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Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Early Childhood Education

The Associate in Arts (AA), Emphasis in Early Childhood Education provides the first two years of a four-year curriculum in early childhood education. Students study child development, curriculum design and development, theory and practice in the education of young children, and the intersections of family, community, and childhood learning and development. Students who earn the AA, Early Childhood Education may work in early childhood settings and programs as early childhood educators and teacher assistants. Upon completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Education, students may work as teachers of children from birth to third grade. The AA, Early Childhood Education provides a pathway for students seeking Arizona Department of Education teacher certification.

Details

Field of Interest
Education
Degree Type
Associate in Arts (AA)
Academic Plan
Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Early Childhood Education (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
8132
Total credits required
60-64
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2024
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.

For some employment and field experiences (including internship courses), students will be required to have a current Identity Verified Print (IVP) Fingerprint Clearance Card and a current TB test.

Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.

What You'll Learn
  • Evaluate developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate learning experiences that promote each child`s growth and development in the following domains: Social-Emotional, Physical, Cognitive, and Language and Literacy.
  • Identify the components necessary for a safe, caring, inclusive, and healthy learning environment according to best practices and local, state, and national standards.
  • Analyze children`s learning and development through observation and documentation, using standards and best practices.
  • Identify reciprocal, culturally responsive relationships between early childhood professionals, families and communities.
  • Develop communication skills necessary to advocate for children and their families.
  • Practice ethical and professional standards and behavior.
  • Advocate for an ethical, equitable, diverse, and effective early childhood education profession.
  • Engage in reflective practice and continuous learning through education and research.
  • Develop problem solving skills relevant to early childhood education.
  • Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare

$45,570

Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education

$50,830

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education

$32,930

Special Education Teachers, Preschool

$52,650

There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:

  • Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
  • Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
  • Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School, Except Special Education

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources.

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Awareness Areas
  • In addition to the requirements identified in the sequence below, students must complete the following awareness areas if not otherwise met by other program requirements:
    • Cultural [C] and
    • Global [G] or Historical [H]
  • Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or FYC or FYC 3
or
or
 or or Critical course OR Any approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which is a prerequisite MA or MA or MA 3–6
or
or
or
or
or
 or or or or or or recommended CS or CS or CS or CS or CS or CS 3–4
or
 or SB or SB 3
or
 or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or FYC or FYC 3
L 3
4
Critical course Gateway course SB 3
or
( and
)		 or ( and ) 2–3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
C, SB 3
C, HU 3
or
 or If is selected, students will need to take in Term 4 H, SB or H, HU, SB 3
4
SQ 4

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
HU 3
or
 or SG or SQ 4
Elective Elective Take if was selected in Term 3 0–3
Elective Elective 0–3

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

A list of additional requirements for this pathway map
Awareness Areas
  • In addition to the requirements identified in the sequence below, students must complete the following awareness areas if not otherwise met by other program requirements:
    • Cultural [C] and
    • Global [G] or Historical [H]
  • Students are strongly encouraged to visit with an academic advisor to ensure completion of all graduation requirements.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or FYC or FYC 3
or
 or SB or SB 3
or
 or 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or
 or or Critical course OR Any approved general education course in the Mathematical Applications [MA] area for which is a prerequisite MA or MA or MA 3–6
Critical course Gateway course SB 3
OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or FYC or FYC 3
4

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
L 3
or
( and
)		 or ( and ) 2–3
4

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
C, HU 3
or
 or If is selected, students will need to take in Term 8 H, SB or H, HU, SB 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
C, SB 3
SQ 4

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
or
or
or
or
 or or or or or or recommended CS or CS or CS or CS or CS or CS 3–4
HU 3

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
or
 or SG or SQ 4
Elective Elective Take if was selected in Term 5 0–3
Elective Elective 0–3
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

  • C = Cultural Diversity in the US
  • CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • G = Global Awareness
  • H = Historical Awareness
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • MA = Mathematics
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SG = Natural Sciences General
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s for additional details regarding the requirements of this award .

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.