Award: Associate of Applied Science Degree
No. of credits required: 60
For more information: Contact Brigid Cook, 443-412-2084, bcook@harford.edu; or Admissions, 443-412-2109

Program Description

This program prepares students for employment in the child care industry in a management/leadership position.  Students will have the opportunity to specialize in teaching or in site management of a child care center. Students must complete a field placement experience (135 hours) in teaching in a child care program/preschool or in site management of a child care center/preschool.

Students with significant work or volunteer experience in the field may be eligible to earn up to 12 credits by taking challenge exams and up to 12 credits through a portfolio assessment process (including up to 6 credits through independent studies). Students interested in pursuing credit for life experience should contact Laura Hutton (lhutton@harford.edu).

Program Goals

Upon completion of the Early Childhood AAS Degree Program, students will be able to

1. Demonstrate professional teaching behavior including effective communication.
2. Design and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum and instruction for a variety of students.
3. Identify theories of learning and influences on growth and development.
4. Make decisions in accordance with legal and ethical standards.
5. Perform management tasks necessary to direct a child care center.
6. Summarize past and present practices pertaining to the care and education of young children.
7. Support children in learning appropriate behavior.

Employment Information

The intent of the AAS degree in Early Childhood Education is to prepare people for employment in the child care industry in a management or leadership position. According the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the child care industry is anticipated to grow by about 2% between 2018 and 2028.

Diversity Requirement

To satisfy the diversity requirement: Associate degree students must complete one 3-credit diversity course (D). It is recommended that students select one of the 3-credit (GB), (GAH), (GI) course electives from those that also appear on the approved list of diversity course graduation requirements.

Degree Requirements

Recommended Course Sequence

¹

Course recommendations: MATH 216 Introduction to Statistics (GM) is recommended to satisfy the general education mathematics elective. HIST 104 History of the United States II (GB) (GAH) (D) is recommended for the General Education Elective. 

²

EDUC 103 The Young Child and EDUC 104 Materials and Curriculum in Early Childhood meet the 90 classroom hours required by the Maryland State Department of Education’s Office of Child Care.

³

Students who complete EDUC 103 The Young Child and EDUC 104 Materials and Curriculum in Early Childhood will receive the 90-hour Preschool Certificate required by the Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care. Students who complete EDUC 103 The Young Child and EDUC 110 Infant and Toddler Curriculum I will receive the 90-hour Infant & Toddler Certificate required by the Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care. Students who complete EDUC 103 The Young Child  and EDUC 215 School-Age Child Care will receive the 90-hour School-Age Certificate required by the Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care.

⁴

A course with a different number of credits may be taken as long as a minimum of six credits of career-based electives is completed.

⁵

Students interested in a career teaching are advised to take EDUC 201 Field Placement I and either EDUC 203 Advanced Materials and Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers or EDUC 204 Advanced Materials and Curriculum for Preschoolers. Students interested in becoming a director of an early childhood program are advised to take EDUC 202 Field Placement II and BA 107 Principles of Supervision. Students interested in opening their own early childhood program are advised to take EDUC 202 Field Placement II and BA 110 Introduction to Entrepreneurship.

⁶

A criminal background check and fingerprinting, at the student's expense, may be required for courses including a field placement. 

⁷

Students are required to participate in a thirty-hour field placement experience in addition to time spent in EDUC 101 Introduction to Education: Early Childhood through Secondary and EDUC 217 Introduction to Special Education. Field placement experiences take place sometime during regular school hours, generally between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. A criminal record check will be conducted prior to students entering a school setting. 

⁸

A 2-credit course and a 1-credit course from the list of career-based electives may be used to fulfill three credits of career-based electives. A 4-credit course and a 2-credit course may be used to fulfill six credits of career-based electives.

Career-Based Electives

Choose six credits

General Education Degree Requirements

Note: The following codes identify courses which satisfy the General Education Degree Requirements:

Behavioral/Social Science (GB)
English Composition (GE)
Arts/Humanities (GAH)
Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues (GI)
Biological/Physical Laboratory Science (GL)
Mathematics (GM)
Biological/Physical Science (GS)