Early Childhood: A.A.S.

Program Mission

The mission of the Early Childhood A.A.S. program is to prepare students for immediate employment in early childhood settings as a Lead Teacher. The Early Childhood A.A.S. Degree program is made up of a planned sequence of college courses that emphasize the professional practices based on child development theories. Accessibility is offered to a culturally and socio-economically diverse population.

Program Learning Outcomes

Use knowledge of child development and principles of early learning to determine how to effectively support the needs and interests of young children (NAEYC Standard 1)
Recognize the ecological relationships that exist between the family, the educational setting, and the community within the context of diversity and cultural competencies (NAEYC Standard 2)
Use various observation and documentation techniques to assess learning experiences for young children (NAEYC Standard 3)
Create and implement developmentally appropriate learning experiences grounded in early childhood best practices (NAEYC Standard 4)
Use knowledge of STEAM and other academic disciplines to create content-rich learning experiences (NAEYC Standard 5)
Utilize ethical guidelines and professional behaviors related to early childhood best practices (NAEYC Standard 6)

This program is deactivated and is no longer accepting new students into the ECE A.A.S. program.

Please consider choosing from one or more of the program options noted here:

Infant Toddler Studies Microcredential
Preschool Professional Studies Microcredential
STEAM in Early Childhood Microcredential
Early Childhood Education Certificate
Early Childhood Childhood Education Studies (For students seeking NYS Teacher Certification in B-2, 1-6, or dual B-6)
Adolescence Education Studies (for students seeking NYS Teacher Certification in middle or high school grade levels)

The Early Childhood program leads to an Associate in Applied Science degree and is designed to prepare graduates for immediate employment or to enhance the skills and advancement opportunities of those already employed.

Some Early Childhood Education courses may meet requirements for the Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials. ECE 110 – Introduction to Early Education (3 credits), ECE 120 – Curriculum Development (3 credits), ECE 190 – Infants and Toddlers (3 credits), and ECE 210 – Children with Special Needs (3 credits) are recommended.

A certificate in Early Childhood may be awarded with successful completion of the first two semesters of coursework.

Program Notes

The Early Childhood program leads to an Associate in Applied Science degree and is designed to prepare graduates for immediate employment or to enhance the skills and advancement opportunities of those already employed.
Students will complete a total of more than 250 hours of field experience and additional service learning hours.
This program provides students an opportunity to focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) courses targeted for the young child.
A certificate in Early Childhood may be awarded with successful completion of the first two semesters of coursework.
Students are encouraged to join Broome Educators of Children Association (BECA) to become involved in a club that provides professional development through advocacy, fundraising, and workshops.