ECE: Early Childhood Education

Browse Courses in the Course Catalog

The courses listed below are part of Hawkeye's course catalog. The course cost is subject to change, and the listing does not confirm that the course is currently available. To see currently available courses and sections, visit the course search.

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ECE-103 Introduction to Early Childhood Education

3 credits—Gives students a historical and philosophical foundation of the field of early childhood education. Includes an overview of assessment and trends that influence best practices. Explores careers in the field. Addresses influences of families and diversity.

Lecture Hours: 48

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $743.00

ECE-125 School Age Care

2 credits—This course focuses on the unique care necessary for school-age children. Criteria for organizing a positive physical environment coupled with state licensing regulations, center policies, and interactions with families are examined. Students will look at the needs of school-age children and explore methods of addressing these needs in a group care setting.

Lecture Hours: 32

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $468.00

ECE-133 Child Health, Safety, and Nutrition

3 credits—Focuses on current concepts in the fields of health, safety and nutrition and their relationship to the growth and development of the young child ages birth to eight. Blends current theory with practical applications and assessments. Includes the influences of families and diversity on health, safety, and nutrition in early childhood settings.

Lecture Hours: 48

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $801.00

ECE-158 Early Childhood Curriculum I

3 credits—Focuses on the development, implementation and assessment of appropriate environments and curricula for young children ages three through eight. Students prepare to utilize developmentally appropriate practices in a context of family and culturally sensitive care. Emphasis is on understanding children's development stages and developing appropriate learning opportunities, interactions and environments in the following areas: dramatic play, art, music, fine and gross motor play.

Lecture Hours: 48

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $710.00

ECE-159 Early Childhood Curriculum II

3 credits—Focuses on the development, implementation and assessment of appropriate environments and curricula for young children ages three through eight. Students prepare to utilize developmentally appropriate practices in a context of family and culturally sensitive care. Emphasis is on understanding children's development stages and developing appropriate learning opportunities, interactions and environments in the following areas: emergent literacy, math, science, technology and social studies.

Lecture Hours: 48

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $702.00

ECE-170 Child Growth and Development

3 credits—Reviews typical and atypical development of children from conception to adolescence in all developmental domains. Presents interactions between child, family and society within a variety of community and cultural contexts. Examines theories associated with our understanding of children.

Lecture Hours: 48

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $702.00

ECE-221 Infant/Toddler Care and Education

3 credits—Focuses on care, education, and assessment of children from birth to thirty-six months. Prepares students to utilize developmentally appropriate practices including responsive caregiving, routines as curriculum, importance of relationships with diverse families, and a focus on the whole child in inclusive settings.

Lecture Hours: 48

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $702.00

ECE-243 Early Childhood Guidance

3 credits—Focuses on effective approaches and positive guidance strategies for supporting the development of all children. Emphasizes supportive interactions and developmentally appropriate environments. Uses assessment to analyze and guide behaviors. Studies impact of families and diversity on child guidance.

Lecture Hours: 48

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $702.00

ECE-250 Advanced Curriculum Planning

3 credits—This course acquaints students with center environment planning and evaluation. It addresses the role of the teacher as well as program evaluation for early childhood centers. Students also look at community resources for expanding the center environment.

Lecture Hours: 48

Prerequisite(s): EDE-158 and ECE-159

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $702.00

ECE-260 Current Topics and Issues in Child Care

2 credits—National, state and local topics and issues impacting childcare are examined.

Lecture Hours: 32

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $468.00

ECE-274 Field Experience I

2 credits—Supervised experience in selected early childhood settings serving children ages birth through eight. Includes integration of theory, research, and reflective practice. Provides an understanding of developmentally appropriate practices and the developmental stages of diverse populations of young children and families. Emphasizes professional relationships and behavior, appropriate adult/child interactions, basic curriculum planning, and program routines.

Co-op Hours: 128

Prerequisite(s): ECE-221

Co-requisite(s): ECE-994

Pre/Co-requisite(s): ECE-158, ECE-159, ECE-170, and ECE-243

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $493.00

ECE-284 Field Experience II

2 credits—The field experience provides on-the-job training, practical application of knowledge gained in the classroom, documenting observations of children, and an opportunity to participate with a child care team involved with children ages 3 through 5.

Co-op Hours: 128

Prerequisite(s): Minimum grade of D in ECE-274 and ECE-944.

Co-requisite(s): ECE-945

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $468.00

ECE-290 Early Childhood Program Administration

3 credits—Skills in planning, implementing, and evaluating programming are introduced. Staff supervision and evaluation, in-service training and orientation, and harmonious working relationships, are other topics included in this course.

Lecture Hours: 48

Prerequisite(s): ECE-158 and ECE-159

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $702.00

ECE-298 Career Strategies for Early Childhood

2 credits—Career Strategies for Early Childhood prepares students for becoming an employee and employer in child care settings. It includes the strategies involved in seeking and securing a position in child care, along with recruiting and employing a child care worker. Included for the job seeker will be an introduction to the job search process, including resume writing, developing cover letters and the interview process. Included for the employer will be recruitment procedures, laws governing the hiring of child care employees, screening of applicants and conducting and evaluating interviews.

Lecture Hours: 32

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $468.00

ECE-299 Early Childhood Professional Portfolio

1 credits—Develop professional portfolio for Early Childhood, including artifact collections, resume, and teaching philosophy.

Lecture Hours: 16

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $234.00

ECE-924 Honors Project

1 credits—This course involves in-depth independent research on an approved topic under supervision of a faculty member. Upon project's completion, results will be shared with community of peers and faculty. This course can be repeated with different content for credit.

May be taken for up to 3 credits.

Lecture Hours: 16

Course Type: General Education / Transfer

2025–2026 Course Cost: $234.00

ECE-944 Field Experience Seminar I

1 credits—Field Experience Seminar 1 provides support for the systemic refinement of skills necessary for a successful experience in the field. Professional relationships and behaviors, appropriate adult/child interactions, curriculum planning, and experiences in the field will be emphasized.

Lecture Hours: 16

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost:$234.00

ECE-945 Field Experience Seminar II

1 credits—Field Experience II Seminar provides support for the systematic refinement of the skills necessary for a successful Field Experience II experience through receiving feedback on assignments and engaging in discussions of relevant topics with instructors and peers.

Lecture Hours: 16

Co-requisite(s): ECE-284.

Course Type: Technical

2025–2026 Course Cost: $234.00