Early Childhood Education, AS-T

Behavioral and Social Sciences Division
www.elcamino.edu/academics/behavioralsocial

The program prepares students for careers in private or public programs serving infants, toddlers, preschoolers, children with special needs, or children in before and after school care. The transfer degree option prepares students to continue studies at a four-year institution and major in Child Development, Child and Adolescent Development, Human Development, or Education. Students will acquire the ability to apply developmental theories in observing and assessing children in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains and will develop skills needed for working effectively with families, coworkers, and community agencies. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be prepared for careers in child care with infants and toddlers, preschool teaching, assistant teaching, and related careers in childhood education. Program assessment will be conducted regularly through examinations, presentations, student self-assessment, portfolios, and tracking student employment and promotion in the teaching field.

The Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) is intended for students who plan to complete a bachelor’s degree in a similar major at a CSU campus. Students completing the AS-T are given priority consideration for admission to the CSU system, but not to a particular campus or major. In order to earn an AS-T degree, students must complete:

1. Completion of 60 semester units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University.
2. The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education - Breadth Requirements.
3. A minimum of 18 semester units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district.
4. Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0.
5. A grade of “C” or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis.

Students who have completed the AS-T will have a strong academic foundation in the field and will be prepare for upper division baccalaureate study at the university.  The coursework will satisfy most of the lower-division requirements at many institutions within the California State University system. Students transferring to a UC, private, or out-of-state university should consult with an El Camino College counselor when planning to complete the degree since transfer requirements may be slightly different than those required for the AS-T.