Early Childhood Education (AAS)

Program Description

The Early Childhood Education program is offered by the Health and Human Services at the Quad Cities Campus, Moline, through distance learning at the East Campus, and online courses. The Early Childhood Education program is especially designed to prepare persons to work with children birth through age five in a child care or preschool setting. The Black Hawk College Early Childhood Education program has been approved as an entitled program through Gateways to Opportunity. Courses taken at Black Hawk College support the attainment of the following Gateways Credentials: Levels 2, 3, and 4; Infant-Toddler Credential Levels 2, 3, and 4.

Students will take classes designed to give particular understanding and skills in such areas as human growth and development, curriculum and guidance. Observation and practical experience will take place in off-campus preschool and child care facilities.

Students must successfully document and meet all health and background checks required by academic programs and/or courses.

ECE Program Flyer

Students who complete this program will be able to:

  • Create an individualized instructional plan for a specific child based on his/her strengths and weaknesses, as informed by both standardized assessment and research-based developmental domains.
  • Develop and implement developmentally appropriate health, safety and nutrition activities.
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate a preschool lesson plan for each of the learning domains (math, science, social studies, language, literacy, the arts, health and safety, music and movement) that incorporates evidence-based practices in content and delivery methods.
  • Evaluate the role of ecological, child and teacher factors in the social emotional development of children and how to make changes in the classroom environment to improve child outcomes.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and application of professionalism in early childhood education as indicated by image, behavior and dispositions expected of students receiving an AAS in early childhood education.
  • Assess and analyze family-friendliness and cultural competencies of the early childhood education program/environment and create associated improvement plans.

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Suggested Courses

Course (Credit Hours):

First Semester

ECE 100   Introduction to Early Childhood (3)
ECE 115   Infant/Toddler Development (3)
ECE 200   Growth & Development of Young Children (3)
ENG 101  Composition I (3)
Mathematics elective (3)*

* MATH 108 Statistics for General Education or MATH 110 Math for General Education

Second Semester

ECE 201   Health, Safety, & Nutrition (3)
ECE 202   Observ/Assessment Y.C. (3)
ECE 203   Curriculum for Early Child Prog (3)
ECE 215   Infant/Toddler Curriculum (3)
PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychology or
SOC 101   Principles of Sociology (3)

Third Semester

ECE 204   ECE Practicum I (3)
ECE 205   Language Development & Activity for Young Children (3)
ECE 224   Methods of Guiding Children’s Behavior (3)
Humanities elective (3)
SPEC 111 Business & Professional Comm. or
SPEC 175 Intercultural Communications or
SPEC 101 Principles of Speech Communication (3)

Fourth Semester

ECE 214 ECE Practicum II (3)
ECE 225 Math & Science for the Young Child (3)
EDUC 210 The Exceptional Child (3)
ECE 220 Admin/Sup/EC Prog (3)
ECE 222 Child, Family, and Community (3)

*It is recommended that students pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Education complete MATH 108.

Minimum total hours required for degree: 60