Program Overview
College of The Albemarle’s (COA) Early Childhood Education program will help prepare you to work with children from infancy through middle childhood. You’ll learn the skills needed to plan and implement programs that help foster children’s cognitive, language, physical, social, emotional and creative development.
Course work includes child growth and development, physical and nutritional needs, care and guidance, and child/parent communication skills.
Transferring to a Four-Year College or University
Elizabeth City State University, East Carolina University (ECU) and most of the University of North Carolina system universities have 2+2 transfer programs in early childhood education. Students interested in becoming a certified elementary teacher (K-6) should consider pre-majoring in elementary education.
For more information about 2+2 programs, please visit ECU transfer program.
Licensing Forms
North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education Childcare Administrators Education and Equivalency Form (DCDEE.0173)
Early Childhood Education Administration Application
North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education Childcare Providers Education and Equivalency Form (DCDEE.0169)
Early Childhood Education Credentials Application
Careers
Employment opportunities include:
- Child development and childcare programs
- Preschools, public and private schools
- Recreational centers
- Head Start and school-age programs
Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website to read the occupational outlook handbook for Early Childhood Education careers:
Curriculum Guides
| First Year Fall Semester Course Number and Title |
Prerequisites and Corequisites |
Class Hours | Lab Hours | Clinical Hours | Total Contact Hours | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG 111 Writing and Inquiry | Prerequisites: ENG 002 Tier 1 Corequisites: ENG 011 |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| WBL 110 World of Work (non-transfer track) or |
n/a | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| ACA 122 College Transfer Success (must take for transfer track) | n/a | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| EDU 119 Introduction to ECE | n/a | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| EDU 144 Child Development I | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 146 Child Guidance | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 153 Health, Safety and Nutrition | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 17 | 0 – 2 | 0 | 17 – 18 | 17 | |
| First Year Spring Semester Course Number and Title |
Prerequisites and Corequisites |
Class Hours | Lab Hours | Clinical Hours | Total Contact Hours | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG 112 Writing/Research in the Disciplines | Prerequisite: ENG 111 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Natural Science/Mathematics MAT 110 (non-transfer track) or MAT 143 (must take for transfer track) |
Prerequisite for MAT 110: MAT 003 Tier 1 Corequisite: MAT 010 Prerequisites for MAT 143: MAT 003 Tier 1 and ENG 002 Tier 1 Corequisite: MAT 043 |
2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| PSY 150 General Psychology | Prerequisite: ENG 002 Tier 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 131 Child, Family, and Community | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 145 Child Development II | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 151 Creative Activities | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 17 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 18 | |
| Second Year Fall Semester Course Number and Title |
Prerequisites and Corequisites |
Class Hours | Lab Hours | Clinical Hours | Total Contact Hours | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social/Behavioral Sciences Option (see list) | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Humanities Option (see list) | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| COM 110 Intro to Communications (non-transfer track) or COM 231 Public Speaking (must take for transfer track) |
Prerequisite for COM 231: ENG 111 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| CIS 111 Basic PC Literacy (non-transfer track) or CIS 110 Intro to Computers (must take for transfer track) |
Prerequisite for CIS 110: ENG 002 Tier 1 and MAT 003 Tier 1 | 1 – 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 – 4 | 2 – 3 |
| EDU 221 Children with Exceptionalities | Prerequisites: EDU 144 and EDU 145 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Early Childhood Elective: See ECE options: non-transfer track option one or transfer track options two or three | Prerequisites: varies according to course | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 16 – 17 | 2 | 0 | 18 – 19 | 17 – 18 | |
| Second Year Spring Semester Course Number and Title |
Prerequisites and Corequisites |
Class Hours | Lab Hours | Clinical Hours | Total Contact Hours | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDU 234 Infants, Toddlers and Twos | Prerequisite: EDU 119 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 280 Language and Literacy Experiences | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 284 Early Childhood Capstone Practicum | Prerequisites: EDU 119, EDU 144, EDU 145, EDU 146, and EDU 151 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 4 |
