UACCM | Course Description |Early Childhood Development

Students enrolling in early childhood development classes, including field experience, will be required to complete the following background checks: Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry and Arkansas Criminal Record. Individuals who have not been a resident of Arkansas for the past six years will also be required to have an FBI background check.

ECD 1013 | Early Childhood Competencies
3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisite: None. Offered in the fall and spring semesters. This is an introductory course that covers the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential competencies that are necessary for meeting the needs of all children in an inclusive environment.

ECD 1023 | Foundations of Early Childhood Education
3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisite: Score of 19 or higher on the English Portion of the ACT, or a score of 77 or higher on the Writing Skills portion of the COMPASS Test, or a grade of “C” or higher in ACAD 0304 Basic Composition or its predecessor ENG 0303 Foundational Composition and a score of 19 or higher on the Reading portion of the ACT, or a score of 83 or higher on the Reading Skills portion of the COMPASS, or a grade of “C” or higher in ACAD 0214 Reading Skills II. Offered in the fall and spring semesters. This course offers an introduction to the historical and socio-cultural forces that have impacted the early childhood field, various roles assumed by the teacher, regulatory laws, contemporary early childhood program models, and factors involved in planning the curriculum for young children. This course meets the competencies for the Arkansas Birth to five (5) Early Childhood Teaching Credential by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education. This course requires eight (8) hours of field experience.

ECD 1102 | Supervised Lab I

2 Cr. (6 Lab)
Prerequisite: Completed or concurrently enrolled in ECD 1013 Early Childhood Competencies or consent of instructor. Offered in the fall semester. Students will interact with all children in an inclusive supervised laboratory environment. Implementation of developmentally appropriate activities will be achieved. Students are required to have a current TB skin test, malpractice insurance, and completion of the following background checks: Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry and Arkansas Criminal Record. Individuals who have not been a resident of Arkansas for the past six years will also be required to have an FBI background check

ECD 1203 | Child Guidance

3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisite: None. Offered on demand. Students will examine factors which affect the behavior and guidance techniques for all children in an inclusive environment. Developmental factors, indirect and direct guidance, and positive discipline strategies will be studied. This course meets the competencies for the Arkansas Birth to five (5) Early Childhood Teaching Credential by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education. This course requires two (2) hours of field experience.

ECD 2013 | Health and Safety for Children

3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisite: None. Offered in the fall semester of even years. Basic fundamentals of health and safety will be explored. Topics covered will include safety management, illness, accidents, injuries, and menu planning for all children in an inclusive environment.

ECD 2023 | Math and Science for Young Children

3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisite: None. Offered in the fall. Students will become familiar with a variety of ways to introduce all children (birth to eight years of age), within an inclusive environment to ideas and concepts related to math and science. Students will create activities and plan and practice developmentally appropriate experiences that meet recognized standards (NAEYC, NCTM, etc.). This course meets the competencies for the Arkansas Birth to five (5) Early Childhood Teaching Credential by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

ECD 2033 | Language and Literacy for Young Children

3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisite: None. Offered in the spring semester. This course is designed to make the early childhood educator aware of the acquisition of language and how to provide all children (birth to eight years of age) within an inclusive environment by incorporating the four areas of language: speaking, listening, writing and reading. Students will develop a resource file containing materials related to language and literacy (NAEYC, NCTM, etc.). This course meets the competencies for the Arkansas Birth to five (5) Early Childhood Teaching Credential by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

ECD 2043 | Curriculum and Assessment for Infants and Toddlers

3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisites: Completion of ECD 1023 Foundations of Early Childhood Education with a grade of “C” or better, and/or concurrently enrolled in ECD 2033 Language and Literacy for Young Children. Offered on demand. This course is based on the foundation of research in child development and focuses on planning and implementing enriching environments with appropriate interactions and activities for young children (birth to three years of age) in an inclusive environment to maximize physical, cognitive, communication, creative, language/literacy and social/emotional growth and development. Competencies are based on standards developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children for quality early childhood settings. This course meets the competencies for the Arkansas Birth to five (5) Early Childhood Teaching Credential by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

ECD 2053 | Curriculum and Assessment for Young Children

3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisites: Completion of ECD 1023 Foundations of Early Childhood Education with a grade of “C” or better, and/or concurrently enrolled in ECD 2033 Language and Literacy for Young Children. Offered on demand. This course is based on the foundation of research in child development and focuses on planning and implementing enriching environments with appropriate interactions and activities for young children (three to eight years of age) in an inclusive environment to maximize physical, cognitive, communication, creative, language/literacy and social/emotional growth and development. Competencies are based on standards developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children for quality early childhood settings. This course meets the competencies for the Arkansas Birth to five (5) Early Childhood Teaching Credential by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

ECD 2102 | Supervised Lab II

2 Cr. (6 Lab)
Prerequisite: Completion of ECD 1102 Supervised Lab I. Offered in the spring semester. Students will interact with all children in an inclusive supervised laboratory setting. Implementation of developmentally appropriate activities and assessment procedures will be achieved. Students are required to have a current TB skin test, malpractice insurance and completion of the following background checks: Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry and Arkansas Criminal Record. Individuals who have not been a resident of Arkansas for the past six years will also be required to have an FBI background check

ECD 2103 | Future Perspectives in Early Childhood

3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisite: Completion of ECD 1102 Supervised Lab and ECD 1023 Foundations of Early Childhood Education or consent of the instructor. Offered in the spring semester. This course introduces students to current research in the field of Early Childhood education. Students will develop a knowledge base of the NAEYC Code of Conduct through analyzing case studies designed to demonstrate competencies compatible with current research and practice, and development of a professional portfolio to demonstrate competencies in the skills relating to the NAEYC Associate Degree Standards. This course meets the competencies for the Arkansas Birth to five (5) Early Childhood Teaching Credential by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

ECD 2133 | Practicum for Early Childhood Development

3 Cr. (9 Lab)
Prerequisite: Completion of or concurrently enrolled in EDUC 2103 Education in a Diverse Society and ECD 2103 Future Perspectives in Early Childhood or consent of the instructor. Offered in the fall semester. The practicum is designed to give students an exposure to and experience of an actual job in the early child care field. Placement and work schedules are arranged by the instructor. Students will complete 150 contact hours in an approved facility for this course. Students are required to have a current TB skin test, malpractice insurance, and completion of the following background checks: Observation of the student’s work and evaluation of student skills are conducted by instructors following the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Associate Standards. An emphasis will be on the observation of physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional development in connection with previous courses. Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry and Arkansas Criminal Record. Individuals who have not been a resident of Arkansas for the past six years will also be required to have an FBI background check. This course meets the competencies for the Arkansas Birth to five (5) Early Childhood Teaching Credential by the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education.

ECD 2203 | Facilities and Equipment

3 Cr. (3 Lec.)
Prerequisites: Completion of ECD 1013 Early Childhood Competencies. Offered on demand. Students will study state and federal regulations for group care facilities, guidelines for conducting a needs assessment, site location, components of facility design, facility space arrangements, storage needs, and playgrounds.