Refer to the following suggested curriculum and the graduation requirements as a guide for completing this program.
Associate in Applied Science Degree (0073) – Early Childhood Education
Course Requirements
First Year
First Semester
| Gen. Ed. Core Curriculum | Course Prefix | Course Number | Course Name | Credits | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECE Elective | ECE | 110 | Intro to Early Childhood Education | 3 | Eligible for ENG 97 or higher. |
| ECE Elective | ECE | 112 | Growth & Development of Children (*IAI GECC) | 3 | Eligible for ENG 97 or higher. |
| ECE Elective | ECE | 114 | Child Health Maintenance | 3 | Eligible for ENG 97 or higher. |
| Communications (1) | ENG | 101 | Rhetoric & Composition I | 3 | Eligible for ENG 101 or concurrent with ENG 97. |
| Mathematics | MATH | 105 | Mathematics for Elem. Teachers I | 3-4 | Math placement above MATH 97 or completion of MATH 97 |
| Total Semester Credits | 15-16 | ||||
Second Semester
| Gen. Ed. Core Curriculum | Course Prefix | Course Number | Course Name | Credits | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECE Elective | ECE | 250 | Child, Family and Community (*IAI GECC) | 3 | Eligible for ENG 101; ECE 110, ECE 112 |
| ECE Elective | ECE | 116 | Children with Special Needs (*IAI GECC) | 3 | Eligible for ENG 101; ECE 110, ECE 112 |
| ECE Elective | ECE | 121 | Early Childhood Curriculum | 3 | Eligible for ENG 101; ECE 110, ECE 112 |
| Humanities Course | Lit/ED | 293 | Children’s Literature (*IAI GECC) | 3 | Completion of ENG 101 |
| Behavioral Science | PSYC | 151 | General Psychology (*IAI GECC) | 3 | Eligible for ENG 101 |
| Physical or Life Science | ES | 101 | Earth Science (*IAI GECC) | 4 | Eligible for MATH 97 or higher or completion of or concurrent enrollment in MATH 95. |
| Total Semester Credits | 19 | ||||
Second Year
Third Semester
| Gen. Ed. Core Curriculum | Course Prefix | Course Number | Course Name | Credits | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer Major Elective | 3 | ||||
| Communications (2) | ENG | 102 | Rhetoric and Composition II | 3 | Completion of ENG 101 w/ “C” or better. |
| Fine Arts – Art Class | ART | ART 101 Art Appreciation See selection guide for IAI GECC |
3 | ||
| Social or Behavioral Science | PSYC | PSYC 252 Educational Psychology (not IAI) OR PSYC 250 Child Development (*IAI GECC) | 3 | PSYC 151; Eligible for ENG 101. | |
| Physical or Life Science -Lab | BIO | 100 | General Biology (*IAI GECC) | 4 | Eligible for MATH 97 or higher or completion of or concurrent enrollment in MATH 95. |
| Total Semester Credits | 16 | ||||
Fourth Semester – APPLY FOR GRADUATION NOW
| Gen. Ed. Core Curriculum | Course Prefix | Course Number | Course Name | Credits | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | SOC | SOC 153 Introductory Sociology or SOC 255 The Family (*IAI GECC) |
3 | ||
| Transfer Major Elective | 3 | ||||
| Communications (3) | COMM | 151 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking (*IAI GECC) |
3 | Eligible for ENG 97 or higher |
| Humanities Course or Fine Arts | MUS | MUS 101 Music Appreciation or MUS 102 American Popular Music or MUS 110 World Music (*IAI GECC) |
3 | ||
| Human Well Being Gen Ed | HES | See selection guide for options | 2 | ||
| Total Semester Credits | 14 | ||||
| Total Program Credits | 65 |
*IAI General Education Core Curriculum (IAI GECC): Successful completion of the IAI GECC (12-13 courses? 37-41 credits) at SWIC will guarantee participating colleges and universities agree to accept IAI GECC in lieu of their own comparable lower-division general education requirements.