| Early Childhood Elective: See ECE options: non-transfer track option one or transfer track options two or three | Prerequisites: varies according to course | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Biological Science (see list) (must take for transfer track) |
n/a | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| Natural Science (see list) (must take for transfer track) |
n/a | 3 | 2 – 3 | 0 | 5 – 6 | 4 |
| Total Semester Hours — non-transfer track | 10 | 9 | 0 | 19 | 13 | |
| Total Semester Hours — transfer track | 16 | 14 – 15 | 0 | 30 – 31 | 21 | |
| Total Semester Hours Required for Associate Degree — non-transfer track | 65 | |||||
| Total Semester Hours Required for Associate Degree — transfer track | 74 | |||||
Humanities Options
(must take 3 credits for non-transfer track and transfer track)
- ART 111 Art Appreciation
- ART 114 Art History Survey I
- ART 115 Art History Survey II
- MUS 110 Music Appreciation
- MUS 112 Introduction to Jazz
- PHI 240 Introduction to Ethics
Social/Behavioral Sciences Options
(must take 3 credits for non-transfer track and transfer track)
- ECO 251 Principles of Microeconomics
- ECO 252 Principles of Macroeconomics
- HIS 111 World Civilization I
- HIS 112 World Civilization II
- HIS 131 American History I
- HIS 132 American History II
- POL 120 American Government
- SOC 210 Introduction to Sociology
Biological Science
(must take 4 credits for transfer track)
- BIO 110 Principles of Biology or BIO 111 General Biology I
Natural Science
(must take 4 credits for transfer track)
- AST 111 and AST 111A Descriptive Astronomy and Lab or CHM 151 General Chemistry I
Early Childhood Options
Option one: non-transfer track
Take one set of the following as Early Childhood Electives:
EDU 235 School-Age Development
EDU 216 Foundation of Education
or
EDU 261 Early Childhood Administration I (should be taken in conjunction with EDU 261)
Corequisite: EDU 119
EDU 262 Early Childhood Administration II (should be taken in conjunction with EDU 261)
Prerequisites: EDU 119 and EDU 261
Transfer Track Specialty Areas
Required specialty subject areas for students pursuing Early Childhood Education birth to kindergarten transfer per the Early Childhood Articulation Agreement (ECAA); Not required for non-transfer students.
Option two: transfer track – Birth to Kindergarten (B-K) Licensure
Take one set of the following as Early Childhood Electives:
EDU 216 Foundation of Education (must take if transferring for Birth-Kindergarten Licensure)
EDU 250 Teacher Licensure Preparation (unless requirement is met by ACT/SAT scores – then take EDU 235)
Corequisites: (1) ENG 111 and MAT 143 OR (2) ENG 111 and MAT 152 or (3) ENG 111 and MAT 171
or
EDU 216 Foundation of Education (MUST take if transferring for Birth-Kindergarten Licensure)
EDU 235 School-Age Development (take only if you do not need EDU 250)
Option three: transfer track — Non-Teaching Licensure
Take the following set as Early Childhood Electives:
EDU 261 Early Childhood Administration I (should be taken in conjunction with EDU 262)
Corequisite: EDU 119
EDU 262 Early Childhood Administration II (should be taken in conjunction with EDU 261)
Prerequisites: EDU 119 and EDU 261
| First Year Fall Semester Course Number and Title |
Prerequisites and Corequisites |
Class Hours | Lab Hours | Clinical Hours | Total Contact Hours | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDU 119 Introduction to ECE | n/a | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| EDU 145 Child Development II | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 146 Child Guidance | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 153 Health, Safety and Nutrition | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 13 | |
| First Year Spring Semester Course Number and Title |
Prerequisites and Corequisites |
Class Hours | Lab Hours | Clinical Hours | Total Contact Hours | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDU 131 Child, Family, and Community | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| Total Semester Hours Required for Certificate | 16 | |||||
| First Year Fall Semester Course Number and Title |
Prerequisites and Corequisites |
Class Hours | Lab Hours | Clinical Hours | Total Contact Hours | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDU 119 Introduction to ECE | n/a | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| EDU 144 Child Development I | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 153 Health, Safety and Nutrition | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | |
| First Year Spring Semester Course Number and Title |
Prerequisites and Corequisites |
Class Hours | Lab Hours | Clinical Hours | Total Contact Hours | Total Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDU 131 Child Family and Community | n/a | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| EDU 234 Infants, Toddlers and Twos | Prerequisite: EDU 119 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | |
| Total Semester Hours Required for Certificate | 16 | |||||