The Associate of Arts (AA) Degree in Early Childhood Education offers a powerful dual advantage:
- Immediate Employment: The degree meets the competency requirements for lead roles in many childcare centers and early learning environments throughout New Mexico.
- Seamless Transfer: It is specifically designed to articulate with most Early Childhood Education bachelor’s degree programs, paving a smooth path to a four-year university.
The program’s educational core focuses on supporting a child’s developmental progress, emphasizing skills like competence, interdependence, and socialization, along with the integration of academic content. The curriculum adheres to the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Development articulation catalog, ensuring students learn the state-defined goals, teaching methods, and educator roles. The program is flexible, designed to accommodate the needs of all children, including those with special needs. The degree requires a minimum number of credits, which incorporates the essential 31-credit General Education Transfer Core.
- Demonstrate mastery in the six areas of study of children Birth through age eight by completing each program course with a “C” or better.
- Demonstrate competence to work in classrooms with children and families of diverse cultures, linguistic backgrounds and developmental levels that are represented in the State of New Mexico.
- Create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and encourage each child to reach their full potential.
- Create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families and that involve families in their children’s learning.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment.
- Design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all young children.
- Demonstrate use of ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice.
- Demonstrate mastery in and application of foundational concepts from general education. Successful completion of 31 hours of general core.
