CHDcat

Purpose: This curriculum is designed to enable graduates to qualify as directors, assistant directors, teachers, assistant teachers, or as classroom aides in programs for young children. The curriculum has been established to provide competency in areas proposed by the professional child development community: ability to set up a safe and healthy environment; skills to advance the physical and intellectual competence of young children and to build positive self concepts and individual strengths; ability to organize and sustain positive functioning of children and adults in a group learning environment; coordinate home/out-of-home child rearing practices and expectations; and carry out the supplementary responsibilities related to programs for children. In addition, the student is prepared to transfer to a four-year institution in Early Childhood Education and/or Child Development. Students who are interested in working with special needs children should consult with the Early Childhood Development Faculty.

Occupational Objectives: Positions in independent child-care centers and kindergartens, family day care homes, nursery schools, foster-care providers, hospital centers, centers for children with special needs, residential childcare facilities and industry associated centers. In addition, this program qualifies graduates for positions as elementary school classroom aides.

Curriculum Admission Guidelines: Evidence that the applicant possesses the intellectual, emotional, and physical capacities and the interest and aptitude necessary for relating successfully to young children. Satisfactory performance on an appropriate test may be required of those applicants whose records indicate academic weakness in English, reading, or mathematics.

High school or equivalent developmental college course prerequisites include Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry for students planning on working toward a baccalaureate degree at a four-year institution. (Students who plan to transfer to a four-year college are urged to consult the Early Childhood Development faculty members for electives and additional information.)

Admission to Internship: Admission to CHD 165 is selective and must be approved by the program head. Eligibility is based on the following criteria: a 2.0 grade point average, faculty recommendations, completion of course prerequisites (CHD 121, CHD 122) documentation of a negative tuberculosis screening, and any relevant

CURRICULUM AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS Credits

CHD 121 Childhood Educational Development I 3

CHD 122 Childhood Educational Development II 3

(or CHD 120)

CHD 125 Creative Activities for Children 3

CHD 126 Methods and Materials for Developing Science 3

and Mathematical Concepts in Young Children

CHD 165¹ Observation & Participation in 3

Early Childhood Settings

CHD 166 Infant and Toddler Programs (or CHD 118) 3

CHD 205² Guiding the Behavior of Young Children 3

CHD 210 Introduction to Exceptional Children 3

CHD 216 Early Childhood Programs, School, & 3

Social Change

CHD 265² Observation & Participation in 3

Early Childhood Settings

CHD 270³ Administration of Early Childhood 3

Educational Programs

ENG 111-112⁴ College Composition I 6

HLT 106 First Aid and Safety 2

HLT 135 Child Health and Nutrition 3

ITE 115 Intro Computer Applications and Concepts 3

MTH 120 Introduction to Mathematics (or MTH 151) 3

PSY 120 Human Relations 3

PSY 235 Child Psychology 3

SOC 215 Sociology of the Family 3

SDV 108 College Survival Skills (or SDV 100) 1

SPD 100 Principles of Public Speaking 3

E⁵ Humanities/Fine Arts Elective 3

Total Minimum Credits for Degree 66

¹ May be taken only after completing CHD 121, CHD 122 or with departmental approval.

² May be taken only after completing CHD 121, CHD 122, CHD 165 or with departmental approval.

³ May be taken only after completing CHD 121, CHD 122 or with departmental approval.

⁴ Students planning to transfer should take English 111-112.

⁵ Humanities/Fine Arts elective must be chosen from the “Approved List of Humanities Transfer Courses” on page 39.

internship site requirements. Successful completion of CHD 165 is required to enroll in CHD 265. The deadline for applications will be May 1 of each year. If May 1 falls on a weekend, the deadline will be the next business day. Information on the requirements for this process is available in the Social Sciences division office and from the program head. Students not accepted into the program will have the option to reapply the following year.

New students (unless they are exempted by Advanced Placement) should take CHD 121 in the fall and CHD 122 in the spring.

Advanced Placement: Students who have completed a two or three year child care/early childhood curriculum in an area high school may be awarded credit for CHD 122 and CHD 265 with certain conditions, including that the student can submit proper documentation.

Curriculum Completion Guidelines: Students who receive a final grade lower than C in any of the courses in the Early Childhood Development sequence must be approved by the program faculty to continue the major in Early Childhood Development prior to repeating the course. Each student is responsible for transportation to and from field sites used for laboratory experience.

Fall

Spring

Fall