50 Psychology and Behavioral Science Associate of Arts Programs

This vocational training program prepares future early childhood workers and educators to work with children with disabilities and special needs in public and private early intervention, special education and educational settings that serve typical and atypical developing young children and their families. Students are taught practical skills in early intervention and early childhood special education from a culturally responsive perspective. Students learn to integrate early intervention/special education practices and apply them to teaching young children with special needs. Certificate requirements include student participation in field experiences with community-based, inclusive educational programs. The Certificate of Achievement-Advancement prepares students for two career paths: early intervention assistant and early childhood teacher. It is the equivalent of the Teacher level permit on the California Child Development Matrix. The Teacher level permit also requires 24 quarter units (equivalent of 16 semester units) of General Education courses.

Students who complete the Secondary Education Transfer Major, A.A. - Year Two Pathway will meet the requirements to earn an Associate in Arts degree and will be prepared to transfer to Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, or University of Iowa in order to continue their studies in Secondary Education and earn a four-year degree.

The Associate in Arts in Child Development can be the next professional step for students who have completed the Certificate of Mastery in Child Development. The A.A. in Child Development is designed to outline the freshman and sophomore years of study for students who plan to transfer to a university to major in child development or related fields.

The major purpose of the A.A. in Early Childhood Development is to provide students with fundamental understandings of the typical and atypical development of young children, the criticality of family-community partnerships, current findings of the interrelationships of health, safety, and nutrition for the developing child, and the nature of learning through different kinds of experiences.

The Child Development Center Laboratory for Child Study supports the Hartnell College mission by serving as an observation and training site, giving Hartnell students the opportunity to observe, interact with, and study preschool children in an environment which utilizes varied teaching strategies and methods to assure developmentally appropriate experiences for young children.