60 Credits AAS3701, Academic Catalog 2025-2026
Resources
The Outdoor/Nature Studies Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education offers a unique and immersive approach to nurturing young minds. Spanning 60 credit hours, this program integrates the wonders of nature with current educational techniques. Students learn to utilize outdoor environments as dynamic classrooms, fostering a deeper connection to the natural world while promoting cognitive, physical, and emotional development. Through hands-on experiences, learners explore nature-based learning methods, knowledge in biological and earth sciences, ecological literacy, environmental ethics, and sustainable practices. Graduates will emerge as innovative educators, equipped to create engaging and enriching experiences that cultivate a love for nature, foster environmental stewardship, and lay the groundwork for a lifelong love of learning.
Campus: 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 (13 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)
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)
ECE2530 Curriculum Planning (3 credits)
This course provides an advanced level of curriculum planning. Emphasis is on organizing, implementing, and evaluating developmentally appropriate curricula. (Prerequisite: ECE 1270)
ECE2560 Introduction to Language and Literacy (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to children's language and literacy development from birth to age eight. Students will obtain skills in creating developmentally appropriate learning experiences that support both oral language and emerging literacy skills among children at all developmental levels. Students will be exposed to a wide range of instructional practices, approaches, methods, and curriculum materials to support children's language and literacy development. (Prerequisite: ECE 1210)
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.)
AGRI1810 Intro to Sustainable Microfarming (1 credits)
This class is designed for individuals to enter agribusiness careers related to the growing demand by customers to purchase food produced locally. These operations tend to produce, manage, and market agricultural commodities differently than traditional agriculture models but have a tremendous potential in the new consumer marketplace. Students will be involved in all aspects of operation for a small farm to fork business model. Using a high tunnel as the form of production, this course will follow the growth process of vegetables on a local scale. Students will look at the ability to farm on a small scale, focusing on locally grown crops. They will evaluate the market for and ability to maintain production practices within a microfarming practice. (Prerequisite: None)
PLSC1100 Soils I (3 credits)
This course has a lecture and a lab component. Areas of study will include the physical properties, chemical properties, biological properties, soil formation, classification, essential nutrient and soil survey. There will be emphasis on soil and water conservation and practices that can be used to reduce soil erosion. Evaluations of soil samples will be conducted in the agribusiness lab and in the field. (Prerequisites: None)
Required Arts and Sciences (6 Courses)
Complete the following courses:
AIS112 Native American Perspectives (4 credits)
Native American Perspectives introduces students to writings about Native American life. Students will become acquainted with some myths and legends as well as contemporary literature. Students will also explore Native American culture, with a special emphasis on the environmental impacts of colonization. (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 - Hist/Soc/Behav Sci, MNTC 10 - People/Enviroment)
BIOL100 Introduction to Biology (4 credits)
Introduction to Biology familiarizes students with fundamental biological principles and processes occurring within our natural world. This course engages students in the methodology and practice of scientific investigation, and emphasizes molecular and cellular processes, systems of the human body, and human impact on the environment. Discussions of organisms are framed by the sciences of ecology and evolution with a focus on the relationship between biological structure and function. Lecture and a 2 hour lab are included. (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 3: Natural Sciences)
OR
BIOL101 Introduction to Ecology (4 credits)
Introduction to Ecology introduces the student to fundamental principles of ecology while focusing on interactions occurring at all of its levels. Students will become familiar with interrelationships between biotic and abiotic components of the natural world, investigate population, community, and ecosystem structures and dynamics, and gain knowledge of human impact on the environment. Lecture and a 3 hour lab are included. (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 3, 10: Natural Sciences, People and the Environment)
GEOG101 Introduction to Physical Geography (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to physical geography that systematically examines the spatial patterns and interrelationships among physical elements at the earth's surface. Students will study the earth's physical environment, its systems, and the physical processes that drive them through study of weather, climate, natural vegetation, soil, and landforms. However, these topics are not just discussed independently since the course concentrates on understanding the integration of these areas of the natural world. Geography focuses on human activities, and so the course will highlight some of the basic interactions between human activity and the natural environment. Current issues will be discussed and a scientific foundation provided for understanding global warming and other critical environmental issues. (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 3, 10: Natural Sciences, People & the Environment)
GEOG103 Introduction to Cultural Geography (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to cultural geography through the study of global patterns of many aspects of human culture, including population, migration, folk and popular culture, language, religion, ethnicity, political geography, development, agriculture, industry, services, urban patterns, and resource issues. Students will examine all of these and several other issues during the semester. Students will stress the variation in the cultural landscape and critically analyze several current problems facing modern society, such as overpopulation and differences between societies. Cultural geography is focused on those things that are human-created. Therefore, the basic theme addressed throughout the course will be to discover where and why human activities are located where they are found. Students will participate in the discussions and will exchange ideas that will help them to better understand the diversity of the cultural landscape and the similarities and differences between different social groups. (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, 8: History & the Social & Behavioral Sciences, Global Perspective)
GEOG104 Introduction to Weather and Climate (3 credits)
This course will serve as an introduction to the basic atmospheric processes described as weather. Topics including atmospheric pressure, winds, temperature patterns, humidity and precipitation, and severe weather phenomena will be examined. The spatial distribution of global climates and climate change will also be explored. (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 3, 10: Natural Sciences, People & The Environment)
PHIL210 Environmental Ethics (3 credits)
This class explores the place of human beings within the broader ecosystem, focusing on the environmental impact of human behavior and sustainable alternatives to consumerist lifestyles. In addition to surveying the scientific evidence for the ecological problems humans cause, it addresses the political, economic, cultural, philosophical and religious dimensions of the current environmental crisis. The class also includes discussion and application of solutions to these problems, encouraging students to become involved in environmental activism and consider changes in their own behavior. (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 9, 10: Ethical and Civic Responsibility, People and the Environment)
Choose 1 ART Course (1 Course)
The list of options is included on the master Course Descriptions page.
PLEASE NOTE: All program plans are preliminary and curriculum may change without notice. Your catalog of record may have different requirements.
