Career-Specific Program Overview
The Early Childhood Development (ECD) program combines classroom study and field experience with children from birth to eight years of age. Students gain an understanding of the social, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth and development of all children within an inclusive environment.
Completion of the A.A.S. program includes 330 hours of field experience, all of which is gained through UACCM’s Earle Love Child Study Center — a fully-licensed child care center — and other quality sites.
Career Opportunities
- Child care facility owners and directors
- Child care center directors
- Head Start teachers
- Infant/toddler teachers
- Preschool teachers
- Assistant teachers
- Paraprofessionals
- Arkansas Better Chance Preschool paraprofessionals
Degree Options
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Certificate of Proficiency in Early Childhood Development will be able to:
Child Development and Learning
- Develop an understanding of children’s needs.
- Recognize the multiple influences on early learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to create environments for young children.
Building Family and Community Relationships
- Demonstrate an understanding of diverse family and community characteristics.
- Support and engage families and communities through reciprocal relationships.
Becoming a Professional
- Identify oneself with the early childhood field.
ECD Program Learning Outcomes align with NAEYC Standards.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Technical Certificate in Early Childhood Development will be able to:
Child Development and Learning
- Develop an understanding of children’s needs.
- Recognize the multiple influences on early learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to create environments for young children.
Building Family and Community Relationship
- Demonstrate an understanding of diverse family and community characteristics.
- Support and engage families and communities through reciprocal relationships.
- Involve families and communities in the child’s development and learning.
Using Developmentally Effective Approaches
- Demonstrate positive and supportive interactions with children.
- Describe a variety of strategies and tools to support learning.
- Use a broad range of developmentally appropriate teaching and learning approaches.
- Reflect on own practices to promote positive outcomes.
Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum
- Demonstrate knowledge of content and resources within the field of early childhood.
- Use the central concepts, inquiry tools, and structure of content areas.
- Design, implement, and evaluate developmentally meaningful and challenging curriculum for each child.
Becoming a Professional
- Identify oneself with the early childhood field.
- Integrate knowledgeable reflective and critical perspectives on early childhood.
ECD Program Learning Outcomes align with NAEYC Standards.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Associate of Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Development will be able to:
Child Development and Learning
- Develop an understanding of children’s needs.
- Recognize the multiple influences on early learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to create environments for young children.
Building Family and Community Relationships
- Demonstrate an understanding of diverse family and community characteristics.
- Support and engage families and communities through reciprocal relationships.
- Involve families and communities in the child’s development and learning.
Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families
- Utilize assessment tools to determine the developmental needs of children.
- Describe the different assessment tools used in developmental assessments to gather data.
- Construct an individualized lesson plan.
- Utilize assessment data to develop an assessment conference.
Using Developmentally Effective Approaches
- Demonstrate positive and supportive interactions with children.
- Describe a variety of strategies and tools to support learning.
- Use a broad range of developmentally appropriate teaching and learning approaches.
- Reflect on own practices to promote positive outcomes.
Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum
- Demonstrate knowledge of content and resources within the field of early childhood.
- Use the central concepts, inquiry tools, and structure of content areas.
- Design, implement, and evaluate developmentally meaningful and challenging curriculum for each child.
Becoming a Professional
- Identify oneself with the early childhood field.
- Uphold ethical standards.
- Engage in continuous collaborative learning.
- Integrate knowledgeable reflective and critical perspectives on early childhood.
- Advocate for young children.
ECD Program Learning Outcomes align with NAEYC Standards.
The A.A.S. in Early Childhood Development program at UACCM is accredited by the Commission on Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1313 L Street NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20005. (800) 424-2460 ext. 8007. The accreditation term runs from November 2019 to July 2025.
T.E.A.C.H. provides comprehensive scholarships to enable educators to take coursework leading to credentials and degrees by making it possible for them to afford both the time and expense of going to school.
Requirements
- Clean criminal background check
- Clean child maltreatment check
- FBI background check (if an Arkansas resident for less than six years)
- Some courses require recent influenza immunization and TB test.
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and stand for prolonged periods of time.