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Early Childhood Education Program (AAS)

The A.A.S. degree enables you to transfer credits to a four-year college or university and qualifies you to be an assistant teacher with the possibility of advancing to administrative positions in infant-toddler and preschool programs.

Program Narrative

Working with children is challenging, delightful, and rewarding! It requires patience, dedication, inspiration, and expertise. Northampton Community College's early childhood and school-age education programs prepare highly competent staff. Graduates are qualified to work with children ages birth to eight in a variety of inclusive settings such as child-care centers, Head Start programs, home-based family child care, nursery schools and before and after-school programs. Graduates also work in a variety of roles including classroom teacher, home visitor, and parent educators. In addition students are prepared to transfer to four-year institutions, typically in early childhood and/or elementary education. With experience, graduates are employed as directors and in a variety of leadership positions.

Program Features

NCC is an open-door program.  There are no academic requirements.  However, all ECE students must complete program requirements.

Students actively engage with children each semester in either a campus children's center or at an approved community or work-site location. This field work affords them the opportunity to connect theory to practice. The campus children's centers, Reibman Hall Children's Center, at the Bethlehem Campus, and the Hannig Family Children's Center, at the Monroe Campus, are nationally accredited programs. The early childhood program requires students to recognize and respect each child based on the child's unique abilities, culture, and interests. Students learn to foster relationships with families, professional colleagues, and community programs to support and advocate for children's well-being. The arts are included in all courses because children use the arts as a primary language for communicating and constructing knowledge. The curriculum was developed as Art as a Way of Learning®, in partnership with Binney & Smith, Inc.

This is also a T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship Program. All Early Childhood courses are eligible for Act 48 credit.

To enroll in the Degree program, you must take the English Placement test during or before EARL109 Introduction to ECE.  Click here to find out more about placement testing.

For students residing outside either Northampton or Monroe counties, tuition is $100 per credit hour for Distance Learning Early Childhood AAS and Certificate Courses.

Getting Started...

Associate in Applied Science Degree: Early Childhood Education Program Requirements