Schedule a free 15 minute introductory meeting with our Early Childhood Education program specialist.
The Associate of Arts in Early Childhood Education degree requires completion of 24 core general education credit hours and 36 major credit hours. All courses are offered in person on weekday evenings at the campus of the Catholic University of America in northeast Washington, D.C.
The general education courses include courses in writing, mathematics, biology, literature, philosophy, religion, cultural diversity, and public speaking.
The major courses include courses in health, safety and nutrition; building family relationships; infant/toddler learning; observation and assessment of infants and toddlers, educational foundations; human growth and development; and psychology of education. Students can earn credit for earning the Child Development Associate credential or for developing a portfolio that documents their prior workplace learning.
The degree requirements have been aligned with the degree requirements for Catholic University’s Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education so that an A.A. graduate can seamlessly transition into the B.A. program with junior-year standing.
General Education Requirement (8 Courses = 24 credit hours)
- MHU 131 Presiding, Presenting, and Speaking
- MHU 151 Rhetoric and Composition or ENG 101: Writing Logic and Rhetoric
- MID 150 College Mathematics
- MID 210: Introduction to Biological Science or BIO 103: Introduction to Biology
- ENG 235 American Literature I or other approved literature course
- PHIL 201 The Classical Mind
- MRE 101 Introduction to the Study of Religion or TRS 201 Faith Seeking Understanding
- MSO 200 Human Cultural Diversity
Major Courses (12 courses = 36 credit hours)
A) Child and Infant Core
- MED 201: Health, Safety and Nutrition for Infant/Toddler Care
- MED 202: Responsive Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers
- MED 203: Building Family Relationships and Engagement
- MED 204: Infant/Toddler Learning/Care Environments
- MED 205: Leadership and Management for Infant/Toddler Professionals
- MED 206: Observation and Assessment of Infants and Toddlers
- EDUC 251: Foundations of Education
- EDUC 261B: Human Growth and Development with Concentration from Birth to Age 8
- EDUC 271: Psychology of Education
B) Professional Concentration
- MED 207: Infant/Toddler Internship
- Education elective, Portfolio*, or CDA Prep^
- Education elective, Portfolio*, or CDA Prep^
^ Students without CDA Certification can take for credit CDA prep (2 courses plus 1 non-credit course) at any point of their program
*Students who are currently employed in early childhood roles and who are already CDA certified may work with MSPS staff to develop a portfolio detailing lifelong, transferable learning. Students can receive up to 6 credits experience/transferable to the AA program through the CDA work or a comparable learning experience as judged by the MSPS staff.