Education - Elementary Teacher, Emphasis in Early Childhood, AA (EDECD)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The Associate of Arts in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education provides the foundation coursework for future teachers in elementary education and an introduction to teaching young children (pre-Kindergarten -2 grade) and is designed for students planning to transfer to an Elementary Education Bachelor’s degree program at all Arizona public universities. Students planning to transfer to a university other than an Arizona public university are urged to contact an advisor. For more information regarding the AA, Elementary and Middle School Teacher with an Emphasis in Early Childhood Education, see the Elementary Education webpage.

Note: For a course to be eligible for transfer, the student must receive a “C” or better. Acceptance of a transfer course is determined by the receiving institution.

General Education Credits: 35-36

See the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC - A) section of this catalog for details.

A. Freshman Composition: 6

ENG 101 - English Composition I Credits: (3)
ENG 102 - English Composition II Credits: (3)

B. Mathematics: 3

MAT 142 - College Mathematics Credits: (3)

C. Arts and Humanities: 6

EDU 200 - Children’s Literature Credits: (3)
Choose one course from the following prefixes: ART, ENG, HUM, or MUS from the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC - A) Credits: (3)

D. Social and Behavioral Sciences: 6

Choose one course from the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC - A) Credits: (3)
Choose one additional course from the following:
HIS 131 - History of the United States I Credits: (3)
POS 120 - American National Government Credits: (3)

E. Physical and Biological Sciences: 8-9

Choose one biological science course and one physical science course from the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC - A) Credits: (4-5)

F. Options: 6

CIS 110 - Introduction to Computer Information Systems Credits: (3)
EDU 214 - Cultural Diversity In Education Credits: (3)

Other Requirements: 7

MAT 160 - Math for Elementary Teachers I Credits: (3)
MAT 161 - Math for Elementary Teachers II Credits: (3)
POS 100 - Arizona Constitution and Government Credits: (1)

Education Core Requirements: 9

EDU 205 - Introduction to Education Credits: (3)
EDU 222 - The Exceptional Student Credits: (3)
Depending on the transfer university, choose one course from the following:
EDU 240 - Augmented Provisional Structured English Immersion Credits: (3)
EDU 270 - Classroom Management Credits: (3)

Content Area Coursework: 12-15

After consulting with the transfer institution and a student services specialist, choose 12-15 credits in a content area, excluding courses already taken for the AGEC-A and other requirements.

Content Emphasis Areas:

Early Childhood Education Content Area:

ECE 160 - Early Childhood Development Credits: (3)
ECE 161 - Health, Safety, and Nutrition for the Young Child Credits: (3)
ECE 271 - Curriculum and Experiences in Early Childhood Education Credits: (3)
EDU 260 - Building Reading Literacy through Word Study, Comprehension Strategies, and Phonics Skills Credits: (3)

History and Social Studies Content Area:

Choose 12 credits from any combination of the following prefixes: ANT, HIS, POS, and GHY.

Humanities Content Area:

Choose 12 credits from any combination of the following prefixes: ART, ENG, HUM, MUS, and THE.

Language and Cultural Diversity Content Area:

Choose 12 credits from any combination of the following prefixes: ASL and SPA.

Math K-6 Focus Content Area:

MAT 151 - College Algebra Credits: (4)
MAT 181 - Plane Trigonometry Credits: (3)
MAT 211 - Introductory Statistics Credits: (3)
Any other transferrable math course

Science Content Area:

Choose 12 credits from any combination of the following prefixes: AST, BIO, CHM, ENV, GHY, GLG, and PHY.

Total Degree Credits: 63-67

Guided Pathway

The following pathway provides recommended courses to complete this program, see the Education - Elementary Teacher, Emphasis in Early Childhood, AA Guided Pathway . A full list of course options is listed on the program of study. It is important to consult an advisor regarding any advising concerns in order to maintain the established program path and/or possible transfer goals.