Early Childhood Education

Associate in Early Childhood Education

(575) 527-7630

The Early Childhood Education associate degree program is designed to prepare students to become highly qualified teachers, assistant teachers, or family day care providers in professional child care for children ages birth through eight years. Students will gain a broad understanding of the specific needs of young children and develop strategies for meeting those needs. They may choose to continue their education at any four-year institution in New Mexico.

The DACC program includes the lower division courses required for entry into the Teacher Education Program (TEP), a baccalaureate program at New Mexico State University. Completion of this program does NOT guarantee admission into a Teacher Education Program at a four-year institution. Early in their second year of study at DACC, students should contact the four-year institution they have chosen to obtain application information.

Students in the Education Program are required to complete and pass a security background check in order to take practicum courses. Past criminal violations may pre-vent a student from completing the degree and from being hired by school systems or other child care facilities upon graduation.

Requirements and Limitations

Students in the Early Childhood Education Program are required to complete and pass a security background check in order to take practicum courses. Past criminal violations may prevent a student from completing the degree and from being hired by school systems or other child care facilities upon graduation.

1. Students must complete all technical and related requirement courses as well as ENGL 111G, MATH 111 and MATH 112G with a grade of C or better.
2. Students must have a 2.0 GPA to graduate from this program. However, a 2.5 GPA is required for acceptance into the Teacher Education Program at NMSU. For this reason, it is highly recommended that DACC students complete the Early Childhood Education program with a 2.5 cumulative GPA.
3. Any education course more than seven years old taken at NMSU, NMSU community colleges or other institutions will not be counted toward the student’s baccalaureate program. It is highly recommended that students request a review of their cumulative coursework by the appropriate department at NMSU. Any course not approved must be repeated by the student.

Associate Degree (68 credits)

NOTE: Courses preceded by an asterisk (*) are required to apply for the Teacher Education Program (TEP). Courses in bold are part of the New Mexico Common Core.

Core Requirements      10 Credits

*	ENGL 111GENGL 111G: Rhetoric and Composition - 4 cr. Skills and methods used in writing university-level essays. Prerequisite: ACT standard score in English of 16 or higher during regular semester (20 or above during summer) or successful completion of a developmental writing course or the equivalent. – Rhetoric and Composition	4
*	MATH 111MATH 111: Fundamentals of Elementary Mathematics I - 3 cr. (2+2P) Intuitive development of the arithmetic of real numbers. Counting numbers, number bases, integers, rational numbers, decimal representations, real numbers and the fundamental operations. Probability. Students may be required to earn a 90 or better on an arithmetic skills exam near the beginning of the semester. Prerequisites: High school algebra and an adequate score on the Mathematics Placement Examination. Open to elementary and early childhood majors or to education majors with consent of instructor. – Fundamentals of Elementary Mathematics I	3
*	MATH 112GMATH 112G: Fundamentals of Elementary Math II - 3 cr. (2+2P) Intuitive development of elementary geometry, measurement, and statistics. Prerequisite: C or better in MATH 111. – Fundamentals of Elementary Math II	3

