The Early Care and Education program offers a combination of classroom instruction and supervised, hands-on experience that prepares students for direct entry into the field of Early Care and Education. The program emphasizes a combination of early childhood care and education theory and practical application necessary for successful employment.

Requirements

Course List

Courses	Course Title	Credit Hours
General Education Courses
ENG 101	English Composition I	3
or ENG 165	Professional Communications
MAT 120	Probability and Statistics	3
or MAT 155	Contemporary Mathematics
PSY 201	General Psychology	3
SPC 205	Public Speaking	3
Elective Humanities		3
Subtotal		15
Required Core Subject Areas
ECD 101	Introduction to Early Childhood	3
ECD 102	Growth and Development I	3
ECD 105	Guidance-Classroom Management	3
ECD 107	Exceptional Child	3
ECD 135	Health, Safety and Nutrition	3
ECD 203	Growth and Development II	3
ECD 243	Supervised Field Experience I	3
Subtotal		21
Other Courses Required for Graduation
COL 103	College Skills	3
CPT 101	Introduction to Computers	3
ECD 108	Family and Community Relations	3
ECD 131	Language Arts	3
ECD 132	Creative Experiences	3
ECD 133	Science and Math Concepts	3
ECD 201	Principles and Ethics in Leadership in Early Care and Education	3
ECD 237	Methods and Materials	3
ECD 244	Supervised Field Experience II	3
Program Elective 1		3
Program Elective 1		3
Total Hours		69

¹

See Academic Advisor for approved program electives.

Graduation Plan

Fall Start

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Fall Semester		Hours
COL 103	College Skills	3
ECD 101	Introduction to Early Childhood	3
ENG 101 or ENG 165	English Composition I or Professional Communications	3
MAT 120 or MAT 155	Probability and Statistics or Contemporary Mathematics	3
PSY 201	General Psychology	3
	Hours	15
Spring Semester
ECD 102	Growth and Development I	3
ECD 107	Exceptional Child	3
ECD 131	Language Arts	3
ECD 132	Creative Experiences	3
Program Elective 1		3
	Hours	15
Summer Semester
ECD 135	Health, Safety and Nutrition	3
ECD 203	Growth and Development II	3
SPC 205	Public Speaking	3
Program Elective 1		3
	Hours	12
Second Year
Fall Semester
ECD 105	Guidance-Classroom Management	3
ECD 133	Science and Math Concepts	3
ECD 237	Methods and Materials	3
ECD 243	Supervised Field Experience I	3
Elective Humanities/Fine Arts		3
	Hours	15
Spring Semester
CPT 101	Introduction to Computers	3
ECD 108	Family and Community Relations	3
ECD 201	Principles and Ethics in Leadership in Early Care and Education	3
ECD 244	Supervised Field Experience II	3
	Hours	12
	Total Hours	69

¹ See Academic Advisor for approved program electives.

Spring Start

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Spring Semester		Hours
COL 103	College Skills	3
ECD 101	Introduction to Early Childhood	3
ECD 132	Creative Experiences	3
ENG 101 or ENG 165	English Composition I or Professional Communications	3
MAT 120 or MAT 155	Probability and Statistics or Contemporary Mathematics	3
	Hours	15
Summer Semester
ECD 107	Exceptional Child	3
ECD 108	Family and Community Relations	3
ECD 135	Health, Safety and Nutrition	3
PSY 201	General Psychology	3
	Hours	12
Fall Semester
ECD 105	Guidance-Classroom Management	3
ECD 133	Science and Math Concepts	3
ECD 237	Methods and Materials	3
ECD 243	Supervised Field Experience I	3
SPC 205	Public Speaking	3
	Hours	15
Second Year
Spring Semester
ECD 102	Growth and Development I	3
ECD 131	Language Arts	3
ECD 201	Principles and Ethics in Leadership in Early Care and Education	3
ECD 244	Supervised Field Experience II	3
Program Elective 1		3
	Hours	15
Summer Semester
CPT 101	Introduction to Computers	3
ECD 203	Growth and Development II	3
Elective Humanities/Fine Arts		3
Program Elective 1		3
	Hours	12
	Total Hours	69

¹ See Academic Advisor for approved program electives.

Summer Start

Plan of Study Grid

First Year
Summer Semester		Hours
COL 103	College Skills	3
ECD 101	Introduction to Early Childhood	3
ENG 101 or ENG 165	English Composition I or Professional Communications	3
MAT 120 or MAT 155	Probability and Statistics or Contemporary Mathematics	3
	Hours	12
Fall Semester
ECD 105	Guidance-Classroom Management	3
ECD 133	Science and Math Concepts	3
PSY 201	General Psychology	3
SPC 205	Public Speaking	3
Program Elective 1		3
	Hours	15
Spring Semester
ECD 102	Growth and Development I	3
ECD 107	Exceptional Child	3
ECD 131	Language Arts	3
ECD 132	Creative Experiences	3
Elective Humanities/Fine Arts		3
	Hours	15
Second Year
Summer Semester
ECD 135	Health, Safety and Nutrition	3
ECD 203	Growth and Development II	3
	Hours	6
Fall Semester
CPT 101	Introduction to Computers	3
ECD 237	Methods and Materials	3
ECD 243	Supervised Field Experience I	3
Program Elective 1		3
	Hours	12
Spring Semester
ECD 108	Family and Community Relations	3
ECD 201	Principles and Ethics in Leadership in Early Care and Education	3
ECD 244	Supervised Field Experience II	3
	Hours	9
	Total Hours	69

¹ See Academic Advisor for approved program electives.

