This program prepares graduates for employment as managers, directors and owners of early childhood centers. Students learn how to manage a profit or non-profit center working with children from newborn to eight years of age.
| Major Courses |
EEC1000 | Child Growth and Development This course examines child development from conception to age eight by considering the complex interaction between heredity and environmental factors. Children's physical, social, emotional and cognitive development are discussed as well as the implications for developmentally appropriate practice. It includes the theories of Erikson, Piaget and Vygotsky. Students will be required to observe children in a child care setting (10 hours). | 3 |
EEC1523 | Child Care Management This course will explore administrative issues relating to leadership in early childhood education: management styles, staff development and supervision including teacher training, staff collegiality, retention and evaluation as well as collaboration with parents and community. This course meets the director credential requirements for the foundational level. | 3 |
EEC1601 | Observing and Guiding Children's Behavior This course is designed for the early childhood professional to develop basic knowledge, skills and positive dispositions needed to work in partnership with families and other professionals in order to gather data that documents the developmental progression, individual needs and progress toward learning within the classroom. An understanding of goals, benefits of documentation and other effective assessment strategies will be discussed. Early Childhood students will have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge with regard to appropriate behavior in children as they learn to observe children and interpret play problems. Up to 10 hours of observation in a childcare or VPK center is required. | 3 |
EEC2200 | Educational Practices in Early Childhood Education This course will explore developmentally appropriate practices for inclusive preschool settings. Participants will develop a framework for planning, implementation, organization and evaluation of activities in content areas such as art, math, science, music, language arts and free play. The course will emphasize high-quality, developmentally appropriate practices aligned with state and national standards and guidelines. Up to 10 hours of observation in a childcare center is required. | 3 |
EEC2401 | Families and Community In this course guided readings, culturally diverse group activities and visits to a variety of community resource agencies will broaden students' horizons regarding the diverse characteristics that make up a family. Students will explore how a child's development and learning is influenced by the family and the community where they live. The student will design and implement family involvement activities following research-based best practices. Community field experiences are integrated into the course (up to 10 hours). | 3 |
EEC2521 | Child Care and Educational Organization Leadership and Management This course is designed to provide current and future child care administrators the opportunity of satisfying one of the educational requirements for the Advanced Level Child Care and Education Administrator Credential as defined by the state of Florida. It is intended to present the needed skills and information in the following areas: organizational structure and dynamics, ethics and professionalism, leadership personnel policies and relationships and the evaluation and retention involved in staff development. | 3 |
EEC2527 | Childcare Education Financial and Legal Issues This three-credit course is designed to satisfy one of the educational requirements for the Advanced Level Child Care and the Educational Administrator Credential as defined by the state of Florida. The goal of this course is to develop and enhance skills in legal and financial planning and on-going monitoring, budgeting and accounting; compensation and benefits; facilities and equipment; financial resources and marketing; technology and record-keeping; legal obligations, tax law, insurance and licensure, regulatory requirements and personnel law. | 3 |
EEC2702 | Infant Toddler Development This course will serve as a vehicle to deepen student knowledge of infant/toddler development by becoming familiar with play-based curriculum designed to provide caregivers with explicit ideas for creating loving, playful and stimulating experiences for young children from birth through age three. | 3 |
EEC2732 | Health, Safety and Nutrition for Young Children This course provides a comprehensive overview of the nutrition, health and safety needs of young children. It is designed to give future and current teachers practical and easy-to-understand information that will prepare them to serve diverse young children and their families in the preschool or early elementary school setting. | 3 |
EEC2946 | Leadership In Early Childhood This course is a 40-hour practicum in which the student will be able to interact with other early childhood professionals in leadership roles. The student will become familiar with community support agencies that are advocates for children and their families. Students will become more familiar with the profession's Code of Ethical Conduct and application of these principles in work life. | 3 |
| Note: Each internship has 40 clock hours of field experience in a preschool, early childhood center or elementary school through third grade. |
| Choose one: |
CHD2330 | Early Literacy for Young Children This course describes how children acquire language and literacy and how teachers can design classrooms to promote oral and written language development. The course will stress planning for individual children, including children with special needs and English language learners as well as understanding the importance of the child's family in language and literacy development. Up to 10 hours of field observation is required. | 3 |
EEC2262 | Curriculum Activities in Early Childhood Upon completion of this course, students will understand how to guide and encourage learning by ensuring that the environment is rich with materials and equipment that invite active exploration. Various curriculum approaches will be reviewed with a concentration in creating lesson plans and activities that are appropriate for children under the age of eight years of age. Students will develop a framework for planning, implementation, organization and evaluation for activities in content areas such as art, math, science, music, language arts and active play. The course will emphasize intentionality in teaching using high-quality, developmentally appropriate practices aligned with state school readiness standards. Up to 10 hours of observation in a group care setting is required. | 3 |
| Support Courses |
GEB1011 | Introduction to Business This course is designed to provide an overview of the business environment. The business disciplines discussed include management, international business, marketing, finance, economics, accounting and business law. This course provides useful information for business majors and any others involved in owning or operating businesses. This course is also recommended for students expecting to take ACG 2021 Principles of Financial Accounting. | 3 |
MAN2021 | Introduction to Management This course emphasizes the study of the four fundamental functions of management: planning, leading, organizing and controlling and their application to business decision-making. Connections will be made between the planning process and the controlling function to evaluate organizational performance. The course also studies theoretical principles of management, communication concepts, human resource management, organizational structures as well as motivational theory. Principles will be applied to entrepreneurial, corporate and international organizations. | 3 |
