91勛圖厙

Skip to content
  • Contact
  • Library
  • Students
  • Donate
91勛圖厙
  • Academics
    • Programs A to Z
    • Course Descriptions
    • Course Schedules
    • Credit for Prior Learning
    • High School/Early College Programs
    • Online Learning
    • Student Calendar
    • STEM Opportunities
    • College Catalogs
    • Registrars Office
  • Admissions
  • Affordability
    • College Expenses
    • Grants
    • Loan Information
    • Financial Aid
    • Helpful Links
    • Scholarship Resources
    • Payment Plans
    • Student Employment
  • Student Support
    • Accessibility Services
    • Services At A Glance
    • Student Success
    • Library Services
  • Workforce Education
    • Overview of Training Programs
    • AWS Accredited Test Facility
    • Healthcare Training Programs
    • Commercial Driver Training
    • Training for Employers
    • Financial Information
    • On-Demand Career Training
    • WorkReadyNH
  • 91勛圖厙
    • Mission
    • Campus Security
    • Who We Are
    • Use of Facilities
    • Institutional Information
      • Consumer Information
      • College Advisory Committee
      • Board of Trustees
      • Accreditation
      • Master Plan
      • Strategic Plan
    • Our Locations
      • Berlin
      • Littleton
    • Presidents Message
    • Alumni
    • Directory
    • Employment
    • Business Office
  • Academics
    • Programs A to Z
    • Course Descriptions
    • Course Schedules
    • Credit for Prior Learning
    • High School/Early College Programs
    • Online Learning
    • Student Calendar
    • STEM Opportunities
    • College Catalogs
    • Registrars Office
  • Admissions
  • Affordability
    • College Expenses
    • Grants
    • Loan Information
    • Financial Aid
    • Helpful Links
    • Scholarship Resources
    • Payment Plans
    • Student Employment
  • Student Support
    • Accessibility Services
    • Services At A Glance
    • Student Success
    • Library Services
  • Workforce Education
    • Overview of Training Programs
    • AWS Accredited Test Facility
    • Healthcare Training Programs
    • Commercial Driver Training
    • Training for Employers
    • Financial Information
    • On-Demand Career Training
    • WorkReadyNH
  • 91勛圖厙
    • Mission
    • Campus Security
    • Who We Are
    • Use of Facilities
    • Institutional Information
      • Consumer Information
      • College Advisory Committee
      • Board of Trustees
      • Accreditation
      • Master Plan
      • Strategic Plan
    • Our Locations
      • Berlin
      • Littleton
    • Presidents Message
    • Alumni
    • Directory
    • Employment
    • Business Office
  • Contact
  • Library
  • Students
  • Donate

Early Childhood Education

Associate in Science
Early Childhood Education
91勛圖厙 > Programs > Early Childhood Education
Overview
Curriculum
Outcomes
Faculty
Overview

Overview

Upon successful completion of this degree, graduates receive an Associate in Science in Early Childhood Education (ECE).

As a field of study, ECE is growing and changing rapidly. At 91勛圖厙, the ECE program is responding to the educational and programmatic needs of New Hampshires youngest citizens.泭 With an increasing demand for family childcare providers, associate and lead teachers in preschool, educational assistants in classrooms, and early intervention specialists and directors of childcare centers, the need for well-qualified early childhood professionals has never been greater.

91勛圖厙s ECE program prides itself on the most effective and innovative methods for teaching and learning.泭 Within the ECE curriculum, students interact with teaching mentors, engage in peer teaching, and work directly with children and families. They observe, document, and assess their own learning, while doing likewise for the children with whom they work. They become adept at both traditional and non-traditional teaching methods, confident and willing to take initiative.

This associate degree provides many avenues for growth. Students are challenged in ways that foster a joy for learning. The curriculum is performance based: students build a teaching and learning e-portfolio in compliance with the standards set by both the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the New Hampshire ECE Professional Development System.

Additionally, this ECE degree meets the training and education requirements for the State of New Hampshire Early Childhood Teacher Credential Level 5. (Refer to the Early Childhood Professional Development System Guide for other criteria related to this level.) Upon graduation, students are prepared for immediate entry into the field as ECE teachers in New Hampshire licensed childcare centers, Head Start programs, nursery schools, family childcare programs, and elementary schools as paraeducators. Graduates may also decide to further their education at four-year colleges or universities.