Related Requirements      26 Credits

	C S 110GC S 110G: Computer Literacy - 3 cr. Evolution and application of computers; economic and social implications; introduction to programming on microcomputers. – Computer Literacy	3
*	ENGL 211GENGL 211G: Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences - 3 cr. Theory and practice in interpreting texts from various disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Strategies for researching, evaluating, constructing, and writing researched arguments. Course subtitled in the Schedule of Classes. – Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences	3
OR	HIST 101GHIST 101G: Roots of Modern Europe - 3 cr. Economic, social, political, and cultural development from earliest times to about 1700. – Roots of Modern Europe HIST 102GHIST 102G: Modern Europe - 3 cr. Economic, social, political, and cultural development from 1700 to the present. – Modern Europe	3
OR	HIST 201GHIST 201G: Introduction to Early American History - 3 cr. History of the United States to 1877, with varying emphasis on social, political, economic, diplomatic, and cultural development. – Introduction to Early American History HIST 202GHIST 202G: Introduction to Recent American History - 3 cr. History of the United States since 1877, with varying emphasis on social, political, economic, diplomatic, and cultural development. – Introduction to Recent American History	3
OR OR	ART 101GART 101G: Orientation in Art - 3 cr. (2+3P) A multicultural examination of the principles and philosophies of the visual arts and the ideas expressed through them. – Orientation in Art MUS 101GMUS 101G: An Introduction to Music - 3 cr. An introduction to music for the non-music major to encourage the enjoyment of listening to and understanding the world's great music from the past to the present. – An Introduction to Music THTR 101GTHTR 101G: Introduction to Theatre - 3 cr. An appreciation class introducing the non-major to all aspects of theatre. Playwrights, directors, actors, and designers visit the class. Students attend and report on main-stage productions. – Introduction to Theatre	3
	Select one course from the following list: ANTH 201GANTH 201G: Introduction to Anthropology - 3 cr. Exploration of human origins and the development of cultural diversity. Topics include biological and cultural evolution, the structure and functions of social institutions, belief systems, language and culture, human-environmental relationships, methods of prehistoric and contemporary cultural analysis, and theories of culture. – Introduction to Anthropology ECON 201GECON 201G: Introduction to Economics - 3 cr. Economic institutions and current issues with special emphasis on the American economy. – Introduction to Economics ECON 251GECON 251G: Principles of Macroeconomics - 3 cr. Macroeconomic theory and public policy: national income concepts, unemployment, inflation, economic growth, and international payment problems. – Principles of Macroeconomics ECON 252GECON 252G: Principles of Microeconomics - 3 cr. Microeconomic theory and public policy: supply and demand, theory of the firm, market allocation of resources, income distribution, competition and monopoly, governmental regulation of businesses and unions. – Principles of Microeconomics GEOG 112GGEOG 112G: World Regional Geography - 3 cr. Overview of the physical geography, natural resources, cultural landscapes, and current problems of the world s major regions. Students will also examine current events at a variety of geographic scales. – World Regional Geography GEOG 120GGEOG 120G: Culture and Environment - 3 cr. Study of human-environmental relationships: how the earth works and how cultures impact or conserve nature. Introduction to relationships between people and natural resources, ecosystems, global climate change, pollution, and conservation. – Culture and Environment GOVT 100GGOVT 100G: American National Government - 3 cr. U.S. constitutional system; legislative, executive and judicial processes; popular and group influence. – American National Government GOVT 110GGOVT 110G: Introduction to Political Science - 3 cr. This class covers fundamental concepts such as justice, sovereignty and power; political theories and ideologies; and government systems that range from democratic to authoritarian. – Introduction to Political Science SOC 101GSOC 101G: Introductory Sociology - 3 cr. Introduction to social theory, research, methods of analysis, contemporary issues in historical and cross-cultural contexts. Covers groups, deviance, inequality, family, gender, social change, and collective behavior. – Introductory Sociology	3
