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Early Childhood Education

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Early Childhood Education (ECE) is designed to prepare individuals for employment as early childhood professionals in a variety of educational settings. The AAS program includes courses based on current ECE theory and practice as well as general education classes to broaden a student's base of knowledge. Certificates of Completion are also available. Some of these programs are available at select colleges. Please check with your local college for program availability.

Details

Field of Interest
Education
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Early Childhood Education (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3186
Total credits required
60-74
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

For some employment and field experiences (including internship courses), students will be required to have a current Identity Verified Print (IVP) Fingerprint Clearance Card and a current TB test.

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Design developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate learning experiences that promote each child's growth and development in the following domains: Social-Emotional, Physical, Cognitive, and Language and Literacy.
  2. Implement developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate learning experiences.
  3. Maintain a safe, caring, inclusive, and healthy learning environment according to best practices and local, state, and national standards.
  4. Assess children's learning and development through observation and documentation, using guidelines established by the profession.
  5. Establish reciprocal, culturally responsive relationships with families and communities.
  6. Utilize communication skills to advocate for children and their families.
  7. Practice ethical and professional standards and behavior.
  8. Advocate for an ethical, equitable, diverse, and effective early childhood education profession.
  9. Engage in reflective practice and continuous learning through education and research.
  10. Collaborate with peers to problem solve within early childhood education and other disciplines.
  11. Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based annual median wages* for this program. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information.

Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare

$43,160

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

$49,130

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

$29,800

Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School

$51,640

Special Education Teachers, Preschool

$49,990

Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary

$29,580

* Wage information sourced from the . Updated May 2022.

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Pathway Planner tool in your to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
  • Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or
 or or Critical course Gateway course SB or SB or SB 3
( and
and
) or
 ( and and ) or 3
( and
and
) or
 ( and and ) or 3
or
 or Critical course FYC or FYC 3
or Recommended HU 3
or
 or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Critical course SB 3
C, SB 3
( and
) or
or
 ( and ) or or 2–3
or
 or FYC or FYC 3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
or
or
or
 or or or is recommended for students who wish to transfer to the BAE at ASU SB or SB or L or SB 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
( and
and
and
) or
 ( and and and ) or 3–4
C, HU 3
or
( and
) or
 or ( and ) or Select CFS/ (3)
or
[ and ( or CFS/)] (2) 		2–3
RE Restricted Elective 3
OR Satisfactory completion of a higher-level mathematics course

Note: College Mathematics or any approved general education course in the Mathematical Application [MA] area may be required for students intending to transfer to a bachelor’s degree program. 		3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
( and
) or
 ( and ) or 2–3
( and
) or
 ( and ) or 2–3
RE Restricted Elective 3
RE Restricted Elective 3
RE Restricted Elective 0–3
or
 or Any approved general education course from the Natural Sciences area SG or SQ 4

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or
 or or Critical course Gateway course SB or SB or SB 3
or
 or Critical course FYC or FYC 3
Critical course SB 3
or
 or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
( and
and
) or
 ( and and ) or 3
( and
and
) or
 ( and and ) or 3
or
 or FYC or FYC 3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
C, HU 3
OR Satisfactory completion of a higher-level mathematics course

Note: College Mathematics or any approved general education course in the Mathematical Application [MA] area may be required for students intending to transfer to a bachelor’s degree program. 		3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or
or
 or or or is recommended for students who wish to transfer to the BAE at ASU SB or SB or L or SB 3
( and
and
and
) or
 ( and and and ) or 3–4
RE Restricted Elective 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
C, SB 3
( and
) or
or
 ( and ) or or 2–3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or Recommended HU 3
or
( and
) or
 or ( and ) or Select CFS/ (3)
or
[ and ( or CFS/)] (2) 		2–3
RE Restricted Elective 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
( and
) or
 ( and ) or 2–3
or
 or Any approved general education course from the Natural Sciences area SG or SQ 4

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
( and
) or
 ( and ) or 2–3
RE Restricted Elective 3
RE Restricted Elective 0–3
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

  • C = Cultural Diversity in the US
  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SG = Natural Sciences General
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.