Early Childhood Education
View Early Childhood Education in the College Catalog [PDF]
Program Description
The Early Childhood Education program prepares students for work in a variety of positions working with young children and with their families. The certificates and degree offered are designed to allow students to meet requirements for various levels of entry into the early childhood field.
Program Mission
The Early Childhood Education program mission is to:
- Provide training and education programs for the development of competent and nurturing caregivers and teachers for all Hawaii’s young children and their families.
- Provide quality education and care services for the children of students, faculty and staff in the Community Colleges. These services will represent the best of current practices and will serve as a practicum for programs related to early childhood education as well as providing demonstration of quality education and care for the larger community.
Associate in Science Degree Program
The Associate in Science (AS) degree program in combination with 6 months work experience prepares students for immediate employment as teachers in private early childhood programs for infants and toddlers or preschoolers. With 12 months of full time experience, graduates with the AS degree meet the requirements of the State of Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) to be directors of early childhood programs. The course of study leading to the AS degree is developmentally based and emphasizes observation and opportunities to participate in programs with children through class assignments and field experiences, both on campus and in the community. The program provides candidates with varied opportunities to develop their skills for working with children and families and with a general understanding of the field of early education and care. Students who successfully complete this degree may transfer to the Early Childhood Concentration in the Social Sciences Program at the University of Hawaii-West Oahu. The AS degree in Early Childhood Education meets all requirements of that program for lower division course work.
Students entering the Early Childhood Education Program must have completed English 22/60 with a grade of "C" or higher or placed at English 100. To complete the degree, students must demonstrate proficiency at the English 100 and Math 24/50 levels. To successfully complete the program, students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in all courses with an ED alpha.
Certificate of Competence
The Certificate of Competence in Child Development Associate (CDA) Preparation is obtained by completing three courses which meet the formal training requirement of the national CDA credential. Students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in all classes.
Certificate of Completion
The Certificate of Completion in Early Childhood Education requires a 16-credit sequence designed to give the candidate the most basic skills needed to work with children from infancy through eight years of age. This certificate also meets the ECE/CD coursework requirements of DHS for teachers and lead caregivers who hold an AAS, AS, AA or Bachelor's degree in a field other than early childhood. To obtain the Certificate of Completion, students must also demonstrate proficiency in English at ENG 22/60 and in Math at MATH 20B & C & D levels. Students must earn a grade of "C" or higher in all courses in the sequence.
Certificate of Achievement-Preschool
The Certificate of Achievement-Preschool is obtained by completing 32 credits of core courses in Early Childhood Education. It meets the requirements for coursework in Early Childhood Education/Child Development (ECE/CD) for teachers in Early Childhood Programs accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (beginning in 2010) who hold an A.A.S., A.S., or AA not in ECE/CD. To obtain the Certificate of Achievement students must also demonstrate proficiency in English at English 100 or higher and in Math at Math 50, Math 24 or higher. Students must earn a "C" or higher in all courses in the sequence.
Criminal history record checks are a workplace requirement in early education and care settings. This check must be completed satisfactorily within two weeks of enrollment into ED 191V, Field Based Practicum in Early Childhood. The cost of the record check, currently $24.00, is the responsibility of the student.
PACE (Professional and Career Education for Early Childhood)
The Early Childhood option includes a non-credit program, PACE (Professional and Career Education for Early Childhood). PACE Workshops are geared to meet training and enrichment needs of early childhood practitioners on Oahu. Four core introductory courses (ED 105, ED 110, ED 131 & ED 140) and one elective (ED 152) from HCC’s Early Childhood Education program are offered in a non-credit workshop format of sixteen 3-hour class sessions each. The workshops can be taken in any order. Participants who complete all sixteen workshops in a course with a score of 70% or better are eligible for Community College credit.
PACE workshops are offered in various places on Oahu. For information on program, schedules, registration and costs, call PACE at 845-9496 or visit our PACE web site at http://tech.honolulu.hawaii.edu/pace.