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Program Requirements

Program Requirements

Early Childhood Education

Associate Degree 10-307-1

www.cvtc.edu
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Start Dates: August

Effective: August 2025

First Semester

Course # Course Title Credits Prerequisites/Comments
307-148 ECE: Foundations of ECE 3 Fall only | Program student This 3-credit course introduces you to the early childhood profession. Course competencies include: explore the concepts of diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias as it relates to early childhood education, investigate the history of early childhood education, examine regulatory requirements for early childhood education programs in WI, summarize types of early childhood education settings, identify the components of a quality early childhood education program, summarize responsibilities of early childhood education professionals, explore early childhood curriculum models and examine the critical role of play as it relates to developmentally appropriate practice.
Course #: 307-148
Title: ECE: Foundations of ECE
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student This 3-credit course introduces you to the early childhood profession. Course competencies include: explore the concepts of diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias as it relates to early childhood education, investigate the history of early childhood education, examine regulatory requirements for early childhood education programs in WI, summarize types of early childhood education settings, identify the components of a quality early childhood education program, summarize responsibilities of early childhood education professionals, explore early childhood curriculum models and examine the critical role of play as it relates to developmentally appropriate practice.
307-151 ECE: Infant & Toddler Dev 3 Fall only | Program student In this 3-credit course you will study infant and toddler development as it applies to an early childhood education setting. Course competencies include: integrate strategies that support diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias perspectives; analyze development of infants and toddlers (conception to thirty-six months); correlate prenatal and postnatal conditions with development; summarize child development theories; analyze the role of heredity and the environment; examine culturally and developmentally appropriate environments for infants and toddlers, examine the role of brain development in early learning (conception through thirty-six months); examine caregiving routines as curriculum; and examine developmental and environmental assessment strategies for infants and toddlers.
Course #: 307-151
Title: ECE: Infant & Toddler Dev
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student In this 3-credit course you will study infant and toddler development as it applies to an early childhood education setting. Course competencies include: integrate strategies that support diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias perspectives; analyze development of infants and toddlers (conception to thirty-six months); correlate prenatal and postnatal conditions with development; summarize child development theories; analyze the role of heredity and the environment; examine culturally and developmentally appropriate environments for infants and toddlers, examine the role of brain development in early learning (conception through thirty-six months); examine caregiving routines as curriculum; and examine developmental and environmental assessment strategies for infants and toddlers.
307-160 ECE: Field Experience 1 3 Fall only | Program student; Corequisite: 307-167 This introductory field experience course, introduces the foundations of early childhood education under guided supervision of a mentor teacher in an early childhood setting, working with children birth through age 8. This course meets the requirements for the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards 18-hour training.
Course #: 307-160
Title: ECE: Field Experience 1
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student; Corequisite: 307-167 This introductory field experience course, introduces the foundations of early childhood education under guided supervision of a mentor teacher in an early childhood setting, working with children birth through age 8. This course meets the requirements for the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards 18-hour training.
307-167 ECE: Hlth Safety & Nutrition 3 Fall only | Program student; Corequisite: 307-160 This 3-credit course examines the topics of health, safety, and nutrition within the context of the early childhood educational setting. Course competencies include: integrate strategies that support diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias perspectives; examine governmental regulations and professional standards as they apply to health, safety, and nutrition; plan a safe early childhood environment; plan a healthy early childhood environment; plan nutritionally sound menus; examine child abuse and neglect issues and mandates; describe Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk reduction strategies, describe strategies to prevent the occurrence of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS); incorporate health, safety, and nutrition concepts into the children's curriculum.
Course #: 307-167
Title: ECE: Hlth Safety & Nutrition
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student; Corequisite: 307-160 This 3-credit course examines the topics of health, safety, and nutrition within the context of the early childhood educational setting. Course competencies include: integrate strategies that support diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias perspectives; examine governmental regulations and professional standards as they apply to health, safety, and nutrition; plan a safe early childhood environment; plan a healthy early childhood environment; plan nutritionally sound menus; examine child abuse and neglect issues and mandates; describe Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) risk reduction strategies, describe strategies to prevent the occurrence of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS); incorporate health, safety, and nutrition concepts into the children's curriculum.
801-196 Oral/Interpersonal Comm 3   Focuses on developing effective listening techniques and verbal and nonverbal communication skills through oral presentation, group activity, and other projects. The study of self, conflict, and cultural contexts will be explored, as well as their impact on communication.
Course #: 801-196
Title: Oral/Interpersonal Comm
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   Focuses on developing effective listening techniques and verbal and nonverbal communication skills through oral presentation, group activity, and other projects. The study of self, conflict, and cultural contexts will be explored, as well as their impact on communication.
  or  
or
801-198 Speech 3   Explores the fundamentals of effective oral presentation to small and large groups. Topic selection, audience analysis, methods of organization, research, structuring evidence and support, delivery techniques, and other essential elements of speaking successfully, including the listening process, form the basis of the course.
Course #: 801-198
Title: Speech
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   Explores the fundamentals of effective oral presentation to small and large groups. Topic selection, audience analysis, methods of organization, research, structuring evidence and support, delivery techniques, and other essential elements of speaking successfully, including the listening process, form the basis of the course.
  Total Credits: 15  
Total Credits: 15

