Early Childhood Educator (ECAS1)
Award: Associate in applied science degree
Program location: Fort Omaha Campus
This degree prepares students for employment as a head teacher or director of childcare facilities. Learning opportunities are centered on curriculum planning, managing, and teaching within a childcare facility. The program stresses skills essential to working with parents and children in a variety of settings and activities.
Individuals who are considering going into the field of early childhood education should be aware that checks with the Adult and Child Abuse Registries are conducted before employment is offered. Such checks are also done on individuals enrolled in practicum courses. This practice is consistent with Nebraska state statutes. Updated Nebraska licensing regulations require students working directly with children have a current criminal background check.
All courses in the Early Childhood Education program require a minimum of four field experience hours within early childhood education settings except for ECED 1220, ECED 1221, ECED 1240, and ECED 2090 or ECED 2091.
Graduation Requirements
|
General education
|
31.5
|
|
Major requirements
|
75.0
|
|
Total credit hours required
|
106.5
|
General education requirements (31.5 credit hrs.)
Communications
| | English level I | 4.5 |
| | English level II | 4.5 |
Social sciences
| PSYC 1120 | Human Growth and DevelopmentONLINE | 4.5 |
| | Social sciences | 4.5 |
Quantitative/numeracy skills
Select one course from the following:
Students planning to transfer to a four-year program should select
MATH 1310.
Other
| HMRL 1010 | Human Relations SkillsONLINEHYBRID | 4.5 |
| INFO 1001 | Information Systems and LiteracyONLINEHYBRID | 4.5 |
Major requirements for Early Childhood Educator (75.0 credit hrs.)
| ECED 1050 | Expressive ArtsONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1060 | Observation, Assessment, and Guidance | 4.5 |
| ECED 1110 | Infant and Toddler DevelopmentONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1120 | Preschool Child DevelopmentONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1150 | Introduction to Early Childhood EducationONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1160 | Early Language and LiteracyONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1220 | Prepracticum | 1.5 |
| ECED 1221 | Infant and Toddler Practicum | 3.0 |
| ECED 1230 | School-Age Child Development and ProgrammingONLINE | 3.0 |
| ECED 1240 | Preschool- and School-Age Practicum | 3.0 |
| ECED 1260 | Children's Health and NutritionONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 2050 | Children with ExceptionalitiesONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 2060 | Early Childhood Education Curriculum Planning | 4.5 |
| ECED 2061 | Child Guidance Techniques | 4.5 |
| ECED 2070 | Family and Community RelationshipsONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 2090 | Early Childhood Student Teaching Practicum | 6.0 |
| | OR | |
| ECED 2091 | Early Childhood Administrative Practicum | 6.0 |
| ECED 2095 | Current Topics in Early Childhood EducationONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 2450 | Administration of Early Childhood Education ProgramsONLINE | 4.5 |
ECED 1221, ECED 1240, ECED 2090 or ECED 2091: Students enrolling in practicums should visit the Early Childhood practicum website at www.mccneb.edu/ecp. Students must submit documentation that verifies current certification in adult CPR and basic first aid before participating in practicum courses. EMSP 1010 Heartsaver First Aid with CPR and AED is offered through MCC as a 1.0 credit hour course.
Curriculum Plan
Below is a suggested guide for students planning careers in early childhood education after two years of full-time study.
First Year
First quarter
| ECED 1060 | Observation, Assessment, and Guidance | 4.5 |
| ECED 1110 | Infant and Toddler DevelopmentONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1150 | Introduction to Early Childhood EducationONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1220 | Prepracticum | 1.5 |
| ECED 1260 | Children's Health and NutritionONLINE | 4.5 |
| ENGL 1010 | English Composition IONLINEHYBRID | 4.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24.0 |
ENGL 1010: general education requirements are available Summer quarter. If ENGL 1010 is not taken prior to ECED 1060, it must be a corequisite.
Second quarter
| ECED 1050 | Expressive ArtsONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1120 | Preschool Child DevelopmentONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 1221 | Infant and Toddler Practicum | 3.0 |
| ECED 1260 | Children's Health and NutritionONLINE | 4.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16.5 |
Third quarter
| ECED 1230 | School-Age Child Development and ProgrammingONLINE | 3.0 |
| ECED 1240 | Preschool- and School-Age Practicum | 3.0 |
| MATH 1220 | Business MathematicsONLINE | 4.5 |
| | OR | |
| MATH 1310 | Intermediate AlgebraONLINE | 4.5 |
| PSYC 1120 | Human Growth and DevelopmentONLINE | 4.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Second Year
Fifth quarter
| ECED 1160 | Early Language and LiteracyONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 2060 | Early Childhood Education Curriculum Planning | 4.5 |
| ECED 2061 | Child Guidance Techniques | 4.5 |
| INFO 1001 | Information Systems and LiteracyONLINEHYBRID | 4.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18.0 |
INFO 1001: general education requirements available Summer quarter
Sixth quarter
| ECED 2070 | Family and Community RelationshipsONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 2095 | Current Topics in Early Childhood EducationONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 2450 | Administration of Early Childhood Education ProgramsONLINE | 4.5 |
| ENGL 1020 | English Composition IIONLINEHYBRID | 4.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 18.0 |
Seventh quarter
| ECED 2050 | Children with ExceptionalitiesONLINE | 4.5 |
| ECED 2090 | Early Childhood Student Teaching Practicum | 6.0 |
| | OR | |
| ECED 2091 | Early Childhood Administrative Practicum | 6.0 |
| HMRL 1010 | Human Relations SkillsONLINEHYBRID | 4.5 |
| | Humanities/social science elective | 4.5 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 25.5 |
Humanities/social sciences: general education requirements available Summer quarter
Students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution need to select from the general education transfer course options and see and maintain regular contact with an ECED faculty advisor.
This program is accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), which means it was required to meet high standards in the preparation of early childhood education employees.