Early Childhood Education: P-3, Associate of Arts

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The Early Childhood Education: P-3 program is designed for students interested in completing the first two-year sequence of a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education program at RVCC and subsequently transferring to a four-year college or university program. This program allows students to move into P-3 certification programs or to seek employment as a paraprofessional educator. The goals of the RVCC Early Childhood Education program are to prepare reflective, thoughtful studentprofessionals who, at the end of the program, are capable of making positive contributions to their communities and their own lives. We achieve this through rigorous coursework that engages them in critical, creative thought and activities, along with experiences in various educational settings in our communities.

All students considering Early Childhood Education as a major must meet with an advisor before or during their first semester and every other semester thereafter to ensure appropriate course selection based on the college or university of transfer destination. All students entering an education major in a bachelor’s program will be required to declare a second academic major. With advisement, some courses for the second major may be completed at RVCC and then transferred, allowing for more credits to be completed at RVCC.

Curriculum – A.A. Degree

First Semester

ENGL 111 - English I 3 Credits
PSYC 103 - Introduction to Psychology 3 Credits
MATH 102 - Problem Solving Strategies 3 Credits ²
HIST 201 - US History: Beginnings to 1877 3 Credits
CISY 102 - Computer Literacy 3 Credits

Second Semester

ENGL 112 - English II 3 Credits
HIST 202 - US History: 1877 to Present 3 Credits
PSYC 216 - Child Psychology 3 Credits
COMM 101 - Speech 3 Credits
Early Childhood Specialization Elective 3 Credits ¹

Third Semester

Social Science 3 Credits ⁴

ECHD 255 - Foundations of Early Childhood Education 3 Credits ⁵
Philosophy ⁴ or
SPAN 103 - Introduction to Spanish I 3 Credits ³
BIOL 111 - Principles of Biology 4 Credits
Early Childhood Specialization Elective 2-3 Credits ¹

Fourth Semester

Appreciation of the Arts 3 Credits ⁴

Humanities ⁴ or
SPAN 104 - Introduction to Spanish II 3 Credits
Science (non biology) 3-4 Credits ⁴
ECHD 280 - Field Experience in Multicultural ECE Settings 3 Credits
English Literature (GCA) 3 Credits ⁴

Total Credits 60 - 62

¹ Choose 2 of the following courses: Children’s Literature (ECHD 213 ), Modern Dance I (DANC 101 or Jazz Dance I (DANC 105 ), Introduction to Special Education (HMNS 240 ), Current Health Issues (FITN 131 ) or Number Systems (MATH 101 ).

² Mathematics by official placement test. Students may not take course below placement level.

³ If the foreign language option is selected, a two-semester sequence in the foreign language is required. Placement exam is required if students have previously studied Spanish.

⁴ Select a course from the appropriate category of the General Education Courses list. Select an English Literature General Education course marked with a GCA to meet the Global & Cultural Awareness requirement.

⁵ Students need to have completed any developmental English courses prior to registering for this class. However, they do not need to have completed English I (ENGL 111 ) to take this course.