Second Semester

Course # Course Title Credits Prerequisites/Comments
307-170 ECE: Field Experience 2 3 Spring only | Program student; 307-160 This intermediate field experience course includes assisting the mentor teacher in carrying out classroom routines and implementing developmentally appropriate learning experiences that promote child development and learning through play for children birth to age 8.
Course #: 307-170
Title: ECE: Field Experience 2
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student; 307-160 This intermediate field experience course includes assisting the mentor teacher in carrying out classroom routines and implementing developmentally appropriate learning experiences that promote child development and learning through play for children birth to age 8.
307-179 ECE: Child Development 3 Spring only | Program student This 3-credit course examines child development within the context of the early childhood education setting. Course competencies include: integrate strategies that support diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias perspectives; analyze social, cultural, and economic influences on child development; summarize child development theories; analyze development of children ages three through five; analyze development of children ages five through eight; relate child development research findings to teaching practice; analyze the role of heredity and the environment; examine the role of brain development in early learning (ages 3-8); examine developmental and environmental assessment strategies for children ages 3-8.
Course #: 307-179
Title: ECE: Child Development
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student This 3-credit course examines child development within the context of the early childhood education setting. Course competencies include: integrate strategies that support diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias perspectives; analyze social, cultural, and economic influences on child development; summarize child development theories; analyze development of children ages three through five; analyze development of children ages five through eight; relate child development research findings to teaching practice; analyze the role of heredity and the environment; examine the role of brain development in early learning (ages 3-8); examine developmental and environmental assessment strategies for children ages 3-8.
307-187 ECE: Children w Diff Abilities 3 Spring only | Program student This 3-credit course focuses on the child with differing abilities in an inclusive early childhood education setting while examining strategies for cultivating partnerships with families and community supports for children from birth to 8 years of age.
Course #: 307-187
Title: ECE: Children w Diff Abilities
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student This 3-credit course focuses on the child with differing abilities in an inclusive early childhood education setting while examining strategies for cultivating partnerships with families and community supports for children from birth to 8 years of age.
307-188 ECE: Guiding Child Behavior 3 Spring only | Program student This 3-credit course examines positive strategies to guide children's behavior in the early childhood education setting for children from birth to 8 years of age. This course meets the requirements of the Wisconsin Pyramid Model training.
Course #: 307-188
Title: ECE: Guiding Child Behavior
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student This 3-credit course examines positive strategies to guide children's behavior in the early childhood education setting for children from birth to 8 years of age. This course meets the requirements of the Wisconsin Pyramid Model training.
307-195 ECE: Family & Community Rel 3 Spring only | Program student In this 3-credit course you will examine the role of relationships with family and community in early childhood education. Course competencies include: implement strategies that support diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias perspectives when working with families and community; analyze contemporary family patterns and trends; identify strategies to strengthen and support families; explore effective communication strategies; discover strategies for developing respectful and reciprocal relationships with families; analyze strategies to promote family engagement in early childhood education programs; explore a variety of formats for meeting with families in their contexts; advocate for children and families; and explore community resources that provide a range of services for children and families.
Course #: 307-195
Title: ECE: Family & Community Rel
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student In this 3-credit course you will examine the role of relationships with family and community in early childhood education. Course competencies include: implement strategies that support diversity, cultural responsiveness, and anti-bias perspectives when working with families and community; analyze contemporary family patterns and trends; identify strategies to strengthen and support families; explore effective communication strategies; discover strategies for developing respectful and reciprocal relationships with families; analyze strategies to promote family engagement in early childhood education programs; explore a variety of formats for meeting with families in their contexts; advocate for children and families; and explore community resources that provide a range of services for children and families.
  Total Credits: 15  
Total Credits: 15

Third Semester

Course # Course Title Credits Prerequisites/Comments
Elective 3  
Course #:
Title: Elective
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:  
307-108 ECE: Early Language & Literacy 3 Fall only | Program student; 307-160 This 3-credit course explores strategies to encourage the development of early language and literacy knowledge and skill building in children birth to 8 years of age.
Course #: 307-108
Title: ECE: Early Language & Literacy
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student; 307-160 This 3-credit course explores strategies to encourage the development of early language and literacy knowledge and skill building in children birth to 8 years of age.
307-110 ECE: Soc S, Art, & Music 3 Fall only | Program student; 307-160 This 3-credit course will focus on beginning level curriculum development in the specific integrated content areas of social studies, art, music, & movement (SSAMM).
Course #: 307-110
Title: ECE: Soc S, Art, & Music
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student; 307-160 This 3-credit course will focus on beginning level curriculum development in the specific integrated content areas of social studies, art, music, & movement (SSAMM).
307-190 ECE: Field Experience 3 3 Fall only | Program student; 307-170 This advanced field experience course focuses on supporting young children's development birth to age 8 through observation, assessment, and implementation of developmentally appropriate teaching strategies.
Course #: 307-190
Title: ECE: Field Experience 3
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Fall only | Program student; 307-170 This advanced field experience course focuses on supporting young children's development birth to age 8 through observation, assessment, and implementation of developmentally appropriate teaching strategies.
804-134 Mathematical Reasoning 3   All college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement.
Course #: 804-134
Title: Mathematical Reasoning
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   All college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement.
  Total Credits: 15  
Total Credits: 15