	Select 8 credits from two different areas: ASTRONOMY ASTR 105GASTR 105G: The Planets - 4 cr. (3+2P) Comparative study of the planets, moons, comets, and asteroids which comprise the solar system. Emphasis on geological and physical processes which shape the surfaces and atmospheres of the planets. Laboratory exercises include analysis of images returned by spacecraft. Intended for non-science majors, but some basic math required. This lecture/lab course satisfies the New Mexico Common Core Area III: Lab Sciences requirement – The Planets or ASTR 110GASTR 110G: Introduction to Astronomy - 4 cr. (3+2P) A survey of the universe. Observations, theories, and methods of modern astronomy. Topics include planets, stars and stellar systems, black holes and neutron stars, supernovas and gaseous nebulae, galaxies and quasars, and cosmology. Emphasis on physical principles involving gravity, light and optics (telescopes). Generally non-mathematical. Laboratory involves use of the campus observatory and exercises designed to experimentally illustrate principles of astronomy. This lecture/lab course satisfies the New Mexico Common Core Area III: Lab Sciences requirement. – Introduction to Astronomy BIOLOGY BIOL 101GBIOL 101G: Human Biology - 3 cr. Introduction to modern biological concepts. Emphasis on relevance to humans and their relationships with their environment. Cannot be taken for credit after successful completion of BIOL 111G or BIOL 211G. Corequisite: BIOL 101L. – Human Biology + BIOL 101GLBIOL 101GL: Human Biology Laboratory - 1 cr. (3P) Laboratory for BIOL 101G. Laboratory experiences and activities exploring biological concepts and their relevance to humans and their relationship with their environment. Corequisite: BIOL 101G. – Human Biology Laboratory or BIOL 110GBIOL 110G: Contemporary Problems in Biology - 4 cr. (3+3P) Fundamental concepts of biology will be presented using examples from relevant problems in ecology, medicine and genetics. For nonscience majors only. Community Colleges only. – Contemporary Problems in Biology or BIOL 111GBIOL 111G: Natural History of Life - 3 cr. Survey of major processes and events in the genetics, evolution, and ecology of microbes, plants and animals, and their interactions with the environment. Appropriate for nonscience majors. Must be taken with BIOL 111L to meet general education requirements. – Natural History of Life + BIOL 111GLBIOL 111GL: Natural History of Life Laboratory - 1 cr. (3P) Laboratory experiments, demonstrations and exercises on interrelationships among organisms, biodiversity, processes of evolution, and interaction of organisms and their environment. Corequisite: BIOL 111G. – Natural History of Life Laboratory or BIOL 211GBIOL 211G: Cellular and Organismal Biology - 3 cr. (+3P) Principles of cellular structure and function, genetics, and physiology of microbes, plants, and animals. Suitable for nonmajors with sufficient chemistry. Must be taken with BIOL 211L to meet general education requirements. Corequisites: CHEM 110G and CHEM 111G. – Cellular and Organismal Biology + BIOL 211GLBIOL 211GL: Cellular and Organismal Biology Laboratory - 1 cr. (3P) Laboratory demonstrations, experiments and exercises on molecular and cellular biology and organismal physiology. Must have passed BIOL 211G or be concurrently enrolled in BIOL 211G and BIOL 211L. Corequisite: either CHEM 110G or CHEM 111G. – Cellular and Organismal Biology Laboratory CHEMISTRY CHEM 110GCHEM 110G: Principles and Applications of Chemistry - 4 cr. (3+3P) A survey of the properties and uses of the elements and their compounds. In addition to classical chemistry, attention is paid to the materials from which consumer products are made, to the production of energy, and to environmental considerations. Prerequisite: 3 years of high school math or CCDM 114N. – Principles and Applications of Chemistry or CHEM 111CHEM 111: General Chemistry I - 4 cr. (3+3P) Descriptive and theoretical chemistry. Prerequisite: (1) grade of C or better in MATH 120 or a Mathematics Placement Exam Score adequate to enroll in mathematics courses beyond MATH 120; and (2) one of the following: B or better in a second semester high school chemistry course, or grade of at least C in CHEM 100, or an enhanced ACT score of at least 22. CHEM 111/112 are General Education alternative to CHEM 110G. – General Chemistry I GEOLOGY / GEOGRAPHY GEOL 111GGEOL 111G: Survey of Geology - 4 cr. (3+3P) Covers the fundamental principles of physical geology, including the origin of minerals and rocks, geologic time, rock deformation, and plate tectonics. – Survey of Geology or GEOG 111GGEOG 111G: Geography of the Natural Environment - 4 cr. (3+3P) Introduction to the physical processes that shape the human environment: climate and weather, vegetation dynamics and distribution, soil development and classification, and geomorphic processes and landform development. – Geography of the Natural Environment PHYSICS PHYS 110GPHYS 110G: The Great Ideas of Physics - 4 cr. (3+3P) Conceptual, quantitative, and laboratory treatments of the great ideas and discoveries that have influenced lives and changed perceptions of nature, from Johannes Kepler+s laws of planetary motion and Isaac Newton+s and Albert Einstein+s laws of motion and gravity to the modern concepts of the quantal structure of nature and the big bang universe. – The Great Ideas of Physics or PHYS 211PHYS 211: General Physics I - 3 cr. Non-calculus treatment of mechanics, waves, sound, and heat. Knowledge of simple algebra and trigonometry is required. – General Physics I + PHYS 211 LPHYS 211 L: General Physics I Laboratory - 1 cr. Laboratory experiments in topics associated with material presented in PHYS 211 or PHYS 221. Students wishing to use the PHYS 211-212 or PHYS 221-222 sequence to satisfy the basic natural science General Education requirement must register for either PHYS 211L or PHYS 212L. Corequisite: PHYS 211 or PHYS 212 PHYS 212. General Physics II 3 cr. Noncalculus treatment of electricity, magnetism, and light. Prerequisite: PHYS 211. – General Physics I Laboratory	8

