The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program. Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway. It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.
The courses have been intentionally placed and should be prioritized in
the order
in which they appear. If you are unable to take all the courses in
a semester, you
should prioritize enrolling in the courses in the order below.
Some courses have
been noted as “Appropriate for Intersession” 
. Should you need (or want) to take
classes
in the summer and/or winter intersessions,
the program recommends these courses as appropriate for the condensed
schedule of
the intersessions.
Some pathways combine a “Certificate of Achievement” and an “Associate
Degree”. If
you are pursuing only the Certificate of Achievement, you are only
required to take
the courses marked “Program Requirement” 
.
All pathways include at least one “Gateway Course” 
which introduces you to the program and/or field of study and helps you
decide if you want to continue with this Academic and Career Path.
Most Associate degrees (though not Associate Degrees for Transfer)
require satisfying the SMC Global Citizenship requirement. If the Program
Requirements do not include a “Global Citizenship course” 
, be sure to select a General Education course that also satisfies Global Citizenship.
Students completing an Early Childhood Associate Teacher certificate are qualified to teach in a private child development program licensed under Title 22 of the Department of Social Services. It also fulfills the educational requirements for students seeking a California Child Development Permit Matrix at the Associate Teacher level issued by the California Commission of Teaching Credentialing. Students that desire to work in a early childhood setting are required to minimally complete these core classes.
Upon completion of the program, students will:
- Use developmental theory and research to support children's learning across developmental domains (cognitive, social-emotional, physical).
- Demonstrate skills (e.g. reflective listening, positive interactions) and abilities (e.g. collaboration, cultural humility, empathy) required to build family, school, and community relationships that support children's development and learning.
- Design culturally and developmentally appropriate environments and curriculum informed by developmental theory and analysis of observation and assessment data.
General Education
Available Online