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Child Development
The Child Development AAS Program at Houston City College provides the academic foundation and hands-on experience needed to work effectively with young children. The program prepares early childhood educators to support the development, learning, and well-being of children and their diverse families in today’s world.
- Career Path
- Liberal Arts & Humanities
Programs
Child Development Associate, O.S.A.
Houston Community College's Early Childhood Education Program is designed to provide students with a working knowledge of early childhood education. This program prepares students for employment in a child care/early education setting.This is a study of the principles of normal child growth and development from birth through age five. The focus will be on cognitive, physical, emotional and social development.
This series of three courses (144 hours) provides training that is required to apply for the Child Development Associate credential sponsored by The Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition. This is a study of the principles of normal child growth and development from conception to adolescence. The focus will be on cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development. Participants must complete 120 hours of formal childcare education in eight subject areas as mandated by the Council. An additional 480 hours or 12 weeks of experience in a licensed daycare facility must be completed within a five year period. An application fee of $325 must be paid to the council when submitting an application to take the final assessment from the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition.
- CDEC 1017 – None
- CDEC 2022 – CDEC 1017
- CDEC 2024 – CDEC 1017 and CDEC 2022
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Child Development, A.A.S.
The Child Development curricula are designed to provide academic background and practical work experience necessary for successful care and guidance of young children. Students completing this program will be qualified to serve as the following: early childhood teachers or assistants, foster parents, paraprofessionals, or, with appropriate work experience, child development center directors. Some courses apply to EC-6 teacher certification. (See General Information, Academic Degrees and Certificates for field of study information.) The AAS degree requires completion of 60 semester hours. All of the courses in the Child Development Administration and Early Childhood Certificate programs may apply to this AAS degree. The Child Development AAS degree is approved for Tech Prep.
The Child Development curricula are designed to provide academic background and practical work experience necessary for successful care and guidance of young children. Students completing this program will be qualified to serve as the following: early childhood teachers or assistants, foster parents, paraprofessionals, or, with appropriate work experience, child development center directors. Some courses apply to EC-6 teacher certification. (See General Information, Academic Degrees and Certificates for field of study information.) The AAS degree requires completion of 60 semester hours. All of the courses in the Child Development Administration and Early Childhood Certificate programs may apply to this AAS degree. The Child Development AAS degree is approved for Tech Prep.
According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services: “No person with a conviction or who is under indictment for, or is the subject of an official criminal complaint alleging violation of any of the crimes listed as a felony against the person or a felony violation of the Texas Controlled Substance Act may be present while children are in care,” therefore the Child Development program is not appropriate for anyone who falls into this category.
The associate degree program seeks to sow and cultivate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that highly qualified early education professionals are expected to possess if they are to be more effective in their care-giving and teaching efforts.
In addition, please note that a student may only earn one Occupational Skills Award (OSA) per academic year.
TSI testing required prior to first enrollment for all AAS degrees and Level II certificates.
The Child Development program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs, 1401 H St. NW Suite 600, Washington DC 20005, from March, 2024 - December, 2026.
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