Associate of Science - Early Childhood Education - Transfer Degree (Optional Co-op)

Early childhood educators care for and teach young children in preschool, daycare and after school programs. They provide the safe, nurturing environments that families and communities depend on.

They’re also part of something bigger. Preschool is the foundation for all future learning and skill building. That makes the educational, emotional, social and physical development that children experience during early childhood vital for future success. Research shows that children who go to preschool are more likely to graduate high school, earn higher salaries and own homes.

Contra Costa College’s on-campus Early Learning Center provides preschool, afterschool and daycare services to diverse groups of children, aged 2-5. After spending time in the classroom studying how to create healthy, safe and stimulating learning environments, students can gain experience observing and working directly with them, there. And if students would like experience working in other environments, an off-campus mentorship can be set up too.

Whatever a student is interested in, at Contra Costa College they will have the support of great, caring teachers, counselors, a career center and like-minded students, who want to see them succeed. The Early Childhood Education department has free tutoring and a book loan program to save money on textbooks. If students are already working with children, they could even get small professional development stipends that pay back part of the enrollment cost, just for passing classes.

The Associate in Science in Early Childhood Education (ECE) for Transfer (AS-T) provides a clearly articulated curricular track for students who wish to transfer to a California State University campus, while also serving the diverse needs of students interested in the breadth and depth of the field of early childhood education. Additionally, this degree exposes students to the core principles and practices of the field in order to build a foundation for their future personal, academic, or vocational paths.

The degree was designed to facilitate students’ successful transfer to certain California State University (CSU) campuses that prepare them for advanced study in a variety of graduate programs, as well as a variety of careers such as teaching, child development specialist, program directors, and child life specialists. With a BA in ECE/Child Development, students are eligible for the Master Teacher and Site Supervisor levels of the CA Child Development Permit, using the Alternative Qualifications category.

The AS-T in ECE provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to certain California State University campuses. The ECE courses required in this program are part of the CA Curriculum Alignment Project, lower division and coursework.