Programs - General Description

National Avg. Salary: (Annually)
- Starting:
  $15100
- Experienced:
  $15200
Local Avg. Salary: (Annually)
- Starting:
  $12500
- Experienced:
  $13500
Completion Time
(in months)
- 9
Waiting List:
- No

Sandi Campbell

Program Director for Early Childhood Development

Current Program/Catalog Information

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Early Childhood Development (Evening Program) Certificate

Health and Sciences Division

General Description | Semester Layout | Course Requirements | Printable Checklist

Mission

To improve job knowledge and skills for individuals entering the field of early care and education as well as those already employed in the field.

Description

Early childhood and child-care workers nurture and teach preschool children in centers designed for childcare. These workers play an important role in a child's development by caring for the child when the primary caregivers are at work or away for other reasons. They instruct children in activities designed to promote social, physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. This is accomplished by planning for individual and group activities that include small group lessons, one-on-one instruction, and play.

Early childhood and child-care workers are employed in private and public centers, school systems, community and state agencies, as well as religious institutions. According to the U. S. Bureau of Labor, the average for early childhood and child-care workers is $15,100. The projected growth in job opportunities for early childhood and child-care workers is 21-35% for the next ten years.

Program Entrance Requirements

Course Level	Required Courses
High School	None
College	None

Other	Required
Diploma or GED (NOTE: Non-high school graduates or those who do not have a GED, must score 61 or better on the reading portion of the COMPASS test. )	No
Approval/Permission Needed -- Application Process	No
Prior Experience/Observation	No
Minimum Cumulative GPA of 2.0	No
Current CPR Certification by American Heart Association or American Red Cross	No
First Aid Certification	No
Hepatitis B Immunization or Signed Informed Refusal or Titer	No
MMR Immunization or Titer	No
Chicken Pox Vaccination or Titer	No
Two-step PPD / Chest X-Ray	Yes
Medical Examination Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete.	No
Dental Examination Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete. Dental health must meet departmental standards.	No
Technical Standards Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete.	No
Negative Drug Screen	No
Satisfactory Background Check	No
Other Diplomas, Licensures, etc.	No
Recent Photograph Photograph will not be returned.	No

Academic Standards

Standard Criteria	Required
Courses requiring a grade of "C" or better	No
Courses that may not be attempted more than twice	No
Complete or Maintain CPR Certification by American Heart Association or American Red Cross	Yes
Curriculum Completion Requirement	No
Drug Calculation Competency Students must demonstrate drug calculation competency each semester in order to progress in curriculum courses.	No
Dismissal Policy	No
Re-entry Policy	No

Graduation Requirements

Complete all required courses specified in the curriculum.
Fulfill all financial obligations to the College.
Achieve a cumulative final GPA of 2.0.
Earn at least 25 percent of the total credit hours of his/her curriculum at FDTC. Exceptions can be made only by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Program Specific Notes

CPR certification (listed above) must be for infants and children. Completion of certification in First Aid for infants and children is also required.