Colleges and Schools
EDUC 1001 Introduction to Education (5 cr.)
This course presents an overview of the field of early care and education. Emphasis is on the elements of high-quality programs, governing standards and regulations, and historical perspectives. The course will also focus on what it means to be a professional and career options in the field of early care and education.
EDUC 1002 Pioneers and Philosophies of Education (5 cr.)
This course examines the historical and philosophical roots of educational programs for children beginning with the ancient Greeks. Students will explore thinkers and philosophies that have influenced current ideas about effective practices beginning with early childhood education. The course also critically examines educational philosophies and methods in light of current social, political, and economic forces impacting children, families, and the field. Based on their learning, students will begin to develop a reasoned, coherent personal philosophy of education as a basis for ethical and professional practice and decision making.
EDUC 1011 Making Connections: The Early Childhood Field (2 cr.)
The early childhood field and related themes, issues, and controversies are explored in this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, challenges, and possibilities within the field of early care and education.
EDUC 3001 Educational Psychology (5 cr.)
This course provides an overview of psychological concepts and theories as they relate to the field of early care and education. Students study behavioral, cognitive, social, and constructivist views of learning. Emphases include research-based principles and their implications on child development, learning, teaching, and assessment.
EDUC 1004 Child Development (5 cr.)
This course provides an overview of physical, cognitive/language, and social and emotional development in children from birth through adolescence. Students explore prevailing philosophies and theories of child development and form their own child development philosophy. The latest research and thinking with regard to the conditions that affect children’s learning and development, (such as risk factors, developmental variations, temperament, rate of maturation, innate abilities, culture, family, community, and societal influences), are addressed across developmental domains and stages.
EDUC 1012 Making Connections: The Developing Child (5 cr.)
Themes, issues, and controversies related to how children develop is the focus of this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, challenges, and possibilities related to the developing child.
EDUC 1005 Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition (5 cr.)
This course presents an overview of the impact of nutrition, safety, and health on the growth and development of the young child. Students examine the professional’s role in supporting children’s healthy development within the context of early childhood care and education, and family and community settings. Topics include prevention of health problems common to young children and methods of promoting wellness and fitness. Also addressed are child safety, emergency preparedness and procedures, and child mental health.
EDUC 1006 Child, Family, and Community Relationships (5 cr.)
A survey of the ways in which professionals and families work together for the benefit of young children, this course offers a study of formal and informal communication strategies; family participation in group settings; family education; advocacy for families; and the impact of family, culture, and community on children's development and learning within early childhood programs. Special attention is given to supporting child and family resiliency within the context of divorce, child abuse and neglect, illness and death of family members, and life in today’s complex society.
EDUC 1013 Making Connections: The Well-Being of Children (2 cr.)
Children’s overall well-being is related not only to their health and safety but also to quality relationships between early childhood professionals, family, and community members. This course examines themes, issues, and challenges related to the fostering of children’s overall well-being. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, developments, and possibilities related to healthy growth and development within early childhood, family, and community settings.
EDUC 2001 Language Development (5 cr.)
This course focuses on the theories of language acquisition and language development of young children from infancy through preschool. Students explore how children acquire and develop language as well as gain an understanding of emergent reading and writing. Special attention is given to bilingualism, atypical speech and language development, and the impact of culture and environment on language.
EDUC 2002 Children’s Literature (5 cr.)
This survey course focuses on the power and quality of children's literature—birth through adolescence. A wide variety of genres are explored with emphasis on how children’s literature can delight and inspire young readers as well as promote respect for diversity. Students learn the characteristics of high-quality literature and engage in critical evaluation and selection of books from various genres and for specific age groups. Students also learn about prominent authors, illustrators, and book awards.
EDUC 2011 Making Connections: The Foundations of Literacy (2 cr.)
Themes, issues, and developments in the foundations of literacy are explored in this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, challenges, and possibilities within the fields of language development and children’s literature.
EDUC 3003 Observation and Assessment of the Young Child (5 cr.)
This course presents developmentally appropriate formal and informal assessments, including observational techniques for assessing young children’s development and learning. Students learn how to use specific tools, and the data generated from them, to inform effective decision-making and instructional planning. Also addressed are ethical and legal considerations as well as other related issues and controversies.
