Early Childhood Education

Overview

Get hands-on experience in Early Childhood Education (ECE) at TMCC! The ECE Program offers several pathways that accommodate student schedules and professional goals. Students can earn stackable Skills Certificates as well as Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees in several areas of specialization including work with infants and toddlers, preschool-age children and administration of early childhood programs.

If you have an interest in working with young children and want to become a high-quality and effective early childhood educator, the TMCC ECE program is for you.

Why Choose Early Childhood Education at TMCC?

Our students include individuals already working in the field of early childhood education, those who are completing pre-professional training before joining the workforce, as well as those taking courses to meet the continuing education hours required by Nevada childcare regulations.

Additional advantages of the TMCC ECE Program include the following:

Our program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Our national accreditation ensures students are prepared to meet the high standards of the Early Childhood Education field.
Most courses are available in traditional classroom format and online so that you can choose the option that works best for your schedule.
Our high-quality faculty have expertise and experience in multiple aspects of early care and education.
We offer small class sizes, which allow you to get the time and attention you need to succeed.
TMCC's Child Care Center, accredited by the National Accreditation Commission (NAC), is located on campus and offers excellent opportunity for observation, field experience, and practicum.
You can choose from a variety of degree, certificate, and course options.
The state of Nevada supports students studying early childhood education through scholarships in the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Nevada Program.
Transfer to 4-year programs. Students who complete an AA in ECE can transfer to UNR or GBC as first-year juniors without losing credit hours or time.

What Will I Study?

All coursework is aligned with the NAEYC Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. Upon completion of an AA or AAS in ECE, students will be able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge and skills defined therein. Students will take coursework in the following topics.

Child Development and Learning in Context
Family-Teacher Partnerships ad Community Connections
Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator

All ECE degrees require courses with field experience and practicum experience in early childhood classrooms with young children (birth to age five). Field experiences and practicum are focused student teaching experiences that require students to demonstrate specific skills in an early childhood classroom with young children.

College Catalog Information

Check out additional Degree and Certificate information, including Recommended Course Schedule, Program Requirements and Program Outcomes.

Note: The Skills Certificates, Early Childhood Educator 1-4, include courses that are also required for the early childhood education AA and AAS degrees. The certificates are a series of four stackable skills certificates available in early childhood education. Students may earn the skills certificates as they progress toward an AA/AAS degree in early childhood education, or as professional development certifications for non-degree seeking students.

The Early Childhood Education program at Truckee Meadows Community College helped build the foundation for my career path. It has helped develop my skills and self-confidence as a professional in the ECE field.

Marcela O., TMCC ECE Program Graduate and Head Teacher

Career Paths

The field of Early Childhood Education is projected to grow by about 18% through 2026 which is much faster than most occupations. This makes the job market very strong for our graduates searching for careers in the field. The Early Childhood Education degree program prepares individuals to plan and implement developmentally appropriate programs in a variety of early childhood settings. In addition to working in a classroom with young children, there are many career and job opportunities students can pursue with an ECE degree!

Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Childcare Workers
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
Education and Childcare Administrators, Preschool and Daycare
Elementary School Teachers
Instructional Coordinators
Kindergarten Teachers
Preschool Teachers
Special Education Teachers, Elementary School
Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
Special Education Teachers, Preschool
Teaching Assistants, Preschool, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary School
Teaching Assistants, Special Education

ECE Program Accreditation

The AA and AAS degree programs in Early Childhood Education at TMCC are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs, part of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The current accreditation period is valid from July 2023 to June 2025.

The mission of the NAEYC Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs system is to set a standard of excellence for early childhood education degree programs and to recognize programs that have demonstrated that they meet this standard, thereby benefiting the programs, and young children, families, and communities.

NAEYC Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs, Accreditation Policies and Procedures Handbook, 2017

Visit the NAEYC website for more information on the accreditation of associate degree programs.

Program Outcomes Reporting

Students who complete an accredited degree program demonstrate competence in the knowledge and skills defined in the 2020 NAEYC Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. The TMCC ECE Program also meets the NAEYC Early Childhood Higher Education Accreditation Standards.

As part of the Early Childhood Education Program’s achieving and maintaining NAEYC accreditation, it must report annually on the program’s assessment of candidates related to the 2020 NAEYC Standards for Initial and Advanced Preparation Programs, including outcomes specific to each accredited degree program.

The program outcomes for the AA and AAS degrees in ECE are the NAEYC Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators:

Standard 1: Child Development and Learning in Context
Standard 2: Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections
Standard 3: Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
Standard 4: Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
Standard 5: Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
Standard 6: Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator

Note: Prior to academic year 23-24, the TMCC ECE Program reported student outcomes based on the 2010 NAEYC Standards.