Early Childhood Education
 Social Sciences and Human Services Department

Associate in Arts (A.A.)
To teach young children in illinois public schools (birth to age 8), teachers must be certified by the state of illinois. To transfer into an approved baccalaureate program in early childhood education as a Junior, students must complete a minimum of 60 semester credits. Students are strongly encouraged to complete an A.A. degree prior to transfer. Since admission is competitive, completion of the recommended courses does not guarantee admission.

Students should be aware that a minimum grade point average for some universities is required for program admission, and passage of a basic skills (reading, writing, grammar, and math) test is also required. Students should plan their transfer programs with an academic adviser or counselor and the catalog of the four-year college or university they plan to attend.

Required General Education
Core Courses (40 hours)		 Cr.
Hrs.
Communications (9)
  • ENG 101
    Composition I

  • ENG 102
    Composition II

  • SPE 101
    Introductory Speech Communication
    •
    3
    3
    3
    Social/Behavioral Sciences Electives(11)
  • HIS 104 or HIS 105
    History of the U.S. to 1865 or History of the U.S., 1865 to the present

  • POS 122
    American National Government

  • PSY 101
    Introduction to Psychology

    •
    4
    3
    4
    Humanities/Fine Arts Electives
  • Literature elective

    		•  6
    3
    Mathematics(3)
  • MAT 108 or Mathematics elective Introduction to Applied Statistics
    		•  3
    Physical/Life Sciences Electives 8
    Required Additional Courses for Teacher Certification (5-6 hours) Cr.
    Hrs
    PEC 181 or CHD 201
  • Health Education or Health and Nutrition of the Young Child

    • PSY 207
  • Introduction to Child Psychology
    		•  2-3
    3
    A.A. Degree Requirement (3 hours) Cr.
    Hrs
    LAS 189
  • Introduction to the Liberal Arts and Sciences
    		•  3
    Additional Courses for Teacher Certification, Area
    of Concentration, Early Childhood Professional
    Courses or General Electives    		 Cr.
    Hrs.
    Select 11-12 hrs from any of the following:
    Additional courses for teacher certification
  • Humanities/Fine Arts elective

  • Physical/Life Sciences elective

    • Area of concentration
    0-9 semester credits in one academic discipline at the lower-division level, selected in consultation with an adviser. Acceptable disciplines include: Mathematics; Biology, Chemistry, or Physics; Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology; and Art, Music, English, a single foreign language, History, Philosophy, or Theatre.

    Early Childhood Professional Courses
    CHD 122

  • Introduction to Early Childhood Education

    • CHD 242
  • Teaching Young Children with Special Needs

    • General Electives
    3
    3-4
    0-9





    4
    4
    0-12
    Total Semester Credit Hours Required 60