60 Credits AAS3667/AAS2550, Academic Catalog 2025-2026
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The Early Childhood Education Mental Health Associate Degree program equips aspiring educators with the essential skills to nurture the mental well-being of young children. Spanning 60 credit hours, this comprehensive curriculum blends foundational knowledge in early childhood development with cutting-edge mental health principles. Students will learn to identify emotional and behavioral challenges in children, implement evidence-based interventions, and foster a supportive classroom environment. Graduates will emerge as compassionate advocates, ready to address mental health concerns in diverse educational settings, empowering the next generation for a brighter future.
Campuses: Faribault and North Mankato
Program Start Semester: Fall
Base estimate for 60 credit program
Tuition is paid on a semester by semester basis and will vary depending on the courses and total credits you take.
Tuition and Fees: $12,867
Tools and Equipment: $ n/a
Total Estimated Cost: $12,867 *
Compare the costs and you'll see that tuition at South Central College is much more affordable than other institutions.
*Based on 2025-2026 tuition and fees rates. Does not include extra expenses for online delivery, course fees, or course differential. Books, transportation, and living expenses also not included.
The course requirements listed below are specific to the current school year (noted above). If you need to view the program from previous years view our Catalog Archive.
Required Technical Courses (14 Courses)
Complete the following courses:
ECE1205 Introduction to Early Childhood Education (3 credits)
This course provides an overview of the early childhood field, including theories, philosophies, missions, and regulations. It examines the roles and responsibilities of professionals in a variety of career settings. (Prerequisite: None)
ECE1210 Child Growth and Development (3 credits)
This course is the first in a series of courses that is required for a degree in Early Childhood Education and Family Services. This course encompasses multiple, interrelated areas of children's development - including both typical and atypical, for children from conception through age eight in the areas of physical, social, emotional, language, cognitive and aesthetic/creative development and is supported by coherent theoretical perspectives and by current research. The course emphasizes variations across cultures and interactions between maturational processes and environmental factors. (Prerequisite: None)
ECE1220 Health, Wellness & Nutrition (3 credits)
This course will guide the student in obtaining skills needed to establish and maintain a physically and psychologically safe and healthy learning environment for young children. Topics include preventing illness and accidents, handling emergencies, providing health, safety, and nutrition educational experiences, meeting children's basic nutritional needs, child abuse and, current health-related issues. This course does NOT include CPR or first aid certification. (Prerequisites: None)
ECE1230 Behavior Guidance (3 credits)
This course encompasses multiple, interrelated areas of positive child guidance techniques for individual and group situations - including problem prevention and positive guidance strategies, communication, setting limits, problem solving and behavior modification and is supported by coherent theoretical perspectives and by current research. This course emphasizes ways to establish supportive relationships with children and guide them in order to enhance learning, development, and well-being. (Prerequisite: None)
ECE1240 Diverse Children and Family Relations (3 credits)
This course examines how to work with many types of families. Investigates the importance of the family/school partnership, study methods of effectively communicating with families, and identify community organizations and networks that support families. Various classroom strategies will be explored emphasizing culturally and linguistically appropriate anti-bias approaches supporting all children in becoming competent members of a diverse society. (Prerequisites: None)
ECE1270 Creative Activities and Environments (3 credits)
The student will gain knowledge and skills related to providing age-appropriate learning experiences and learning environments for young children. The student will examine the role of the teacher in providing learning experiences to meet each child's needs, capabilities, and interest, and ways to implement the principles of developmentally appropriate practices. The student will practice language and literacy, social, emotional and sensory learning, art and creativity, and math and science learning experiences. (Prerequisite: None)
ECE1311 Infant-Toddler Development and Mental Health (3 credits)
This course provides an overview of infant-toddler theory and development whether in home or center-based settings. Students will gain knowledge of developmental needs, developmentally appropriate environments, effective caregiving, teaching strategies, and observation methods. (Prerequisite: ECE 1210)
ECE2310 Introduction to Special Education (3 credits)
This course examines the development of children with differing abilities. Students will integrate strategies that support inclusive programs for children, apply legal and ethical requirements including, but not limited to, American Disabilities Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Differentiate between typical and atypical development, analyze the differing abilities of children with physical, cognitive, health/medical, communication, and/or behavioral/emotional disorders. Explore strategies to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of children with developmental differences and cultivate partnerships with families. (Prerequisite: ECE 1210)
ECE2520 Children with Challenging Behaviors (3 credits)
This course supports students' understanding of children's behavioral problems and identifies intervention strategies to prevent and resolve problem behaviors. Effective behavior modification techniques and designing behavior plans will be explored. (Prerequisites: ECE 1210 & ECE 1230)
ECE2570 Capstone (1 - 3 credits)
The course is designed to allow students to explore a deeper understanding within their area of emphasis in Early Childhood (e.g. Nature Studies, Mental Health, Trauma-Informed Practices) through research, service-learning, portfolio development, and reflective practice. Students will explore and demonstrate the actual applicability of the area of emphasis to the field of early childhood. Offered for variable credit (1-3 credits). (Prerequisite: Instructor Permission).
