Early Childhood Education
The Associate of Arts degree with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education is designed to provide students with knowledge of pre-school age children (including an emphasis on increasing knowledge of Native American pre-school age children). Courses leading to this emphasis are designed to prepare the student for work in childcare, and various governmental agencies, while providing sufficient general education courses to promote transfer into a four-year degree program. Students will work closely with their academic advisor to select the courses that are most appropriate and beneficial.
Degrees and Certificates Offered
- Associate of Arts degree with emphasis in Early Childhood Education PDF or Excel
- Certificate in Child Development Associate (CDA)- Infant and Toddler Excel (select tab)
- Certificate in Child Development Associate (CDA)- Preschool Excel (select tab)
Process Map
Sample Program of Study
| Full-Time (12+ credits per semester) | |||||
| Year 1- Fall Semester ODD | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| EDUC 1010 Student Success Strategies | 2 | ILO 5 | |||
| ENGL 1010 English Comp I | 3 | ILO 2 | |||
| HLTH 1020 First Aid/CPR | 1 | ILO 5 | |||
| ECED 1150 Intro to ECE | 3 | Core | |||
| ECED 1110 Infant & Toddler Dev. | 3 | Core | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 12 | ||||
| Year 1- Spring Semester EVEN | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| ENGL 1020 English Comp II | 3 | ILO 2 | |||
| NASP 1410 or 1510 Native Language Level I | 4 | ILO 1 | |||
| ECED 1120 Preschool Development | 2 | Core | |||
| ECED 1230 School Age Child Dev. | 2 | Core | |||
| ECED 2070 Family & Community Relat. | 3 | ILO 4 | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 14 | ||||
| Year 1 Summer Term | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| ECED 1050 Expressive Arts | 3 | ILO 3 | |||
| ECED 1060 Obs. Guid. & Asssess. | 3 | Core | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 6 | ||||
| Year 2- Fall Even | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| PHYS 1100 Physical Science | 3 | ILO 3 | |||
| PHYS 1104 Lab | 1 | ILO 3 | |||
| ECED 1610 Infant Practicum | 1 | Core | |||
| ECED 1620 Toddler Practicum | 1 | Core | |||
| ECED 1220 Pre-Practica | 1 | Core | |||
| INFO 1010 Intro to Computers | 3 | ILO 4 | |||
| NASP 1030 NA History to 1890 | 3 | ILO 1 | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 13 | ||||
| Year 2 Spring ODD | Credits | Gen Ed/ Core | |||
| MATH 1150 College Algebra | 3 | ILO 3 | |||
| SPCH 1110 Public Speaking | 3 | ILO 2 | |||
| ECED 1260 Child Health, Safety &Nutr. | 3 | ILO 5 | |||
| ECED 1630 Preschool Practicum | 1 | Core | |||
| ECED 1640 School Age Practicum | 1 | Core | |||
| EDUC 1020 Career Survival | 1 | ILO 5 | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 12 | ||||
| Year 2 Summer ODD | Credits | Gen ED/Core | |||
| ECED 1160 Language & Literacy | 3 | Core | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 3 | ||||
| Total Credits for Degree | 60 |
| Half Time (6+ credits per semester) | |||||
| Year 1- Fall Semester ODD | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| EDUC 1010 Student Success Strategies | 2 | ILO 5 | |||
| ENGL 1010 English Comp I | 3 | ILO 2 | |||
| HLTH 1020 First Aid/CPR | 1 | ILO 5 | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 6 | ||||
| Year 1- Spring Semester EVEN | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| Native Language Level I | 4 | ILO 1 | |||
| ECED 1120 Preschool Development | 2 | Core | |||
| ECED 1230 School Age Child Dev. | 2 | Core | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 8 | ||||
| Year 1 Summer Term | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| ECED 1050 Expressive Arts | 3 | ILO 3 | |||
| ECED 2060 | ECE Curriculum Planning | 3 | Core | ||
| Total Credits by Term | 6 | ||||
| Year 2- Fall Even | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| PHYS 1100 Physical Science | 3 | ILO 3 | |||
