Associate of Arts in Early Childhood, AAEC

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Why Study Early Childhood Education? Click here to learn more.

The Associate of Arts in Early Childhood (AAEC) degree offers foundational knowledge and competencies aligned with state and national standards for early childhood educator professional preparation. The AAEC supports students who wish to continue their education toward a Bachelor’s degree and who have an interest in teaching in a public school (PreK - 3rd grade) as a state certified and/or endorsed educator.

The AAEC degree is an appropriate option for students pursuing either entry into NPC’s BAS in Early Childhood Education or who plan to transfer to another Arizona Department of Education approved Educator Preparation Program.

The AAEC fulfills both the set of lower division general education requirements of the Arizona General Education Curriculum and a portion of Arizona’s requirements for teacher certification and endorsement.

NOTE: Students in this program are required to complete 16-32 hours of practicum for each Early Childhood course for which a practicum is a requirement. A current Identity Verified Prints (IVP) card with Level 1 clearance is required by practicum sites where students work or volunteer. Prior to enrolling in Early Childhood courses, you must provide proof of current IVP card with Level 1 clearance. If you need assistance accessing fingerprint clearance, or you do not have access to an early childhood practicum setting, contact the Educator Preparation Programs Department before registering for classes.

Total Credits: 64

Completion of the 35 general education course credits fulfills requirements for the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC-A) for the Associate of Arts in Early Childhood degree. (see What is AGEC? )

General Education Courses: 35 Credits

Communications: 6 Credits

ENL 101 - College Composition I Credits: 3
ENL 102 - College Composition II Credits: 3

Mathematics: 3 Credits

Select one of the following:

MAT 142 - College Mathematics with Contemporary Applications Credits: 3
MAT 152 - Advanced Algebra Credits: 3
Or any mathematics course for which MAT 152 is a prerequisite.

Discipline Studies:

Arts and Humanities: 9 Credits

(Select three courses from at least two disciplines from the General Education Course Options )

Physical and Biological Science: 8 Credits

(Select two courses from the list on General Education Course Options )

Social and Behavioral Sciences: 9 Credits

(From General Education Course Options select three courses from at least two disciplines and that includes one of the courses below. One of the three chosen courses must also meet the requirement for Contemporary Global, International, or Historical awareness by choosing any course with an asterisk from the list, including HIS105).

POS 110 - United States Government Credits: 3
OR
HIS 105 - U.S. History to 1877 Credits: 3

Core Requirements: 29 Credits

ECD 110 - Building Relationships with Families Credits: 1
ECD 128 - Culture, Language and Community Credits: 1
ECD 135 - Survey of Child Development Credits: 3
ECD 141 - Healthy and Safe Early Childhood Practices Credits: 2
ECD 145 - Foundations in Early Childhood Education Credits: 3
ECD 175 - Professionalism Credits: 1
ECD 184 - Early Social and Emotional Development Credits: 2
ECD 186 - Effective Interactions for Learning Credits: 1
ECD 187 - Supporting STEM in Early Childhood Credits: 1
ECD 188 - Policies and Procedures in Early Childhood Programs Credits: 1
ECD 208 - Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood Credits: 1
ECD 217 - Early Childhood Language and Literacy Credits: 1
ECD 222 - Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education Credits: 3
ECD 290 - Early Childhood Practicum I Credits: 1
ECD 297 - Early Childhood Education Capstone Credits: 1
MAT 161 - Algebra-based Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I Credits: 3
MAT 162 - Algebra-based Mathematics for Elementary Teachers II Credits: 3