EDUC 4004 Children With Special Needs (5 cr.)
In the context that all individuals are unique, this course provides an overview of exceptionalities in children from birth through adolescence. Early identification, referral, intervention, inclusion, and the related psychosocial needs of children and their families are highlighted. In addition, the course provides an overview of federal and state legislation that guides educational requirements.
EDUC 4011 Making Connections: The Individuality of Children (2 cr.)
Themes, issues, and controversies related to the special needs and individuality of children are explored in this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, challenges, and possibilities associated with understanding and meeting the needs of individual children and their families.
EDUC 4005 Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (5 cr.)
This course emphasizes the importance of being responsive to the languages and cultures of individual children and their families and communities in order to effectively support learning and development. The course broadens students’ understanding of culture as a framework that includes not only language and ethnicity, but also gender, socio-economic status, exceptionalities, family configuration, sexual orientation, personal interests, and many other aspects of one’s individuality. In addition, students reflect on their own cultural frameworks and examine personal attitudes and beliefs.
EDUC 4012 Making Connections: Living in a Diverse World (2 cr.)
Themes, issues, and challenges specific to living in a diverse society are examined in this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research and controversies; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends and possibilities related to the areas of social responsibility and cultural and linguistic diversity.
EDUC 3101 Professionalism and Advocacy in the Early Childhood Field (5 cr.)
This course examines the changing landscape of early care and education, focusing on the roles and responsibilities of the early childhood teaching professional in infant/toddler and preschool settings. Students explore the complexities of developmentally appropriate practice as well as learn what it means to be an advocate—for children, their families, and the profession itself. The course emphasizes the importance of keeping up with current research in the field and engaging in professional activities and organizations to ensure continual professional growth and learning.
EDUC 4102 Play and Learning for the Preschool Child (5 cr.)
This course addresses an essential question in early childhood education: Why is play integral to children’s development and learning? Students learn not only the theory, methods, and materials needed to support and enhance children’s play and learning in preschool settings, but also better understand the vital role of play in fostering growth in each of the developmental domains. Topics include setting up developmentally appropriate environments, providing opportunities for high-quality, productive play and learning experiences, and assessing development and learning through observation of play-based activities and learning experiences.
EDUC 3111 Making Connections: Foundations of Preschool Teaching (2 cr.)
Professionalism, advocacy, and preschool education provide the focus of the themes, issues, and challenges examined in this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, controversies, and possibilities related to working in the early childhood field with preschool-age children and their families.
EDUC 3103 Guiding Young Children’s Behavior (5 cr.)
Proactive guidance and positive, safe learning environments promote healthy child development and learning. This course focuses on understanding and fostering social and emotional development in preschool-age children and provides students with strategies for establishing classroom communities in which all children feel safe, valued, and respected. Topics include teaching social skills, routines, and procedures; collaborating with families; preventing and working with challenging behaviors; developing problem-solving abilities; and organizing the classroom setting to support learning, cooperation, and social and emotional growth.
EDUC 4104 Inclusive Practices in Classroom Communities (5 cr.)
All children have the right to develop and learn in classroom communities that support diverse, individual needs. This course focuses on the ways in which preschool teachers can build inclusive environments that exemplify developmentally appropriate practice. Students learn strategies that support inclusion, meet identified needs, and foster a sense of classroom community. Additional topics include observation and assessment, developing partnerships with families, collaborating with support resources, legal regulations and issues, and the roles of reflection and evidence-based decision-making.
EDUC 3112 Making Connections: Effective Learning Environments (2 cr.)
Creating optimal preschool learning environments and related themes, issues, and challenges set the context for this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, controversies, and possibilities associated with establishing effective preschool learning environments.
EDUC 4105 Early Literacy (5 cr.)
This course explores current research on the most effective methods of promoting literacy development in preschool children. Using the “five pillars” of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) as an organizational framework, teachers explore the characteristics of emergent readers and writers and learn about developmentally appropriate assessments, materials, and strategies for instruction, including developing literacy through play and effectively using current technologies. The integral role of literacy across the curriculum is highlighted.
EDUC 4106 Teaching Across Content Areas in Preschool (5 cr.)