| PHYS 1104 Lab | 1 | ILO 3 | |||
| INFO 1010 Intro to Computers | 3 | ILO 4 | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 7 | ||||
| Year 2 Spring ODD | Credits | Gen Ed/ Core | |||
| NASP 1040 NA History Since 1890 | 3 | ILO 3 | |||
| SPCH 1110 Public Speaking | 3 | ILO 2 | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 6 | ||||
| Year 2 Summer ODD | Credits | Core | |||
| ECED 1060 Obs. Guid. & Asssess. | 3 | Core | |||
| ECED 1160 Language & Literacy | 3 | Core | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 6 | ||||
| Year 3- Fall Semester ODD | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| ECED 1150 Intro to ECE | 3 | Core | |||
| ECED 1110 Infant & Toddler Dev. | 3 | Core | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 6 | ||||
| Year 3- Spring Semester EVEN | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| ENGL 1020 English Comp II | 3 | ILO 2 | |||
| ECED 2070 Family & Community Relat. | 3 | ILO 4 | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 6 | ||||
| Year 4 Fall Semester Even | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| ECED 1610 Infant Practicum | 1 | Core | |||
| ECED 1620 Toddler Practicum | 1 | Core | |||
| MATH 1110 Intermediate Alg. | 4 | ILO 3 | |||
| ECED 1220 Pre-Practica | 1 | Core | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 7 | ||||
| Year 4 Spring Odd | Credits | Gen Ed/Core | |||
| ECED 1630 Preschool Practicum | 1 | Core | |||
| ECED 1640 School Age Practicum | 1 | Core | |||
| EDUC 1020 Career Survival | 1 | ILO 5 | |||
| ECED 1260 Child Health, Safety &Nutr. | 3 | ILO 5 | |||
| Total Credits by Term | 6 | ||||
| Total Credits for Degree | 64 |
Career Pathways Flowchart
“ NICC has been a good support going into these online classes... My plan after my CDA is to go for my teaching degree and pursue my teaching career.”
Pearl Moniz-Tarin - CDA student
“My journey at NICC started when I was a senior in high school... At the time ECED classes were offered so I started out with one class, and then after that semester was over, I really liked the class so I took two more. Eventually I graduated from high school, and I continued to stay at NICC! I enjoy it very much, and it’s very convenient for me!”
LaDawna Lovejoy (Isanti/ Umo n ho n ) - Early Childhood Education major
-
Internships and Job Shadowing Opportunities
Practicum Students- Here is a list of places our students have recently participated:
- Goldenrod Hills Head Start (Sioux City, IA)
- Little Blujays Head Start (Walthill)
- Little Indians Daycare (Macy)
- Mark of Honor Daycare (Macy)
- Native American Childcare Center (Sioux City, IA)
- Omaha Nation Head Start/ Early Head Start (Macy)
- Santee Head Start (Santee)
- Shinga Zhinga Child Development Center (Macy)
- Takoja Tipi Day Care Center (Santee)
Scholarship Opportunities
- T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® - Nebraska AEYC- CDA Certificate and A.A. Degree
Articulation Agreements
- Wayne State College
- Chadron State College
- Peru State College
- Responsive Equitable System for Preparing Early Childhood Teachers (RESPECT) Across Nebraska- Creating pathways to strengthen Nebraska's early childhood workforce (Collaboration between University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Nebraska- Omaha, University of Nebraska-Kearney, Metropolitan Community College, Little Priest Tribal College, Buffett Early Childhood Fund, Buffet Early Childhood Institute, Nebraska Department of Education, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and Nebraska Association for the Education of Young Children)
Faculty in the Division
|
Last Name |
First Name |
Role |
| Viji |
Education Division Head |
|
|
|
FT Education Faculty |
|
| Page | Patti | FT Faculty/Grant Writer |
| Cortez | Marguerite | Adjunct Faculty |
| Hamman | Vincent Eugene | Adjunct Faculty |
| Nelson | Dwight | Adjunct Faculty |
| Miller | Lauren | Adjunct Faculty |