Early Childhood Education (Liberal Arts & Sciences) (A.S.)

Study early childhood education at JCC

Nurture young children in their first steps of life and education. When you earn an associate degree in Early Childhood Education at Jamestown Community College, you’ll be able to work in the education field with children from birth through grade 2. You can also pursue your bachelor’s degree and become a public school teacher.

As an education major in the Liberal Arts & Sciences programs, you will select a concentration or content (subject) area of expertise. Appropriate concentrations should be discussed with your advisor and are highly dependent upon your transfer school. Some examples of concentrations are English, modern languages, social sciences, math, math/science, general science, and specific science areas.

The A.S. degree prepares you to transfer and continue coursework in order to earn a bachelor’s degree, which is necessary to become a public school teacher. You can also apply for teaching assistant positions directly after graduation from JCC.

2023 median pay for preschool teachers: $37,130/year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Where to study at JCC

Early childhood education skills

After you complete the program, you will be able to:

  • Compose a basic personal philosophy of education using established criteria based on their combined experiences integrating course instruction, reading, reflective writing, discussion, and field placements.
  • Demonstrate and practice basic applications of tenets of effective teaching through presentation projects, reading, reflective writing, discussion, and field placements.  This includes, but is not limited to, principles of lesson planning, classroom management, and reflective teaching.
  • Understand how young children learn and develop, and will demonstrate this by designing and implementing appropriate and meaningful learning opportunities that promote comprehensive and developmental learning outcomes for all young children.

Your career after JCC

To become a public school teacher, you will need to transfer for a bachelor’s degree in education. Once the bachelor’s degree in early childhood education is completed, you’ll be eligible for initial certification as a teacher for children from birth through grade 2.

If you do not transfer and instead move directly into the workforce, you will be eligible for positions such as director, lead teacher, or teaching assistant in childcare centers, Head Start, and similar facilities. You can also enter the public or private school setting as a teacher’s aide or after-school program teacher or director.

You can also specialize in special education, education administration, curriculum design, and student counseling. Consider roles in youth organizations, residential life, student activities, prison systems, rehabilitation centers, tutoring, and other areas in addition to teaching in public schools.

Semester 1

Course
Credits
Requirements Met

EDU 1510: Foundations of Education

3
JCC
  • Applied Learning

PSY 1510: General Psychology

3
SUNY
  • Social Sciences
JCC
  • Scientific Reasoning: Social Sciences

Program Core Specialization Elective

Choose a concentration course

3

ENG 1510: English Composition I

3
SUNY
  • Humanities
JCC
  • College Composition

World Language

Recommended:

ASL 1510: Introduction to Sign Language I or

SPA 1510: Introductory Spanish I or

FRE 1510: Introductory French I

3
SUNY
  • World Languages
JCC
  • Cultural Understanding

INT 1555: Inquire

2
JCC
  • Critical and Integrative Reasoning
  • Concentration courses should be selected carefully with advisor based on transfer requirements.
  • Career goal discussion.
  • Transfer plan discussion.
  • Field placement expectations.
  • Employment options/outlook.

Semester 2

Course
Credits
Requirements Met

PSY 2520: Child Development

3
SUNY
  • Social Sciences
JCC
  • Cultural Understanding

Program Core Specialization Elective

Choose a concentration course

3

Mathematics Elective

Recommended:

MAT 1500: Problem Solving or

MAT 1540: Elementary Statistics

3
SUNY
  • Math
JCC
  • Mathematical Reasoning

ENG 1530: English Composition II

3
SUNY
  • Written & Oral Communication
JCC
  • College Composition
  • Oral Communication

World Language

Recommended:

ASL 1520: Introduction to Sign Language II or

SPA 1520: Introductory Spanish II or

FRE 1520: Introductory French II

3
SUNY
  • World Languages
JCC
  • Cultural Understanding
  • Concentration courses should be selected carefully with advisor based on transfer requirements.
  • Transfer plan discussion.
  • SUNY schools require World Languages in sequence.

Semester 3

Course
Credits
Requirements Met

Program Core Specialization Elective

Choose a concentration course

3

Program Core Elective

Recommended:

EDU 2450: Exceptional Children and

EDU 2460: Field Experience/Exceptional Child

4
JCC
  • Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice
  • Global Perspectives

Elective

Recommended:

HIS 1530: US History Before 1865 or

HIS 1540: US History Since 1865 or

HIS 2610: Intro to US Women’s History

3
SUNY
  • U.S. History and Civic Engagement

Elective

Recommended:

HIS 1510: World History Before 1500 or

HIS 1520: World History Since 1500 or

ENG 2730: World Mythology

3
SUNY
  • World History and Global Awareness

Program Core Specialization Elective or Program Core Elective

Recommended:

EDU 1290: Intro to Early Childhood Education/Care or

EDU 2330: Behavior Management in the Inclusive Classroom or

ENG 2440: Children’s Literature

3
  • Concentration courses should be selected carefully with advisor based on transfer requirements.

Semester 4

Course
Credits
Requirements Met

Program Core Specialization Elective

Choose a concentration course

3

Program Core Elective

Recommended:

EDU 2500: Literacy in the Classroom or

MAE 2510: Math for Elementary Teachers or

EDU 2150: Infant/Toddler/Development/Edu or

EDU 2510: Philosophy/Techniques Young Children

3

Science Elective

Recommended:

BIO 1510: Health Science or

Lab Science (dependent upon Program Core Elective choices)

3
SUNY
  • Natural Sciences
JCC
  • Scientific Reasoning: Natural Sciences

Elective

Recommended:

ENG 2540: Creative Writing or

ENG 2740: Newswriting and Editing or

ENG 2890: Creative Nonfiction or

CMM 1610: Public Speaking or

THE 1510: Introduction to Theater or

ART 1500: Intro to Art or

MUS 1570: Music Theory I or

MUS 1630: Beginning Piano or

MUS 1670: Beginning Guitar

3
SUNY
  • Arts

Elective

0-1
  • Concentration courses should be selected carefully with advisor based on transfer requirements.
  • Prepare to transfer to a four-year program.