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Child Development Courses

Complete Track 1 or Track 2

• Track 1
• ECE 101 – Introduction to Early Childhood Education
  3 Credits
  Examines the world of early childhood education.  This course assists those individuals that are interested in a professional career as an early childhood educator.  In addition, it covers current issues and trends regarding the benefits of early childhood education including the basic values, structure, organization, and programming in early childhood.  Focuses on creating and maintaining a healthy and safe learning environment for young children.  Students learn about the basic nutritional needs of children, good health practices and accident prevention in the home and classroom.
• EDP 101 – Early Childhood Growth and Development
  3 Credits
  Focuses on how a teacher or caregiver can foster physical, emotional, social, creative, and cognitive development.  This course provides instruction on the quality care techniques for children, from infancy to five years of age.  It highlights the development of teaching and interaction skills that can be applied to a wide range of children from a variety of backgrounds and at all developmental levels.  Students learn to support children’s physical and cognitive development, communication skills, and creative expression.
  Prerequisite: ECE 101
• EDP 102 – Early Childhood Learning Communities
  3 Credits
  Focuses on the child in the context of family and community.  This course looks at issues of communication, diversity, professionalism and social policy.  It also promotes awareness and effective use of community resources.  Students gain knowledge of the importance of parent-teacher partnerships in the education of young children.  Skills will be developed to support families and enhance parent involvement in early childhood programs.  Students learn to involve parents in understanding the child’s home and school environments.
  Prerequisite: EDP 101
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• Track 2
• CHD 111 – Health, Safety & Nutrition in Early Childhood
  3 Credits
  This course is an examination of the contributions of effective health, safety and nutrition practices on the well-being of children. Course will include a review of basic hygiene practices, health maintenance and illness prevention, as well as environmental safety practices, accident prevention, and nutritious meal planning for promoting optimal growth, development and learning. Community resources will be explored. (Not required for students from CDA program with credits in ECE 101)
• EDP 202 – Child Growth and Development: Conception to Adolescence
  3 Credits
  Focus on children’s physical, social, emotional and cognitive development from conception to age eight. Students will examine major theories of growth and development.  Concepts will be analyzed from the perspective of adult expectations of children at various ages, stages, exceptionalities and culture in relationship to developmentally appropriate program planning and curriculum implementation in early childhood settings. (Not required for students from CDA program with credits in EDP 101)
• CHD 241 – Child, Family and Community Relations
  3 Credits
  Study of diverse family structures, family systems theory, and the educator’s role in working with families. Critical events in the lives of families and other stressors will be examined. Focus on effective methods of facilitating communications, parent involvement, and the coordination of family, school and community cooperation with culturally diverse populations. (Not required for students from CDA program with credits in ECE 102)
  

Plus all required courses:

• CHD 201 – Observation and Assessment in Early Childhood
  3 Credits
  Provides students with skills needed for observation of children, documentation, and interpretation to develop curriculum, long term projects and parent communication in early childhood programs. Overview of common assessment and observation tools in early childhood. Students observe children in structured and unstructured situations, record their observation, and use records as a way of assessing strengths and needs of individual children.
  Field observation is required.
  Prerequisite: EDP 201
• CHD 211 – Early Childhood Methods: Science and Math
  3 Credits
  Examines theories of cognitive development as a framework for conceptualizing the way young children acquire scientific and mathematical skills, concepts, and abilities.  The course enables students to research and develop appropriate individual and group scientific/mathematical activities for young children.  It examines the fundamental concepts of comprehensive early childhood science and mathematics curriculums.  Students learn to create an active, hands-on learning environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, confidence, and persistence.  Students learn to plan a comprehensive, interactive program that meets individual and group needs, interests, abilities and development.  Includes a field-based component in which students carry out activities in an early childhood setting and use scheduled conferences to evaluate current performance.
  Prerequisites: TIE 110, RLT 202 and CHD 201
• CHD 212 – Early Childhood Methods: Language and Social Studies
  3 Credits
  This course examines theories of social and language development as a framework for conceptualizing the way young children acquire language, literacy, and social skills, concepts, and abilities. It enables students to research and develop appropriate individual and group language arts and social studies activities for young children. The course also examines the fundamental concepts of comprehensive early childhood social studies and language arts curriculums. Students learn to create an active, hands-on learning environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, confidence, and persistence. Students learn to plan a comprehensive, interactive program that meets individual and group needs, interests, abilities and development.
  The course includes a field based component in which students carry out activities in an early childhood setting and use scheduled conferences to evaluate current performance.
  Prerequisites: TIE 110, RLT 202 and CHD 201
• CHD 260 – Guiding Young Children and Managing the Classroom
  3 Credits
  This course investigates developmentally appropriate guidance and discipline practices that are supportive of heterogeneous populations, including children with challenging behaviors, in early childhood learning environments. Examines a relationship-based approach to adult-child interactions. Explores current brain research on the development of executive functions, and strategies for supporting children in the development of self-regulation, pros-social behaviors, communication and conflict resolution skills.
  Prerequisite: EDP 101 for students with a CDA credential or EDP 202
• ECE 210 – Art, Music and Movement in Early Childhood
  3 Credits
  This course provides students with a conceptual and experiential base for the use of art, movement, drama, and music in the education of young children.  The content will focus on actual skill development, along with the rationale and importance of using these areas in a curriculum for young children.  Through active participation with hands-on experiences, students work with the concepts of age and developmental appropriateness when designing fun activities with all subjects.  Students will also investigate the development of self-taught art techniques in young children.  Students practice working with various media and materials as used with the young child.  This course presents developmentally appropriate musical activities with emphasis on movement, songs, and simple dances.  Students learn to plan and implement a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate art, music, and movement program for young children. 
  Field work is required.
  Prerequisite: EDP 201
• EDP 201 – Educational Psychology
  3 Credits
  This course focuses on an in-depth study of physical, social/emotional, cognitive, language and aesthetic development from birth to age 8.  Examines the foundations of major child development theories that are the basis of professionally defined “best practices” at the early childhood level (birth-8).  An exploration of child development in the context of gender, family, culture and society.  An emphasis on the implications for early childhood professional practice.  Students learn key theories from an application and educational perspective for teachers of young children.
  Prerequisite: EDP 101
• RLT 202 – Children's Literature and Early Literacy
  3 Credits
  Focuses on knowledge and practice of how young children in a culturally diverse society develop language and literacy skills.  Exploration of children’s literature is the foundation of activities and curriculum that integrates language with beginning reading and writing concepts.  Students explore ways in which children develop the basis of literacy and come to understand the social world.  Students learn ways of creating an integrated curriculum that includes children’s literature and provides children with developmentally appropriate activities that foster the development of language and literacy.
• SPE 201 – Survey of Exceptional Children
  3 Credits
  This class focuses on an overview of children with exceptional cognitive, physical, social and emotional characteristics.  Analysis of developmental and educational needs imposed by exceptionality is included.  Identification, intervention strategies, methods and programs designed to meet exceptional needs including both high and low incidence disabilities are discussed.  The course also talks about the study of applicable federal and state laws and requirements.  Content focuses on functional methods for use by educators to assist in the provision of an inclusionary environment which enriches the education of children with and without special needs. 
  Field observation is required.
  Prerequisites: EDP 201 and TIE 110
• TIE 110 – Instructional Technology for Early Childhood
  3 Credits
  Designed to introduce students to computers and to teach appropriate uses for young children.  Students survey hardware and software and examine and evaluate them in the context of the early childhood classroom.  Students also learn about productivity tools for professional use.