Technical Requirements      32 Credits

	C EP 110GC EP 110G: Human Growth and Behavior - 3 cr. Introduction to the principles of human growth and development throughout the life span. – Human Growth and Behavior	3
*	ECED 115ECED 115: Child Growth, Development, and Learning - 3 cr. Biological-physical, social, cultural, emotional, cognitive, and language domains of child growth and development. The process of development and the adult's role in supporting each child's growth, development, and learning. – Child Growth, Development, and Learning	3
*	ECED 125ECED 125: Health, Safety, and Nutrition - 2 cr. Sound health, safety, and nutritional practices to provide an emotionally and physically safe environment for young children in partnership with their families. – Health, Safety, and Nutrition	2
*	ECED 135ECED 135: Family and Community Collaboration - 3 cr. Development of open, friendly, and collaborative relationships with each child s family, encouraging family involvement, and supporting the child s relationship with his or her family. The diverse cultures and languages representative of families in New Mexico s communities are honored. Prerequisites: ECED 115 and ENGL 111G. – Family and Community Collaboration	3
*	ECED 215ECED 215: Curriculum Development and Implementation I - 3 cr. Development of curriculum appropriate for the ages and development levels of children. Content includes, but is not limited to, the arts, literacy, mathematics, physical education, health, social studies, science, and technology. Prerequisites: ECED 115, ENGL 111G, and consent of instructor or two letters of recommendation from program faculty. Corequisite: ECED 220. Restricted to majors. – Curriculum Development and Implementation I	3
*	ECED 220ECED 220: Early Childhood Education Practicum I - 2 cr. Application of curriculum appropriate for the ages and development levels of children. Content includes, but is not limited to, the arts, literacy, mathematics, physical education, health, social studies, science, and technology. Prerequisites: ECED 115, ENGL 111G, and consent of instructor or two letters of recommendation from program faculty. Corequisite: ECED 215. Restricted to majors. – Early Childhood Education Practicum I	2
*	ECED 225ECED 225: Curriculum Development and Implementation II - 3 cr. Advanced development of curriculum appropriate for the ages and development levels of children. Content includes, but is not limited to: the arts, literacy, mathematics, physical education, health, social studies, science, and technology. Prerequisites: ECED 115, ENGL 111G and consent of instructor or two letters of recommendation from program faculty. Corequisite: ECED 230. Restricted to majors. – Curriculum Development and Implementation II	3
*	ECED 230ECED 230: Early Childhood Education Practicum II - 2 cr. Advanced application of curriculum appropriate for the ages and development levels of children. Content includes, but is not limited to, the arts, literacy, mathematics, physical education, health, social studies, science, and technology. Prerequisites: ECED 115, ENGL 111G, and consent of instructor or two letters of recommendation from program faculty. Corequisite: ECED 225. Restricted to majors. – Early Childhood Education Practicum II	2
*	ECED 235ECED 235: Introduction to Reading and Literacy Development - 3 cr. Selection of developmentally appropriate materials and appropriate instructional methods for the development of reading and literacy in young children. Prerequisites: ECED 115 and ENGL 111G. – Introduction to Reading and Literacy Development	3
*	ECED 245ECED 245: Early Childhood Education Professionalism - 2 cr. Development of integrity, responsibility, and ethical practices that demonstrate multicultural respect for all children and families. – Early Childhood Education Professionalism	2
*	ECED 255ECED 255: Assessment of Children and Evaluation of Programs - 3 cr. Development of diverse assessment approaches, including observational skills. Prerequisites: ECED 115 and ENGL 111G. Same as SPED 255. – Assessment of Children and Evaluation of Programs	3
*	ECED 265ECED 265: Guiding Young Children - 3 cr. Role of adults in guidance, effect of child development on guidance and development of pro-social behaviors using developmentally appropriate guidance strategies. – Guiding Young Children	3