Program Requirements

泭Students are notified of requirements with the college acceptance letters. Requirements must fulfilled by the end of the first week of classes.

1. Students will be working with children at the 91勛圖厙 campus child development center beginning with first semester early childhood courses. Applicants are advised that the New Hampshire Bureau of Child Care Licensing requires certain paperwork to be on file at centers for employees and others who regularly work in child care centers. Completion of paperwork from the NH Bureau of Child Care Licensing must occur by the end of the first week of classes. This may include:

  • submission of a criminal record check;
  • a complete set of fingerprints;
  • completion of the licensing Child Care Personnel Health Form by a licensed health provider. Form is submitted to the ECE office by the end of the first week of classes

2. The cost of the record check and fingerprinting is the responsibility of the student. They must come back as clear or non-disqualifying and the health form must indicate that the student is in good physical health and has no mental or emotional disturbances that would prohibit him/her from caring for children. Otherwise the student will be dismissed from the program.

Program Considerations

91勛圖厙 has developed excellent practicum opportunities for our students to foster hands-on learning while simultaneously receiving credit. Nonetheless, the college’s first priority must be to ensure that patients/clients/children/families are not placed in jeopardy by students during learning experiences. Therefore, students in internship, externship, practicum, service learning, and clinical experiences must demonstrate sufficient emotional stability to withstand the stresses, uncertainties and changing circumstances that characterize patient/client/child/family responsibilities. Furthermore, the student is expected to have the emotional stability required to exercise sound judgment, accept direction and guidance from a supervisor or faculty member, and establish rapport and maintain sensitive interpersonal relationships and confidentiality with employees, customers, and/or patients/clients/children and their families.

To participate in 91勛圖厙’s practicum, students must first submit to background checks and fingerprinting.

Early Childhood Education Scholarship Program

The Community College System of New Hampshire partners with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services to offer tuition assistance to childcare providers who are currently employed in the field of Early Childhood Care and Education.

釦梗梗泭.

Health Considerations

During their learning experiences, ECE students must not jeopardize the safety or health of children or their families. ECE students in internship, externship, practicums, service learning, and clinical experiences must demonstrate sufficient emotional stability to withstand the stresses, uncertainties, and changing circumstances that accompany these responsibilities. Furthermore, ECE students are expected to have the emotional stability to exercise sound judgment and to accept directions and guidance from supervisors or faculty members. They must also be capable of establishing a professional rapport and maintaining sensitive interpersonal relationships and confidentiality with employees, children, and their families.泭

To participate in 91勛圖厙’s practicum, students must first submit to background checks and fingerprinting. Prospective students with special needs that may affect their practicum placement and/or potential employment prospects should discuss specific career goals with the department chair of program coordinator during the admissions process.

Character Expectations

The health and safety of young children are of paramount concern to the ECE program. Prior to employment, applicants for positions in childcare, preschools, and other early childhood programs in New Hampshire must undergo background checks through the New Hampshire Department of Safety. Fingerprinting and criminal records checks are also required. Applicants with a criminal record, depending on the nature of this record, may not be eligible for field experience or employment. Applicants should discuss such matters during an admission interview to avoid confusion.

Technical Standards

Technical standards provide guidance to students about the skills and abilities they need to function successfully in the program and ultimately in the ECE profession. Applicants who suspect they may be unable to meet one or more of the technical standards should contact program faculty members to discuss their concerns. ECE faculty considers all academically qualified candidates, provided that the technical standards can be met with reasonable accommodations. Students in the ECE program must have:

  • Sufficient strength, stamina, and motor coordination.
  • Sufficient hearing and visual acuity to ensure a safe environment, along with an ability to respond quickly to emergencies.
  • Sufficient verbal ability to express and exchange information and ideas, as well as to interpret important instructions to children, colleagues, and parents.
  • Sufficient writing skills to record students daily progress and milestones, and to compose a variety of reports.
  • An ability to work with frequent interruptions, to respond appropriately to unexpected situations, and to cope with extreme variations in workload and stress.

