Early Childhood Education A.A.S.
At a Glance
The A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education degree program at Carroll Community College offers small class sizes, field placements and ongoing advisory support to jump-start your career as an early childhood educator.
Credit Count:
60
Helpful Resources
About the Program
Carroll’s A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education degree program offers 75 hours of field placement and curricular service learning, allowing students to not only acquire experience in an actual classroom environment, but to also network with our community partners, potentially leading to job placement opportunities.
Our non-lecture, learn-by-doing (“living classroom”) model, featuring beautiful classrooms with interactive furniture to allow collaboration with the on-campus Littlest Learners Child Development Center, prepares Early Child Education (ECE) students to fill responsible positions in the rewarding field of early childhood education.
Why Carroll for Your AAS Early Childhood Education Degree:
- Receive practical, comprehensive instruction for teaching pre-K through 3rd grade children.
- We coordinate placement of ECE students in classrooms working with children and professionals.
- Our faculty, who have worked as early childhood teachers, administrators and special educators, offer expert, real-world guidance as education advisors.
- Credit coursework is recognized by Maryland Child Care Credentialing Program.
HyFlex Learning Options
Starting Fall 2023, Introduction to Early Childhood Education (ECE 100) will be offered in a HyFlex Learning format. This means that, from day to day, students can choose to take the course online, hybrid or face-to-face! HyFlex is for students who really need flexibility in their course delivery, and may want to switch from one format to another on any given day because of work, family or other commitments.
Advisory Boards
Our curriculum is designed and continuously reviewed by an advisory board of industry experts and business leaders, ensuring the program meets all current skill and knowledge requirements. You can visit our Advisory Boards page to see the list of Early Childhood Education Advisory Board members, as well as advisory board members for our other programs.
Earn and Learn – Tuition Assistance for Early Child Care Educators!
The Child Care Career and Professional Development Fund provides grant money from MSDE for Early Childhood Educators to be used toward degree-required books, fees, and tuition for students who meet the following requirements, among others.
Requirements:
- 45 clock hours of training/coursework in early childhood education, including 20 hours in child development
- One year approved experience working in a Maryland licensed childcare or school-age care program
- Continuous employment of at least 10 hours working in a Maryland licensed childcare or school age care program during college coursework
- Agree to service commitment of 20 hours per week in a Maryland licensed childcare or school age program after receiving higher education degree
View tuition assistance.
Curriculum
Transfers & Careers
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Transfer
Students who choose this curriculum and desire to transfer to a 4-year college should consult with their Education faculty advisor at the beginning of their program. Program requirements may change due to possible new initiatives in the state, and certain specialized courses may not be transferable to some 4-year institutions.
Carroll has transfer agreements with virtually every public college and university in Maryland, as well as many other schools throughout the state and across the country.
Learn more about transferring your courses to a different institution or explore Transfer Agreements by Area of Study.
Career
A graduate of the AAS in Early Childhood Education degree program can expect to find employment in a childcare center or as an independent childcare provider.
Faculty
Carroll’s faculty are scholars, researchers and distinguished leaders, selected based on their industry experience, academic excellence and passion for teaching. They possess a wealth of skills and knowledge to share with you throughout your pursuit of an Early Childhood Education degree.
News
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