Early Childhood Education

The Associate in Science in Early Childhood Education for Transfer degree provides the opportunity for students to complete their freshman/sophomore level classes needed for a Bachelor’s degree in ECE with the California State University System.

Students who complete an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) will receive guaranteed admission with junior status to the California State University System and priority admission consideration to a major that is deemed similar to their community college transfer degree major. This priority does not guarantee admission to specific majors or campuses. Students transferring to a CSU campus that accepts the transfer degree will be required to complete no more than 60 units after transfer to earn a bachelor's degree in the same major. Students should consult a counselor for more information on specific university admission and transfer requirements.

The following are required for all AA-T or AS-T degrees:

• Completion of 60 CSU transferable semester units
• Obtainment of a minimum grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in all CSU-transferable coursework
• Completion, with a grade of “C” or better OR “P” (Pass), of each course used to satisfy major requirements AND the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) requirements.

Students who complete this program should be able to:

1. Graduate from ECE with a clear understanding of developmentally and culturally appropriate practices and what it means to successfully work with children, families, and the community in an early care and education setting. Students seeking a baccalaureate in a similar discipline in Early Childhood Education or Child Development will successfully complete the transfer process to a four year institution.
2. Proficiently design developmentally appropriate curriculum, and demonstrate effective implementation using intentional teaching methods that scaffold children’s co-construction of knowledge through exploration, risk-taking, reflection, and the respectful inclusion and support of individual life experiences.
3. Build partnerships with local, national and international resource organizations in order to advocate effectively for the needs of children and families and to grow in professional skills.
4. Promote higher levels of child learning through the use of intentional teaching methods that support the unique development of every child.

Required courses

Students earning an AA-T/AS-T degree must complete 60 semester units of coursework eligible for transfer to the CSU including the Cal-GETC, all courses in the major with “C” or better or “P” (pass) grades, and achieve a minimum transferable cumulative GPA of 2.0.