Students must submit a health record (including immunizations), provide proof of liability insurance (available to matriculated students through 91勛圖厙), and be CPR and First Aid certified.

Additional Information

The cost of the background check and fingerprinting are the responsibility of the student.泭 Both background check and finger printing must come back as clear or non-disqualifying. The health form must indicate the student is in good physical health and has no mental or emotional disturbances to ensure the proper care of children.泭 Otherwise, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Failure to complete the required paperwork in a timely manner may result in unexcused absences in the corresponding early childhood classes and could result in course failure or suspension from the ECE program.

ECE courses are offered day and evening, online, hybrid, and face to face in class.

Curriculum

First Year

Fall SemesterLecLabCr
ECE111WFoundations of Early Childhood Education303
ECE125WEarly Childhood Growth and Development303
ECE127WHealth, Safety, and Nutrition303
ENGL101WCollege Composition404
泭Social Science303
泭Semester Total泭17017
泭泭泭泭泭
Spring SemesterLecLabCr
ECE115WPositive Guidance Techniques303
ECE118WInfant, Toddler, and Preschool Curriculum303
ECE120WIntroduction to Early Intervention303
泭Liberal Arts303
泭Mathematics404
泭Semester Total泭16016
泭First Year Total泭泭泭33

Second Year

Fall SemesterLecLabCr
ECE119WPromoting Language and Literacy303
ECE211WOrganization and Management of Early Childhood Programs303
ECE218WPromoting Cognitive and Executive Functioning Skills303
泭English3/403/4
泭Liberal Arts303
泭Semester Total泭15/16015/16
泭泭泭泭泭
Spring SemesterLecLabCr
ECE213WSociology of Children and Families303
ECE216WUnderstanding Young Children with Special Needs303
ECE219WEarly Childhood Education Practicum264
HUMA212WLegal and Ethical Issues303
泭Science3/40/23/4
泭Semester Total泭14/156/816/17
泭Second Year Total泭泭泭31-33
泭泭泭泭泭
泭Total for A.S. Degree泭泭63-65
Outcomes

Program Outcomes

The Early Childhood Education programs are designed to meet the Standards for
teacher preparation according to the National Association for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC). Standards addressed in the Early Childhood Education
Certificate are:

  • Standard 1: Promoting Child Development and Learning
  • Standard 2: Building Family and Community Relationships
  • Standard 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and
    Families
  • Standard 4: Using Developmentally Effective Approaches to Connect with Children and
    Families
  • Standard 5: Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum
  • Standard 6: Becoming a Professional

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be prepared to:

  1. Demonstrate the ability to observe and document childrens behaviors in a positive and
    constructive style, noting each childs strengths and interests as well as learning needs.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge about creating and maintaining healthy and safe classrooms
    for children.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge NH Childcare Licensing Standards, receive certification in First
    Aid and CPR and complete the NH Licensing requirements for criminal records check.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge and awareness about early childhood programs, the teachers
    role and the stages of play.
  5. Plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities.
  6. Demonstrate key factors and methods of arranging learning environments for young
    children.
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of inclusionary environments for early childhood programs.
  8. Develop professional job behaviors.
Faculty

  • Robin Scott

    Social, Educational, and Behavioral Science
    Professor of Education / Department Chair of Social, Educational, and Behavioral Science / Program Coordinator of Education
    603-342-3016
    [email protected]

  • Academics
  • Programs A to Z
  • Course Schedules
  • Student Calendar
  • High School Programs
  • Online Learning
  • STEM Opportunities
  • College Catalogs
  • Social, Educational, and Behavioral ScienceSocial, Educational, and Behavioral Science

65-67 Credits Required

81%

of students qualify for financial aid

91勛圖厙 Logo


(603) 752-1113
[email protected]

Berlin (Main Campus)
2020 Riverside Drive
Berlin, NH 03570

Littleton Academic Center
646 Union Street
Littleton, NH 03561

Students
Faculty / Staff
  • Non Discrimination Policy
  • Accessibility Services
  • Title IX
  • Sitemap
© 2026 – 91勛圖厙

Website Feedback

Site by .