This course focuses on the use of developmentally appropriate practices to teach within and across specific content areas in the preschool curriculum. Students learn how to develop meaningful and enduring early childhood learning experiences in mathematics, social studies, science, language and literacy, health and physical education, and the visual and performing arts. Effective planning and implementation of child-centered, age-appropriate curriculum and assessment is addressed, and strategies for integrating content areas, including the project approach, are highlighted.
EDUC 4112 Making Connections: Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning (2 cr.)
This course examines themes, issues, and challenges related to developmentally appropriate teaching and learning at the preschool level. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, controversies, and possibilities associated with interdisciplinary preschool teaching and learning.
EDUC 3101 Professionalism and Advocacy in the Early Childhood Field (5 cr.)
This course presents an overview of the field of early care and education. Emphasis is on the elements of high-quality programs (birth through preschool), governing standards and regulations, and historical perspectives. The course also focuses on what it means to be an early childhood professional and also on career options in the field of early care and education.
EDUC 3202 Quality Programs for Infants and Toddlers (5 cr.)
This course focuses on the breadth and depth of the field of infant/toddler care and education, emphasizing characteristics of quality infant/toddler programs. Students study the foundations of infant/toddler development, the integral role of the infant/toddler professional in fostering children’s growth and ensuring family involvement, and theoretical frameworks key to quality programs. Additional topics include the components of high-quality environments and what it means to be an advocate for young children, their families, and the profession.
EDUC 3211 Making Connections: Foundations of Infant/Toddler Care and Education (2 cr.)
Themes, issues, and controversies central to the field of infant/toddler care and education are examined in this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, challenges, and possibilities infant/toddler professionals must understand.
EDUC 3203 Infant/Toddler Mental Health (5 cr.)
This course focuses on current research in the field of infant/toddler mental health. Students study protective and risk factors in family environments; social and emotional developmental challenges; developmentally appropriate infant/toddler screening and assessment; diagnostic classification systems for infant/toddler mental health; effective intervention strategies; and collaborative services approaches.
EDUC 3204 Family Cultures of Infants and Toddlers (5 cr.)
This course provides an overview of the way culture impacts “typical” conceptions of infant/toddler development and interactions. Students focus on the ability to form healthy working relationships and respectful partnerships with the families of infants and toddlers across a range of cultures. Included is an investigation into the meaning of various child-rearing behaviors and how they relate to family expectations and cultural traditions with the goal of developing culturally appropriate practices.
EDUC 3212 Making Connections: Healthy Infant/Toddler Growth and Development (2 cr.)
This course focuses on healthy infant/toddler growth and development and related themes, issues, and challenges. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, controversies, and possibilities associated with the overall well-being of very young children.
EDUC 4205 Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Infant Settings (5 cr.)
Offering an in-depth look at infant growth and development, this course emphasizes the role of the caregiver, components of high-quality caregiver-child relationships, and strategies for ensuring developmentally appropriate, individually appropriate, and culturally appropriate practice. Additional topics include understanding and working with families, observation skills, attachment, separation, continuity of care, brain development, and creating nurturing environments for very young children and their families.
EDUC 4206 Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Toddler Settings (5 cr.)
Offering an in-depth look at toddler growth and development, this course emphasizes the role of the toddler/caregiver teacher, the components of high-quality adult-child relationships, and strategies for ensuring developmentally appropriate, individually appropriate, and culturally appropriate practice. Additional topics include observation skills, attachment, separation, working with families, and creating inspiring and supportive environments for young children and their families.
EDUC 4211 Making Connections: Effective Programs for Infants and Toddlers (2 cr.)
Themes and issues related to the challenge of developing and maintaining high-quality infant/toddler settings are the focus of this course. Students make connections between the key topics and: their own personal experiences, interests, and aspirations; other coursework; current research; real-world early childhood settings; and future trends, controversies, and possibilities related to effective programs for infants and toddlers.
EDUC 4001 Capstone (7 cr.)
This course provides students the opportunity to integrate theories of child development, principles of effective early childhood practice, and methods of working with young children and their families. Students are required to create a project that demonstrates both synthesis and application of this knowledge.
General Education Course Descriptions