QMB1001 | Business Mathematics This course is designed to enable students to use mathematics to solve real-world business problems. Areas covered include checking accounts, using equations to solve business problems, calculating trade discounts, markup and markdown, payroll and computing interest for notes. | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Choose six credits from the following list: |
EEC2930 | Selected Studies in Early Childhood Education This course will serve as a vehicle to either deepen student knowledge of subjects addressed in Early Childhood Education introductory courses or explore issues outside the traditional curriculum. May be repeated for credit. | 3 |
| Note: Students entering the A.S. program with a current National Preschool CDA Credential (training by a Department of Education program) will receive three credit hours for courses after completing 12 credit hours with Seminole State. Contact the Program Manager for more details. |
EEC2949 | Cooperative Education Internship in Early Childhood Management This course is designed to provide students the opportunity to apply classroom theory to practical, work-related applications. Seminars may be a component of this course and regular contact with the assigned faculty advisor is required. Students may earn cooperative education credits based on the completion of the required work experience and satisfactory completion of assignments including, but not limited to, seminars and a project. This course may be repeated based upon the student’s academic program. | 3 |
| Note: Students entering the A.S. program with a current National Preschool CDA Credential (training by a Department of Education program) will receive three credit hours for courses after completing 12 credit hours with Seminole State. Contact the Program Manager for more details. |
| Choose one: |
ARE2000 | Art and Creative Expression This course provides a study of the techniques used in art, music, storytelling and dramatic activities with young children, birth through age eight, with emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. Students plan, implement and evaluate experiences that will contribute to the creative, motor, affective, perceptual, cognitive and aesthetic development of the young child. | 3 |
MUE2010 | Music and Movement This course presents developmentally appropriate music and movement experiences for young children. Students will be involved in singing, creating, listening to and learning about making music and encouraging children to move to music. Students will develop an understanding of the importance music plays in the early childhood curriculum and how to incorporate it into the daily routine to accomplish a variety of curriculum goals. | 3 |
| Choose course not already taken: |
CHD2330 | Early Literacy for Young Children This course describes how children acquire language and literacy and how teachers can design classrooms to promote oral and written language development. The course will stress planning for individual children, including children with special needs and English language learners as well as understanding the importance of the child's family in language and literacy development. Up to 10 hours of field observation is required. | 3 |
EEC2262 | Curriculum Activities in Early Childhood Upon completion of this course, students will understand how to guide and encourage learning by ensuring that the environment is rich with materials and equipment that invite active exploration. Various curriculum approaches will be reviewed with a concentration in creating lesson plans and activities that are appropriate for children under the age of eight years of age. Students will develop a framework for planning, implementation, organization and evaluation for activities in content areas such as art, math, science, music, language arts and active play. The course will emphasize intentionality in teaching using high-quality, developmentally appropriate practices aligned with state school readiness standards. Up to 10 hours of observation in a group care setting is required. | 3 |
| For students continuing into a four-year program, the following courses are suggested for the six credit hours: |
ENC1102 | English II In this course students develop the ability to read literary texts critically, to think logically and creatively and to write and research effectively. Students must pass the core assignments with a grade of "C" or higher. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. | 3 |
| Any Mathematics General Education course not already taken | 3 |
| Any Science General Education course not already taken | 3 |
| Any Social Science General Education course not already taken | 3 |
| General Education Courses |
ENC1101 | English I This is a course in the process of expository writing. Students will read essays and compose papers that are unified, organized, logically developed and supported, clearly stated and well-focused. Research techniques are introduced and incorporated into at least one composition. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. Students must pass the core assignments with a grade of "C" or higher. | 3 |
PSY2012 | General Psychology This is an introductory course which surveys the field of psychology and basic principles and concepts utilized to understand human behavior. The major areas of study include development, learning, perception, motivation, emotions, personality, abnormal behavior, psychotherapy and testing measurements. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. | 3 |
SPC1608 | Introduction to Oral Communication The purpose of this course is to improve the basic skills of speaking and listening. Class exercises emphasize preparing and delivering public speeches, speaking with clarity and variety and listening with literal and critical comprehension. | 3 |
| Humanities General Education course | 3 |
| Recommended for students planning to transfer to UCF: |
| Choose three credits from the following list: |
ARH2050 | Art History I This course is an integrated study of the main developments of the visual art forms (architecture, sculpture and painting) from Paleolithic man to the Early Renaissance. World art will be integrated into the content. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. | 3 |
ARH2051 | Art History II This course is an integrated study of the main developments of the visual art forms (architecture, sculpture and painting) from the 16th century to the present. World art will be integrated into the content. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. | 3 |
MUL2010 | Music Appreciation Open to all students, this course is designed for the musical layman and is a survey course devoted to music in world civilization. Included is a study of the music relating to the background of the life and other arts of the times. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. | 3 |
THE1020 | Theatre Survey This course is a survey of the arts and crafts of the theatre. Students will discuss the playscript, the physical stage and the profession. The roles of the artists involved in theatre performance and production will be examined. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. | 3 |
REL2300 | Religions of the World This course is an ideological study of the major religions of the world emphasizing the relationships of their major tenets to our modern society. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. | 3 |
LIT2120 | World Literature II This course is designed to create an awareness of the ideas, techniques and historical relationships in world literature from the Enlightenment to the present. The Enlightenment, Romanticism, the 19th Century (Realism and Naturalism) and Modernism will be studied. This course partially satisfies the writing requirement of S.B.E. 6A-10.030. | 3 |
| Mathematics or Science General Education course | 3 |
| Note: If you choose a Science General Education course, due to state law, you must also complete any college preparatory mathematics course(s), if any were required by your entry-level test scores, before you can be awarded an associate degree. |
| Total Credits: | 63 |