Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education
Pursue Your Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education Online or On Campus at Post!
All young children, from birth through 8 years, deserve quality care and education. If you want to help young children learn, grow, and develop mentally, socially, and emotionally, preparation is key. At Post University, we offer an Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education (ECE) that could help you do just that. With a reflective and challenging curriculum of class discussions, applied learning assignments, and field experiences in early childhood, this program is designed to offer the learning experiences you could use to pursue a future in the field. Plus, it is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)!
Coursework for your associate degree in early childhood education, online or on our main campus, explores the characteristics and developmental stages of young children, infancy to age eight, while providing insight into the nature of diverse families, cultures, and communities. You will be given learning opportunities to develop the skills used in the creation and implementation of developmentally appropriate, anti-biased curriculum that fosters a child’s self-esteem and social-emotional, cognitive, physical, language, and creative arts skills. You could use the education you receive in this program to pursue opportunities in the field or as a steppingstone toward a Bachelor of Science in Child Studies here at Post.
What Could I Do with an Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education?
Upon completing your early childhood education associate degree, you will have had the opportunity to explore developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive approaches for young children’s education. You could use the skills you build in the program to pursue opportunities creating, supporting, and implementing education programs for young learners in diverse and inclusive early childhood education settings.
The Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education degree provides the opportunity to prepare learners to have a powerful impact on the lives of children, birth through age 8, and their families as early childhood educators. However, it is not a teacher certification preparation program for state licensure to teach in public schools in any state.
Post University assists in researching and providing information regarding licensure; however, each state has different requirements for such licensure outside of the required education. Such state requirements may include licensure exams, background checks, certain work experience, and more. It is ultimately the responsibility of each student to manage their own licensure process and to ensure that all requirements are met in order for the student to obtain licensure. Post University does not speak on behalf of any licensing board or body and does not guarantee licensure. Requirements for licensure are subject to change without notice.
Learn about teaching certification requirements through the state departments of education: https://www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html.
Visit the University Catalog >> for Curriculum, Course Descriptions, and Program Outcomes.
Industry-Focused Curriculum for Professional Skills
Coursework for your program is designed to help you build the foundation of insights necessary to:
- Understand characteristics and development of young children, as individuals and groups
- Build effective relationships with families and children
- Communicate the goals, benefits, and appropriate uses of assessment
- Implement culturally sensitive and age-appropriate approaches to curriculum and instruction
- Incorporate families as partners in a child’s education
- And more!
Benefits of Earning an Online Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education
From the admissions process to the day you graduate, we are with you every step of the way.
- Receive support from a personal Post team of advisors focused on your academic success
- Learn from industry-experienced professionals in interactive courses
- No class times or set login times for your associate degree in early childhood education online program
- Online ECE courses emphasize practical application for the development of relevant skills
Pursue Your Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education at Post!
At Post University, we are focused on your success, in and out of the classroom. A student success advisor will work with you one-on-one to answer your questions and help you address challenges throughout your degree program—on campus or online. We are here to help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
Ready for a degree that offers a better understanding of what it takes to pursue a future in the education of young children? Contact us to learn more about our early childhood education associate degree.
Early Childhood Education FAQs
What degree is best for early childhood education?
That depends on several factors, including future goals or the need for flexible learning options. At Post University, we offer two programs to help make a future in early child development and learning: the Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education and the Bachelor of Science in Child Studies. Which one may be right for you may depend on how much time you want to devote to your own education. With the learning flexibility provided in both programs, you could pursue your studies while working in the field applying what you learn in class.
What is an Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education?
The Associate of Science in the Early Childhood Education program offers learning experiences designed to help build appropriate skills and techniques to support the development of children aged birth through eight years old. Coursework explores early learning standards and appropriate assessments, along with culturally responsive strategies to support children developing typically as well as exceptional learners. The program also offers two 100-hour practicum courses to provide a focus on professional and ethical responsibilities and community engagement.
What is NAEYC? Why is NAEYC accreditation a good thing?
NAEYC stands for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. As an organization, NAEYC is dedicated to helping young children thrive and reach their learning potentials. Accreditation, in general, is a way of ensuring the educational quality of a learning institution, such as Post University, or even a specific program, such as the AS in Early Childhood Education. To achieve programmatic accreditation from the NAEYC Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs, our associate degree had to “demonstrate evidence of excellence by meeting the NAEYC Higher Education Accreditation Standards.”
What this accreditation means for Post students is that the program has gone through an external evaluation and found to meet or exceed quality educational standards while demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.
Is early childhood education a good career?
It could be, if working with young children—possibly in child care, in a head start program, or with preschool teachers—is the kind of future you envision for yourself. An early childhood associate degree could help you develop the insights and skills used for implementing effective ECE learning environments and education programs.
How long does it take to get an Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education?
Like many associate degrees, Post’s early childhood education associate degree typically takes two years to complete, involves 60 total program credits, and is available on campus and online.
A Word from Our Program Chair
“Love is essential in early childhood education. Every child is unique and special; you must look at each child individually. Working with children is a privilege and a high responsibility, and early childhood educators need the knowledge, skills, disposition, and competencies to serve children and families best.”
Marie Russell
Program Chair, Child Studies & Early Childhood Education
2023 NAEYC Program Outcomes: AS Early Childhood Education & BS Child Studies
The Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education program holds programmatic accreditation from the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1313 L Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20005, (202) 232-8777. The accreditation term for the Associate of Science in Early Childhood Education program runs from March 2019 through March 2026.
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