Early Childhood Education - A.A.S.

The A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education prepares the student for a career in child care and early education. The program includes both educational theory and the practical application of learning. Graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver appropriate programming for young children (birth through age 8) and their families.

Public School Teacher certification in the state of Tennessee requires a baccalaureate degree. Although many of these courses will count toward certification, students interested in certification must consult with their advisor.

Program standards for the A.A.S. degree in Early Childhood Education are the Standards for Professional Preparation of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

All students graduating with a degree from VSCC are required to take the Educational Testing Service Proficiency Profile (ETSP). More information can be found at http://www.volstate.edu/Testing/Services.php.

General Education Requirements - Credits (19)

ART 1030 - ♦Art Appreciation Credits: (3)
OR MUS 1030 - ♦Music Appreciation Credits: (3)
BIOL 1030 - ♦Essentials of Biology Credits: (4)
ENGL 1010 - ♦English Composition I Credits: (3)
ENGL 1020 - ♦English Composition II Credits: (3)
MATH 1010 - ♦Math for Liberal Arts Credits: (3) or higher
SOCI 1010 - ♦Introduction to Sociology Credits: (3)

Major Core Course Requirements - Credits (36)

ECED 1310 - Introduction to Early Childhood Education Credits: (3)
ECED 2310 - Safe, Healthy Learning Environments Credits: (3)
ECED 2315 - Early Childhood Curriculum Credits: (3)
ECED 2320 - Infant, Toddler, Child Development Credits: (3)
ECED 2335 - Initial Practicum Credits: (3)
ECED 2340 - Family Dynamics and Community Involvement Credits: (3)
ECED 2360 - Development of Exceptional Children Credits: (3)
ECED 2365 - Final Practicum Credits: (3)
ECED 2370 - Developmental Assessment Credits: (3)
ECED 2380 - Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Credits: (3)
ECED 2385 - Math and Science in Early Childhood Credits: (3)
SPCH 1010 - ♦Fundamentals of Speech Communication Credits: (3)

Early Childhood Guided Elective - Credits (6)

Choose two courses (six credits) from the following list:

ECED 2312 - Administration of Early Childhood Programs Credits: (3)
ECED 2330 - Infant and Toddler Care Credits: (3)
ECED 2386 - Special Topics Credits: (1-3)
ECED 2390 - Creative Development Credits: (3)
HIST 2010 - ♦Early United States History Credits: (3)

Total Degree Requirements - Credits (61)

Computer Literacy Requirement

See http://www.volstate.edu/ComputerLiteracy/ for computer literacy requirements.

Career and Salary Information

Career	Beginning Salary	Experienced Salary
Child Care Worker	$16,000	$24,000
Nanny	$20,000	$24,000
Head Start Teaching Assistant	$24,172	$36,800

Career and salary information taken from http://tcids.tbr.edu. Check out this website for additional information about education requirements and preferred work styles and abilities for these careers. Salaries are not guaranteed.

Recommended Schedule

This is a recommended schedule. Learning Support, pre-requisites and other academic factors may impact this schedule. See your advisor to create a degree plan.

DegreeWorks, along with the correct catalog, should be utilized by students for all of their educational planning. Students can monitor their progress toward a degree or certificate and view missing requirements with the DegreeWorks audit, which is accessible through My Volstate.

Second Year - Spring Semester - Credits (15)

Early Childhood Elective (Choose from list above) Credits: (3)
Early Childhood Elective (Choose from list above) Credits: (3)

ECED 2365 - Final Practicum Credits: (3)
ECED 2380 - Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Credits: (3)
ECED 2385 - Math and Science in Early Childhood Credits: (3)