Program Overview

ECED-EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECED)

The Early Childhood Education (ECED) program is designed to provide students with the theoretical foundation and practical skills necessary to become competent early childhood professionals.

Course Descriptions

• ECED 115. Child Growth, Development, and Learning: This basic course provides students with the theoretical foundation for becoming competent early childhood professionals, covering the growth, development, and learning of young children from prenatal through age eight.
• ECED 125. Health, Safety, and Nutrition: This course provides information related to standards and practices that promote children's physical and mental well-being, sound nutritional practices, and maintenance of safe learning environments.
• ECED 135. Family and Community Collaboration: This beginning course examines the involvement of families and communities from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds in early childhood programs, discussing ways to establish collaborative relationships with families in early childhood settings.
  • Prerequisite(s): ECED 115 and ENGL 111G.
• ECED 215. Curriculum Development Through Play: This beginning curriculum course places play at the center of curriculum in developmentally appropriate early childhood programs, addressing content relevant for children birth through age four and developmentally and culturally sensitive ways of integrating content into teaching and learning experiences.
  • Prerequisite(s): ECED 115 and ENGL 111G.
  • Corequisite(s): ECED 220.
• ECED 220. Early Childhood Education Practicum I: This beginning practicum course provides experiences that address curriculum content relevant for children birth through age four in developmentally and culturally sensitive ways.
  • Prerequisite(s): ECED 115 and ENGL 111G.
  • Corequisite(s): ECED 215.
• ECED 225. Curriculum Development and Implementation II: This second curriculum course focuses on developmentally appropriate curriculum content in early childhood programs, age 3 through third grade, emphasizing development and implementation of curriculum in all content areas.
  • Prerequisite(s): ECED 115, ENGL 111G.
  • Corequisite(s): ECED 230.
• ECED 230. Early Childhood Education Practicum II: This second field-based curriculum course focuses on practicing developmentally appropriate curriculum content in early childhood programs, age 3 through third grade.
  • Prerequisite(s): ECED 115, ENGL 111G.
  • Corequisite(s): ECED 225.
• ECED 235. Introduction to Language, Literacy and Reading: This course prepares early childhood professionals for promoting children's emergent literacy and reading development, addressing ways to foster young children's oral language development, phonemic awareness, and literacy problem-solving skills.
  • Prerequisite(s): ECED 115 and ENGL 111G.
• ECED 245. Professionalism: This course provides a broad-based orientation to the field of early care and education, introducing early childhood history, philosophy, ethics, and advocacy, as well as basic principles of early childhood systems and professional responsibilities.
• ECED 255. Assessment of Children and Evaluation of Programs: This basic course familiarizes students with culturally appropriate assessment methods and instruments, including systematic observation of typically and non-typically developing children.
  • Prerequisite(s): ECED 115 and ENGL 111G.
• ECED 265. Guiding Young Children: This course explores various theories of child guidance and practical applications, providing developmentally appropriate methods for guiding children and effective strategies for facilitating positive social interactions.
• ECED 270. Program Management: This course focuses on technical knowledge necessary to develop and maintain a quality early care and education program, including sound financial management, laws, and legal issues that affect programs, and state and national standards.
  • Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
• ECED 275. Curriculum for Diverse Learners and Their Families: This course covers implementation of family-centered programming, including developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive curriculum, and establishment and maintenance of healthy and safe learning environments.
  • Consent of instructor required.
• ECED 276. Effective Program Development for Diverse Learners and Their Families: This practical experience course involves observing and carrying out the role of the director/administrator in implementing family-centered programming.
  • Corequisite(s): ECED 275.
  • Restricted to ECED majors.
• ECED 280. Professional Relationships: This course develops staff relationships that foster strong professional relationships with and among families, communities, and advisory boards, addressing issues of staff recruitment, retention, support, and supervision.
  • Consent of instructor required.
• ECED 281. Professional Relationships Practicum: This practical experience course involves developing staff relationships that foster professional relationships with families, communities, and boards, addressing issues of staff recruitment, retention, support, and supervision.
  • Corequisite(s): ECED 280.
  • Restricted to ECED majors.