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Early Care & Education - Associate in Applied Science Degree
Program Requirements:
Admission Type:
General College Admission
Visit Admissions
Locations:
Contact:
Admissions
(843) 349-5277
If you enjoy children and creative activities, possess patience, excellent communication skills, and sound decision-making abilities, and have a strong work ethic, HGTC's Associate in Applied Science in Early Care and Education (ECD) might be the right career path for you. Early Care and Education professionals work in partnership with families to create a nurturing environment that is respectful of culture and rich in experiences to promote the optimal growth and development of each child. Students in this program receive the tools and resources necessary to provide language- and literacy-rich environments, appropriate math and science skills, an inquiry-based approach to learning about the world, and safe, healthy environments that promote emotional and social well-being. The program includes interactive classroom experiences, as well as off-site experiences in a variety of child-care and early-education environments.
The Early Care and Education program is accredited by NAEYC (National Association for Education of Young Children). For more information about HGTC's accreditations, click here.
For more information, contact:
Becky Hubbard - (843) 349-7117
Career Outlook
Recent scientific research has confirmed the need for high-quality care and education during a child's early years, when optimal brain growth and development occurs. This has increased the demand for highly qualified early-childhood professionals. The Associate in Applied Science in Early Care and Education prepares graduates to work in a variety of settings for children ages birth through eight years. These settings include:
- Childcare centers
- Head Start centers
- Family childcare homes
- Morning preschool programs
- After-school programs
- Programs for children with differing abilities
- Summer camp programs
- Private schools
- Public schools
For students already working in a childcare or early-education setting, opportunities
may be available for Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H.) scholarships and other bonus incentives.
For more information about careers, visit O*Net Online for an overview of South Carolina and National earnings statistics, and Horry-Georgetown
Technical College's Career Resource Center for more employment, career, and professional development resources.
Employers of HGTC Alumni Include:
- Horry and Georgetown County Schools
- Horry County Head Start
- Child Development Ministries at First United Methodist Church
- The Learning Tree Day School
- The Learning Station
- Gateway Academy
- Carolina Forest Child Development Center
Public Disclosure Information:
See Early Care and Education Disclosure Information
Program Information |
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Specific Admission Requirements for Program
Course Sequence and Progression Requirements |
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Curriculum Sequence |
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| First Semester - Fall | ||
| ECD 101 | Introduction to Early Childhood | 3 |
| ECD 102 | Growth and Development I | 3 |
| ECD 108 | Family and Community Relations | 3 |
| ENG 155 | Communications I | 3 |
| MAT 155 | Contemporary Mathematics | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | |
| Second Semester - Spring | ||
| ECD 105 | Guidance - Classroom Management* | 3 |
| ECD 131 | Language Arts** | 3 |
| ECD 203 | Growth and Development II* | 3 |
| PSY 201 | General Psychology | 3 |
| COL 105 | Freshman Seminar | 3 |
| or | ||
| EDU 201 | Classroom Inquiry with Technology | |
| TOTAL | 15 | |
| Third Semester - Summer | ||
| ECD 107 | Exceptional Child* | 3 |
| ECD 133 | Science and Math Concepts** | 3 |
| ECD 135 | Health, Safety, and Nutrition** | 3 |
| TOTAL | 9 | |
| Fourth Semester - Fall | ||
| ECD 132 | Creative Experiences | 3 |
| ECD 201 | Principles of Ethics Leadership in Early Care Education | 3 |
| ECD 237 | Methods and Materials** | 3 |
| Foreign Language or Lab Science*** |
4 | |
| TOTAL | 13 | |
| Fifth Semester - Spring | ||
| ECD 200 | Curriculum Issues in Infant Toddler Development* | 3 |
| ECD 252 | Diversity Issues in Early Care and Education* | 3 |
| ECD 243 | Supervised Field Experience** | 3 |
| Humanities**** | 3 | |
| TOTAL | 12 | |
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TOTAL CREDIT HOURS |
64 |
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*Students are required to conduct observations of children, families, and learning
environments in a variety of early childhood settings. |
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