Early Childhood Education

• CL – Number of lecture/classroom hours per week for the course
• LAB – Number of simulation laboratory, laboratory or clinical hours per week for the course
• CR – Number of credit hours for the course

First Year

Second Year

The Child and Family Studies program is hands-on, project-centered, and competency and evidence-based to facilitate the growth of future teachers and leaders preparing to work with children, families, and communities. Graduates are able to:

• Understand young children’s characteristics and needs to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each child.
• Demonstrate that they know about, understand, and value the importance of creating respectful, reciprocal relationships to support and empower families in their communities.
• Responsibly observe, document, and assess children in a manner that supports young children and families.
• Understand developmentally effective approaches which emphasize positive relationships and supportive interactions to influence outcomes for individual children.
• Design, implement, and evaluate learning experiences that promote a wide range of academic disciplines to build meaningful curriculum.
• Identify and connect themselves as members of the early childhood profession.
• Demonstrate a variety of early childhood field experiences.

Program Outcome Measures

# of Program Completers

Program Completion Rate

Institutional Selected Data: The fall-to-fall retention rate for the three most recently completed academic years

Graduates are prepared for immediate entry into the field of early childhood education as teachers in N.H.-licensed or NAEYC-accredited child care centers, Head Start or Early Head Start programs, family child care, and elementary schools as para-educators. Graduates may further their education at a four-year college for pre-K–grade 3 teacher certification or in other areas of the early childhood field. This degree meets the training and education requirements for the State of N.H. Early Childhood Teacher Credential, Level 5. 

The Associate of Science degree in Early Childhood Education is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, www.naeyc.org. The accreditation term runs from July 2019 through September 2026.

• Students will spend designated hours each week with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, or kindergarteners while taking early childhood courses. These hours will be considered a component of class participation.
• Upon acceptance into the program, students must complete the following paperwork:
• ° A complete set of electronic fingerprints completed by the Department of Safety
  • Submission of a criminal record check that comes back clear or non-disqualifying; the cost
    associated with the fingerprinting and criminal record check is the responsibility of the student.
  • Completion of the licensing child care personnel health form by a licensed health provider
    indicating the student is in good physical health and has no mental or emotional disturbances
    that would prohibit him/her from caring for children in a group setting
  • Signed confidentiality form
  • Other related documents distributed by the department chair
• Out-of-state students who are taking classes 100% online will need to complete their state’s fingerprinting and background check, child health care form, and any other paperwork required by that state.
• Students must have transportation to and from NHTI approved practicum sites in their senior year.
• Students must have a flexible schedule that allows them to spend weekday mornings and/or afternoons at their practicum site while taking classes. Students should be prepared to plan work hours around their course schedule knowing that these hours will change each semester.
• All students must have access to a digital camera and video-capturing device to complete assignments. Online students will record themselves during practicum to share with their practicum teachers online.

CCSNH partners with Granite State College to offer tuition assistance to child care providers who are entering or are currently working in the field of early care and education. Eligible individuals must be working at least 20 hours per week. For more information, contact Diana Menard, department chair of Child and Family Studies, at 603-271-6484 x4281 or dmenard@ccsnh.edu. For additional information, visit the CCSNH page on early childhood education tuition assistance here.

There is also a scholarship available for this program through T.E.A.C.H. NH (click here for flyer). The T.E.A.C.H. NH Scholarship Program supports the cost of tuition and books, offers paid release time from work for scholarship recipients, and has a bonus upon completing 9-12 credits within a 12-month period. To be eligible, applicants must live in N.H. and work at least 30 hours a week in a licensed childcare program. Information and applications are available on the N.H. Connections site.