Fourth Semester

Course # Course Title Credits Prerequisites/Comments
307-112 ECE: STEM 3 Spring only | Program student; 307-160 This 3-credit course will focus on beginning level curriculum development in the specific integrated content areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Course #: 307-112
Title: ECE: STEM
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student; 307-160 This 3-credit course will focus on beginning level curriculum development in the specific integrated content areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
307-210 ECE: Field Experience 4 3 Spring only | Program student; 307-190 This final pre-professional field experience course focuses on demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of children birth to age 8, and families. An emphasis is on practicing the lead teacher role to design, implement and evaluate a connected unit of learning experiences.
Course #: 307-210
Title: ECE: Field Experience 4
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments: Spring only | Program student; 307-190 This final pre-professional field experience course focuses on demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of children birth to age 8, and families. An emphasis is on practicing the lead teacher role to design, implement and evaluate a connected unit of learning experiences.
801-136 English Composition 1 3   This course is designed for learners to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of the writing process. Planning, organizing, writing, editing, and revising are applied through a variety of activities. Students will analyze audience and purpose, use elements of research and format documents using standard guidelines. Individuals will develop critical reading skills through analysis of various written documents.
Course #: 801-136
Title: English Composition 1
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   This course is designed for learners to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of the writing process. Planning, organizing, writing, editing, and revising are applied through a variety of activities. Students will analyze audience and purpose, use elements of research and format documents using standard guidelines. Individuals will develop critical reading skills through analysis of various written documents.
809-198 Intro to Psychology 3   This introductory course in psychology is a survey of the multiple aspects of human behavior. It involves a survey of the theoretical foundations of human functioning in such areas as learning, motivation, emotions, personality, deviance and pathology, physiological factors, and social influences. Additional topics include research methods, biological and environmental impacts, development, sensation and perception, consciousness, intelligence and stress. This course directs the student to an insightful understanding of the complexities of human relationships in personal, social, and vocational settings.
Course #: 809-198
Title: Intro to Psychology
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   This introductory course in psychology is a survey of the multiple aspects of human behavior. It involves a survey of the theoretical foundations of human functioning in such areas as learning, motivation, emotions, personality, deviance and pathology, physiological factors, and social influences. Additional topics include research methods, biological and environmental impacts, development, sensation and perception, consciousness, intelligence and stress. This course directs the student to an insightful understanding of the complexities of human relationships in personal, social, and vocational settings.
809-122 Introduction to American Government 3   This course introduces American political processes and institutions, focusing on rights and responsibilities of citizens and the process of participatory democracy. Learners will explore the following: the complexity of the separation of powers and checks and balances; the role of the media, interest groups, political parties and public opinion in the political process; and the role of state and national government in our federal system.
Course #: 809-122
Title: Introduction to American Government
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   This course introduces American political processes and institutions, focusing on rights and responsibilities of citizens and the process of participatory democracy. Learners will explore the following: the complexity of the separation of powers and checks and balances; the role of the media, interest groups, political parties and public opinion in the political process; and the role of state and national government in our federal system.
  or  
or
809-172 Introduction to Diversity Studies 3   This is a course that draws from several disciplines to reaffirm the basic American values of justice and equality by teaching a basic vocabulary, a history of immigration and conquest, principles of transcultural communication, legal liability and the value of aesthetic production to increase the probability of respectful encounters among people. In addition to an analysis of majority/minority relations in a multicultural context, the topics of ageism, sexism, gender differences, sexual orientation, the disabled and the American Disability Act (ADA) are explored. Ethnic relations are studied in global and comparative perspectives.
Course #: 809-172
Title: Introduction to Diversity Studies
Credits: 3
Prerequisites/Comments:   This is a course that draws from several disciplines to reaffirm the basic American values of justice and equality by teaching a basic vocabulary, a history of immigration and conquest, principles of transcultural communication, legal liability and the value of aesthetic production to increase the probability of respectful encounters among people. In addition to an analysis of majority/minority relations in a multicultural context, the topics of ageism, sexism, gender differences, sexual orientation, the disabled and the American Disability Act (ADA) are explored. Ethnic relations are studied in global and comparative perspectives.
  Total Credits: 15  
Total Credits: 15

Course Title

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Course Description

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Minimum Program Credits Required: 60

A Grade of "C" or Higher is Required in 307-160, -170, -190, and -210.

2.0 Minimum Program Cumulative GPA Required for Graduation
If a student does not enroll in any courses at CVTC for two or more consecutive semesters, the student will be required to reapply with Admissions. Students must abide by any changes in admission requirements and degree requirements.

Updated: 6/4/2025 10:51 a.m.  |  Printed: 7/30/2025 3:33 p.m.

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