles, and practices in an early childhood setting.

• Create curriculum content to foster optimum growth and development of learners.

• Demonstrate professional standards related to early childhood best practice.

Completion Requirements

Prerequisite(s)

none

Program Course List

ECED& 105Introduction to Early Childhood Education

5

ECED& 107Health, Safety & Nutrition

5

EDUC& 115Child Development

5

ECS 119Computer Essentials for ECE

3

ECS 151ECE Curriculum: Math, Science & Technology

3

ECS 161ECE Curriculum Music, Movement, and Creativity

3

ECS 178Practicum: Environments

5

ECS 185Practicum: Domains of Development

5

EDUC& 130Guiding Behavior

3

EDUC& 150Child, Family and Community

3

ECED& 132Infants & Toddlers - Nurturing Care

3

ECED& 160Curriculum Development

5

ECED& 170Environments for Young Children

3

ECED& 180Language and Literacy Development

3

ECED& 190Observation and Assessment

3

ECE 230Inclusion In Ece

3

ECE 245DIVDiversity Awareness & Curriculum Development

3

ECS 277Professionalism & Ethics

2

ECE 290CAPPortfolio Adventure

2

ECE 292Theories of Child Development

3

ECE
Electives

4

ECE
Specialization Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:77

ECE Practicum: Specialization choices: See list below (3 credits)

ECE Electives: See list below (4 credits)

 

AAT Degree Requirements

Technical Course Requirements

77

ECE AAT General Education Requirements

18

Total Credit Hours:95

ECE AAS-T Degree General Education Requirements: See list below

AAS-T Degree Requirements

Technical Course Requirements

77

AAS-T Degree General Education Requirements

23

Total Credit Hours:100

AAS-T Degree General Education Requirements: See list below

ECE Practicum:Specialization choices

(Students must choose one of the following Practicum:Specializaion Courses)

ECE 195Practicum Specialization: Emotionally Intelligent Child

3

ECE 217Practicum Specialization: Infant/Toddler

3

ECE 220Practicum Specialization: Responsive Caregiving for Infants & Toddlers

3

ECE 231Practicum Specialization: School Age

3

ECE 286Practicum Specialization: Leadership

3

ECE 287Practicum Specialization: Child Development

3

ECE 288Practicum Specialization: Family Child Care Professional

3

ECE 297Practicum Specialization: Special Needs

3

ECE Electives

(Students must complete a minimum of 6 elective credits)

ECE 126Nature and the Outdoor Classroom

2

ECED& 120Practicum: Nurturing Relationships

2

EDUC& 136School Age Care Management

3

ECED& 139Administration of Early Learning Programs

3

ECS 221Curriculum & Environments for School Age Programs

3

ECS 260Curriculum for Family Child Care

2

ECS 266Leadership in Early Childhood

4

ECS 290Mentoring In ECE

1

ECED& 134Family Child Care

3

General Degree Requirements

In addition to the program course requirements, students must also complete the general education requirements for the degree they seek to obtain. The two degree options in this program are the Associate of Applied Technology (AAT) or the Associate in Applied Science – T (AAS-T). The different requirements for each degree are listed below

AAT Degree General Education Requirements (18 credits)

ENGL& 101English Composition I

5

Or

CMST& 220Public Speaking

5

 

MAT 103Business Mathematics

5

PSYC& 100DIVGeneral Psychology

5

COLL 102College Success for All

3

PSYC& 100DIV General Psychology (PSY 112DIV, SOC& 101DIV, or other social science or humanities course that meets the diversity requirement)

Note:

CMST& 220 or higher

MAT 103 or higher

AAS-T Degree General Education Requirements (23 credits)

All AAS-T degrees must have a minimum of 20 credits of transferable general education. These credits replace the academic courses required for the AAT degree. Required credits include:

5 credits in communication

ENGL& 101English Composition I

5

5 credits in quantitative reasoning

MATH& 107Math in Society

5

MATH& 141Precalculus I

5

MATH& 142Precalculus II, Functional Trigonometry

5

MATH& 146Introduction to Statistics

5

MATH& 151Calculus I

5

5 credits in a social science that meets the diversity requirement

PSYC& 100DIVGeneral Psychology

5

SOC& 101DIVIntroduction to Sociology

5

5 credits in social science, humanities, or science

Per program and industry outcomes suggested options: Soc & 100 Sociology or ASL & 21 American Sign Language

 

Choose one from the following:

ART& 100Art Appreciation

5

ASL& 121American Sign Language I

5

ASL& 122American Sign Language II

5

BIOL& 160General Biology w/Lab

5

BIOL& 175Human Biology w/Lab

5

BIOL& 241Human A & P I

5

BIOL& 242Human A & P II

5

BIOL& 260Microbiology

5

CHEM& 110Chemical Concepts w/Lab

5

CHEM& 121Intro to Chemistry

5

CHEM& 131Introduction to Organic/Biochemistry

5

CMST& 220Public Speaking

5

GEOL& 110Environmental Geology with Lab

5

HIST& 146US History I

5

HIST& 147US History II

5

HIST& 148US History III

5

HUM& 101Introduction to Humanities

5

MUSC& 105Music Appreciation

5

PHYS& 114General Physics I with Lab

5

POLS& 202United States Government

5

PSYC& 100DIVGeneral Psychology

5

PSYC& 200Lifespan Psychology

5

PSYC& 220Psychological Disorders

5

SOC& 101DIVIntroduction to Sociology

5

3 credits in College Success

COLL 102College Success for All

3