Application and Advising

If you are ready to start your education, there are a few simple steps involved in enrolling at Piedmont Technical College.

Get Started Today

Advising Information

The following information provides a guide for advisors who are helping students enroll in this program.

Program Notes

Students are encouraged to enter the ECD program as early as possible.  Most courses require that students complete developmental and transitional coursework as well as ENG 101 or ENG 165 as prerequisites.  ECD 101, ECD 109, ECD 132, and SAC 101 can be completed while students are taking ENG 101 or ENG 165.

A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 is required for all ECD coursework. Students must complete all program required coursework with a “C” or higher. Students wishing to transfer to a four-year institution may need a higher GPA to be accepted into the education program there.

Some ECD coursework is offered online and at PTC county campuses.  Methods courses are not offered online and are predominantly offered at the Lex Walters Campus-Greenwood. It is not possible for a student to complete either degree or certificate completely online or at a county campus. Students may be required to travel to the Lex Walters Campus-Greenwood for some of the courses in the program.

For field placement experiences (ECD 243, ECD 244, ECD 251), students will be required to travel to the Lex Walters Campus-Greenwood monthly. Every effort will be made to place field experience students at childcare centers or schools near their home.

The humanities elective that is most likely to transfer to a four-year college or university is ART 101 or MUS 105.

Students should have a current acceptable background check and drug screen. A criminal record and/or positive drug screen could make you ineligible for enrollment or participation in a supervised field experience, creating an inability to graduate from the program. These screenings will be completed in ECD 243, 244, and ECD 251.

CPR and First Aid certifications are required as part of ECD 135. There is an additional fee associated with these certifications.

A clear tuberculosis test at the student’s expense may be required for field placement experience sites.

Students should have a current acceptable background check and drug screen (see notes about individual classes below for more information).

Notes About Individual Classes

Students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution are advised to check the articulation agreement and take MAT 120, if applicable.

Candidates are responsible for transportation to and from any class, practicum, lab or clinical site.

Students may only take ECD 243, 244 and 251 two times and must receive a grade of “C” or higher on the second attempt for the course to count towards graduation.

Courses with a prefix of ECD or SAC must be less than eight years old in order to count toward a certificate, diploma or degree program.

Candidates are required to complete a minimum of one summer session of coursework.

Students seeking to transfer to a four-year institution to complete South Carolina state teaching certificate requirements must meet with an ECD program advisor for specific requirements.  Most four-year institutions require students to pass all three sections of PRAXIS 1 (Core) for entrance into their education programs.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Purpose Statement

The mission of the Early Care and Education Program of Piedmont Technical College is to provide the community with professional early educators who are knowledgeable, competent, committed and capable of providing quality professional care for all children. The program’s graduates are able to evaluate and assess children and make quality developmentally appropriate decisions for children’s learning. Through the extensive study of NAEYC standards and the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct, our students are provided the knowledge needed to support advocacy for children and the profession of early educators. 

Student Learning Outcomes

Promoting Child Development and Learning

1a: Knowing and understanding young children’s characteristics and needs, from birth through age 8.

1b: Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on early development and learning

1c: Using developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments for young children

Building Family and Community Relationships

2a: Knowing about and understanding diverse family and community characteristics

2b: Supporting and engaging families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships

2c: Involving families and communities in young children’s development and learning

Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families

3a: Understanding the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment – including its use in development of appropriate goals, curriculum, and teaching strategies for young children

3b: Knowing about and using observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and approaches, including the use of technology in documentation, assessment and data collection.

3c: Understanding and practicing responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for each child, including the use of assistive technology for children with disabilities.

3d: Knowing about assessment partnerships with families and with professional colleagues to build effective learning environments

Using Developmentally Effective Approaches 

4a: Understanding positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of their work with young children

4b: Knowing and understanding effective strategies and tools for early education, including appropriate uses of technology

4c: Using a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching /learning approaches

4d: Reflecting on own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child

Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum

5a: Understanding content knowledge and resources in academic disciplines: language and literacy; the arts – music, creative movement, dance, drama, visual arts; mathematics; science, physical activity, physical education, health and safety; and social studies.

5b: Knowing and using the central concepts, inquiry tools, and structures of content areas or academic disciplines

5c: Using own knowledge, appropriate early learning standards, and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate developmentally meaningful and challenging curriculum for each child.

Becoming a Professional

6a: Identifying and involving oneself with the early childhood field

6b: Knowing about and upholding ethical standards and other early childhood professional guidelines

6c: Engaging in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice; using technology effectively with young children, with peers, and as a professional resource.

6d: Integrating knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early education

6e: Engaging in informed advocacy for young children and the early childhood profession

Early Childhood Field Experiences

7a. Opportunities to observe/practice in two early childhood age groups (birth-age 3, 3-5, 5-8)

7b. Opportunities to observe/practice in two main types of early education settings (early school grades, child care centers and homes, Head Start programs)