ECE2580 Observation and Assessment (3 credits)
This course focuses on the appropriate use of observation and assessment strategies to document children's development, growth, play and learning, and to join with families and professionals in promoting children's success. The students will explore recording strategies, rating systems, multiple assessment tools, and portfolios. There will be a focus on increasing objectivity in observing and interpreting children's behavior, observing development characteristics, and increasing the awareness of normal patterns of behavior. (Prerequisites: ECE 1210 and ECE 1230.)
ECE2590 Introduction to Children's Mental Health (3 credits)
This course provides a deeper look at social-emotional learning experiences and the long-term effects of positive experiences. Students integrate knowledge of healthy child development, developmentally appropriate learning environments and trauma-informed teaching methods to promote positive emotional development, social development, self-concept, self-esteem, social skills, diversity awareness, resiliency, and attachment. (Prerequisite: ECE 1210 and ECE 1230)
HSER1000 Introduction to Counseling (3 credits)
This course provides students with an introduction to the skills of counseling. Students will learn how to identify and explore feelings, set up a positive environment, learn effective helping skills, and explore treatment issues. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the principles of interviewing and on the demonstrated application of these skills by the student. Students examine how these skills affect relationship building and therapeutic interventions. Guided encounters, discussions, presentations, and assigned projects will be utilized. (Prerequisites: None)
HSER1020 Behavioral Interventions (3 credits)
This course provides an in-depth look at positive supports and interventions for those with challenging behaviors, and reviews human development, learning styles, and teaching techniques. Additionally, analysis of a wide variety of multiple positive behavior strategies will be conducted. This course reviews the philosophy of behavior modification and theory, incident and accident reports, and documentation requirements. Emphasis is placed on understanding and supporting an individual's learning barriers by using positive approaches, as well as understanding and responding to behaviors with positive supports. Students will explore how their individual values and personal experiences influence the ways in which they respond to and assess individual's abilities. Students will also acquire knowledge and skills relating to functional and specialized assessments, the importance of using non-aversive interventions and the selection and use of appropriate non-aversive behavioral supports. Methods for designing, planning, developing, and implementing skill orientated support plans are taught in this course. (Prerequisites: None)
Required Arts and Sciences (4 Courses)
Complete the following courses:
ENGL100 Composition (4 credits)
Composition is concerned with developing, through theory and practice, the ability to communicate in written form for personal and professional reasons. Students will develop writing skills, analytic skills, and critical thinking skills. Students will complete readings, papers, grammar exercises, and in-class activities. Students will complete research and write a research paper. Students will learn methods of writing informatively and persuasively. (Prerequisites: Must have one of the following: (MCA Reading score of 1047 or higher, or ACT Reading score of 21 or higher or Next-Generation Accuplacer Reading score of 250 or higher, or Classic Accuplacer Reading score of 78 or higher) OR (READ 0095 with a grade of C (2.0) or higher) OR (completion of either READ 0090 or EAP 0090 with a grade of C (2.0) or higher) AND (completion of either ENGL 0090 or EAP 0095 with a grade of C [2.0] or higher) (MNTC 1: Communication)
PSYC100 Introduction to Psychology (4 credits)
This course will introduce the broad spectrum of theories and applications that make up the field of psychology. Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes, and how they are affected by physical and mental states, and external environments and social forces. (Prerequisites: Must have a Next-Generation Accuplacer Reading score of 250 or higher, or Classic Accuplacer Reading score of 78 or higher, or completion of either READ 0090 or EAP 0090 or READ 0095 with a grade of C (2.0) or higher, or ACT Reading score of 21 or higher or MCA Reading score of 1047 or higher.) (MNTC 5: History/Social & Behavioral Sciences)
PSYC230 Abnormal Psychology (4 credits)
In this course, students will increase their awareness and understanding of mental illness and psychological disorders. Students will become familiar with the history of the field, clinical descriptions, classification, etiology, course of onset, and typical treatment regimens specific to various disorders and mental illness. Abnormal behavior will be explored from various theoretical perspectives including psychological, biological, and socio-cultural approaches. (Prerequisites: PSYC 100 or PSYC 110 or PSYC 140 or instructor approval.) (MNTC 5 - History/Social & Behavioral Sciences, MNTC 7a - Human Diversity, MNTC 7b - Race/Power/Justice)
Additional Psychology (1 Course)
Choose one Additional PSYC course other than PSYC100 and PSYC230
PLEASE NOTE: All program plans are preliminary and curriculum may change without notice. Your catalog of record may have different requirements.
