Early Childhood Education
Associate in Science for Transfer
Program Details
The Associate in Science in Early Childhood Education (ECE) for Transfer (AS-T) provides a clearly articulated curricular track for students who wish to transfer to a CSU campus, while also serving the diverse needs of students interested in the breadth and depth of the field of early childhood education. Additionally, this degree exposes students to the core principles and practices of the field in order to build a foundation for their future personal, academic or vocational paths. The degree was designed to facilitate students’ successful transfer to certain California State University (CSU) campuses that prepare them for advanced study in a variety of graduate programs, as well as a variety of careers such as teaching, child development specialists, program directors, and child life specialists. With a BA in ECE/Child Development, students are eligible for the Master Teacher and Site Supervisor levels of the CA Child Development Permit, using the Alternative Qualifications category. The AS-T in ECE provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements of the California State University for transfer. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to certain California State University campuses. The ECE courses required in this program are part of the CA Curriculum Alignment Project, lower division and coursework. Pursuant to SB1440, section 66746, a student must complete the following requirements in order to earn an AS-T in Early Childhood Education: • Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University (CSU), including the CalGETC GE requirements • A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis • Obtain a minimum grade point average of 2.0. • Minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major, and • Completion of CalGETC GE requirements
Early Childhood Education Pathways
Pathways listed below are for the catalog year 2025-2026. Maps for previous years are available on each pathway page. What is a catalog year?
Featured Careers
Find your calling. Explore high-earning careers with entry-level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Art Therapists
Master's degree
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 38,840
- High salary: 120,050
- Average salary: 65010
Childcare Workers
High school diploma/GED, Associate's degree
- Job growth: Rising
- Low salary: 22,900
- High salary: 44,560
- Average salary: 32050
Clinical Neuropsychologists
Post-doctoral training
- Job growth: Stable
- Low salary: 51,410
- High salary: 163,570
- Average salary: 117580
All Careers in Early Childhood Education (18)
Program Pathways Mapper incorporates information from O*NET Web Services by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes help you work towards your educational goals.
- Apply ethical standards of behavior accepted by the profession of early childhood education.
- Assess children's learning through observation, documentation, and interpretation, using results to guide curriculum and teaching strategies.
- Demonstrate practices that maintain standards of health, nutrition, and safety in group care early childhood settings.
- Design inclusive, culturally and linguistically appropriate learning environments, based on child development, child observations, family information and knowledge of culturally diverse child rearing practices.
- Incorporate strategies for building respectful, reciprocal family and community relationships in order to support families with their children’s development and learning.
- Recommend developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant approaches to teaching and learning that include respectful, supportive relationships with children and families, and curriculum that support foundational skills and concepts in language, math, science, art, and social relationships.
- Synthesize child development research with principles and practices for early childhood teaching to create early learning environments that are respectful, supportive, and challenging for all children, from infancy through adolescence.
