Academic Policies and Procedures - Central Maine Community ...

Early Childhood Education (ECE)
programs
of study
Program Description
The Early Childhood Education (ECE) program prepares individu als to be
skilled professionals qualified to work in a wide variety of early childhood
settings including (but not limited to): child care centers, Head Start, family
child care, nursery schools, and pro grams for children with special needs.
The program’s curriculum is based upon standards set by the National
Association for the Edu cation of Young Children (NAEYC) and it promotes
all facets of cur rent best practices in the field.
Currently, there are two ECE program options: Certificate and Associate in
Applied Science. Students take a combination of ECE courses and General
Education courses to meet the requirements of any of the program
options. Students may enroll on a part or full time basis, taking the amount
of time they need to complete the program requirements. Students should
meet with their Academic Advisor prior to the start of each semester to set
up a schedule that realis tically meets their time and commitment capabilities.
ECE courses combine the understanding and application of theory to
practical experiences working directly with young children, ages newborn
through early school age. Students in degree programs must successfully
complete all supervised field work in approved early child hood settings.
Successful completion of the ECE program requires students to com plete
fi eld work in licensed facilities. The Department of Health and Human Services,
Division of Child Care Licensing, has specific requirements for all
paid and unpaid staff (including students).
As a result of these requirements, students may be required to have a
record of SBI (State Bureau of Identification) and a child protec tive report
on fi le with the fi eld work site and CMCC. Field work sites retain the right
to accept or deny placement of students based on many con ditions, including
criminal and child protective records. Therefore, criminal or child
protective history could jeopardize an individual’s ability to successfully
meet all the requirements of the program.
Early Childhood Education majors must obtain a minimum grade of
C in each Early Childhood Education course and a minimum GPA of
2.0 or better to graduate.
Program Educational Outcomes
Upon completion of either the Associate in Science or Associate in Applied
Science Early Childhood Education Program, the graduate is prepared to:
1. Recognize and maintain all required health and safety policies and
practices in programs for young children.
2. Apply theories of child development to plan inclusive, developmentally
appropriate curriculum and environments for children in
care who are between 6 weeks - 8 years.
3. Demonstrate positive, supportive interactions with young children
that clearly refl ect the student’s understanding of their social-emotional
development and well-being.
4. Describe the benefits of positive, respectful partnerships with diverse
families.
Associate in Applied Science
Degree Requirements
Semester I
Credit Hours
ECE 100 Introduction to Early Care and Education 3
ENG 101* College Writing 3
PSY 114 Child Development 3
SOC 220 Sociology of the Family 3
___ ___* Elective: Math - Select one MAT 100, 102, 122, or 135 3
*Course placement determined by assessment test scores and/or prior college course work
Semester II
ECE 105 Infant and Toddler Curriculum 3
ECE 197 Infant and Toddler Field Experience 2
ECE 150 Language and Literacy for Young Children 3
PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology 3
___ ___ Elective: Communication - Select one 3
of the following: COM 100 or 101
Semester III
ECE 113 Curriculum and Environments for Young Children 3
ECE 297 Pre-School Field Experience 3
ECE 205 Education of Children with Special Needs 3
___ ___ Lab Science Elective: BIO 101/102 or BIO 115/116 4
or CHY 101/102
___ ___ Elective: Psychology - select one 3
of the following: PSY 101 or PSY 210
Semester IV
ECE 210 Current Topics in Early Childhood Education 3
ECE 298 Capstone in Early Childhood Education 6
___ ___ Elective: 3
___ ___ Elective: 3
___ ___ Elective: ECE 3
Early Childhood Education majors must obtain a minimum grade of
C in each Early Childhood Education course and a minimum GPA
of 2.0 or better to graduate.
Total Credit Hour Requirements 63
Distribution of A.A.S. Degree Credit Hour Requirements
Communication - 6 (10%)
Humanities and Social Science - 12 (19%)
Mathematics and/or Science - 7 (11%)
Concentration - 32 (50%)
Electives - 6 - (10%)
High school prerequisites for admission into this program: H.S. diploma
or GED
www.cmcc.edu 2010 ~ 2011 55