Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education

Training to Help You Develop Young Minds

As an Early Childhood Education student at Kirkwood, you’ll learn how to make an impact on the next generation of learners.

You'll participate in a variety of community early childhood programs, including Head Start centers, kindergarten classrooms, voluntary four-year-old programs, and child care centers. We encourage experience in inclusive and diverse settings.

Classes focus on the care and education of young children where you will gain knowledge about child development, nutrition, safety, and appropriate childhood curriculum and environments.

With this Associate of Applied Science (AAS) track, you can graduate and go straight into the workforce. If you're planning on transferring to another college or university to continue your education, choose the Associate of Arts (AA) degree.

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Kirkwood offers more than $3 million in scholarships for students each year, and there are many specifically for students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education program.

Graduates of the Early Childhood Education program will be able to:

  • Demonstrate child development knowledge by using this knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments for young children including those who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of family and community characteristics by creating opportunities for families to be involved in their children’s development and learning.
  • Practice a variety of child assessment techniques and utilize these assessments to plan curriculum and individualized instruction for young children including those who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse.
  • Use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching/learning experiences to support the development of young children including those who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse.
  • Use their knowledge of early learning standards and evidence-based resources and practices to design curriculum for young children including those who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse.
  • Demonstrate professional skills: collaboration, problem solving, commitment to NAEYC Code of Ethics, ability to follow policies, advocacy, and dispositions of effective teachers including sensitivity to culture, language, and ability.

An AAS degree in Early Childhood Education prepares you for entry level employment such as:

  • Childcare/school-age director, lead or teacher
  • Early Head Start teacher
  • Head Start assistant teacher
  • Assistant teacher/paraprofessional
  • Childcare operator

Explore future career opportunities:

Career Coach

Program Costs

Early Childhood Education 

School Year: 2023–24

Program Entry Semester: Fall, Spring, Summer

Fall Spring Fall Spring Total
Credit Hours per Semester 18 15 15 15 63
In-State Tuition $3,780 $3,150 $3,150 $3,150 $13,230
Technology Fee per Semester $50 $50 $50 $50 $200
Clinical Expenses (mileage, lodging, screenings, etc.) $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Conferences/Seminars $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Course Resources (textbooks, software, etc.) $400 $410 $375 $250 $1,435
Course/Section Fees $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Laptop (required devices) $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Testing Fees $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Third Party Credentials $79 $0 $0 $0 $79
Tool Sets $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Uniforms $0 $0 $0 $0 $0
Other $45 $0 $0 $0 $45
Total Estimated Cost $4,354 $3,610 $3,575 $3,450 $14,989

 

Costs provided are estimated and based on the following current tuition rates: $210 (In-State), $281 (Out-of-State), $400 (International).

To view all costs associated with attending college visit our Tuition and Costs page.


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Eman Mohamed
Title: Professor, Early Childhood
Phone: 319-398-1258
Email: eman.mohamed@kirkwood.edu
Office: 1028 Cedar Hall

Adjunct Faculty

Cynthia Clymer

Melanie Nollsch

Glenda Seward

Ellen Clar

Vivian Quinn

The mission of the Early Childhood Education program at Kirkwood Community College is to prepare learners to provide high quality early care and education for young children from birth to age eight.


Kirkwood Student Katelyn Kucera

“I love all the expected aspects of community college – cost, location, smaller classes – but at Kirkwood, all of that comes with a really direct connection to the 4-year school I’m transferring to. I’m in contact with advisors and people from the Agriculture department at Iowa State who make sure I can easily transition over there. It gives me a lot of peace of mind and feels like I’m already a part of my ISU program in a lot of ways.”

Katelyn Kucera,
Traer, Iowa

Questions?

Social Sciences Department
2092 Cedar Hall
319-398-4911
social.sciences@kirkwood.edu