Transfer Major/Minor Courses and Electives (total of 21-23 semester credits) Applicable major/minor elective courses are identified in the Course Description Guide as “T” type classes. “C” type courses included in the 2+2 Articulation Agreements of the A.A.S. Programs can be included as electives for the A.A. Since requirements vary from one institution to another, all new degree seeking students must meet regularly with an advisor to verify information with the transfer institution.
Earn at least 64 transferable credits with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 to graduate from SWIC. Many transfer institutions require a higher GPA for admission to the institution and/or specific majors.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON GENERAL EDUCATION RECOMMENDATIONS: The courses recommended below are beyond the minimum requirements necessary for completion of general education courses for an Associates of Arts or an Associates of Sciences degree. The recommendations listed below are for a student’s full licensure requirements. Some of these additional courses may be completed after a student transfers, even with an Associates of Arts or an Associates of Sciences degree. Licensure information is based on the Illinois State Board of Education’s administrative rules for teacher education preparation.
Communication: 3 courses (9 semester credits)
- Select a two-course sequence in writing (6 semester credits) with a grade of “C” or better and,
- Select 1 course in oral communication (3 semester credits).
Mathematics: 2 courses (6-8 semester credits)
- Required – M1903 – Mathematics for Elementary Teaching I and II .
Physical and Life Sciences: 3 courses (9-12 semester credits) – at least 2 of the 3 courses should be labs
- L1900/L – General Biology for non-majors or L1910L – General Biology for Majors – For Life Sciences
- P1902/L – General Education Chemistry or P1900/L – General Education Physics
- P1905/L – Earth Science or P1906/L – Introduction to Astronomy – For Physical Sciences
Humanities and Fine Arts: At least 4 courses (12 semester credits)
Recommended:
Select 3 course from Humanities:
- H3912 – Survey of British Literature I or H3913 – Survey of British Literature II
- H3914 – Survey of American Literature I or H3915 – Survey of American II
- H3906 – Western/World Literature in Translation I or H3907 – Western/World Literature in Translation II
A non-western or global studies may be required
Select 1 course from Fine Arts:
- F2900 – Art Appreciation or F1900 – Music Appreciation
Courses can be taken from the same identifier as long as the course outcomes are different
Social and Behavioral Sciences: 4 courses (12 semester credits)
Required:
- S5900 – American/U.S. National Government
- S2900 – United States History I or S2901 – United States History II
Some institutions’ history courses are classified as Humanities courses rather than Social Science courses. Check with your institution and advisor for classification. Corresponding Humanities codes for US History courses are: H2904 -US History I or H2905- U S History II
- S4901 – Geography of the Developed (or Western) World or S4902N – Geography of the Developing (or Non-Western) World or S4906 – World Geography
- S3900 – Principles of Economics or S3901 – Principle of Macroeconomics or S3902 – Principles of Microeconomics
Refer to the Online Course Catalog or Class Search link in eSTORM for a full course description.
For information on additional Early Childhood Education certifications, see the Early Childhood Education Certificates page.
Do you have a CDA?
Students who hold a current Child Development Associate (CDA) credential are eligible to receive a total of 8 credit hours toward the following courses:
- ECE 101 – Foundations in Early Childhood Education (3 credit hours)
- ECE 102 – Experiential Learning (3 credit hours)
- HES 152 – First Aid-Medical Self Help (2 credit hours)
To be eligible for CDA credit, students must:
- Hold a current, valid CDA credential.
- Possess a valid CPR and First Aid certification.
- Have an active SWIC student ID and be currently enrolled at Southwestern Illinois College.
To request CDA credit:
- Students must email ECE Program Coordinator Yvette Schultzfrom their official SWIC student email account.
- The email must include:
- Student’s full name and SWIC student ID number
- A copy of the current CDA certificate
- A copy of a valid CPR and First Aid certification
Once the documents have been reviewed and the credentials verified, eligible course credit will be applied to the student’s academic record.