Nashville State Community College
General Information
Contact the Early Childhood Education Program at 615-353-3020 or early.childhood@nscc.edu
Mission and Goals
The mission of the Early Childhood Education Program is to develop knowledgeable, responsive, and innovative professionals who accomplish positive change in the lives of children and families, and the communities we serve. We believe graduates of our program should use developmentally appropriate practices, maintain strong family and community relationships, rely on assessment procedures when making decisions, continue to learn and practice effective early childhood education methods, and grow as early childhood professionals.
The program goals are:
1. Provide training requirements for the Child Development Credential (CDA) and other state credentials
2. Prepare individuals to be teachers, caregivers, and administrators in a variety of settings and programs including center-base, family child care, and school-age care settings
3. Prepare students for transfer to 4-year universities to receive a bachelor's degree in a) Early Childhood Education, Pre-K - 3rd Grade with a teacher license or b) Child Development and Family Relationships
4. Provide professional development for early childhood professionals.
Associate Degrees and Technical Certificate
NSCC’s early childhood program offers three options to its students who wish to pursue early childhood education as a career. Download the following file to compare the three options in early childhood education.
Chart on ECED Options (pdf file)
The Early Childhood Education Certificate is a technical certificate requiring students to complete 22 semester hours in early childhood education. All courses in the technical certificate count toward an AAS or AS degree if a student chooses to continue their education. Students who have completed the TECTA courses for CDA preparation will have only 9-11 additional hours to complete to receive the certificate.
The A.A.S. Degree has earned NAEYC Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation. The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree in Early Childhood Education requires students to complete 60 semester hours. This includes 25 hours of general education (Communications, Math, Science, Humanities, Social Sciences) and 35 hours in early childhood education. Graduates of the program will have the skills and knowledge for careers as teachers, assistant teachers, caregivers, and administrators in a variety of early education settings including child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start programs, before and after school programs, and preschools. The focus of the associate of applied science degree is to prepare early education professionals to work effectively with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and primary age children birth to age nine (9). Please note that teaching kindergarten through 3rd grade requires a four year degree.
The Associate of Science or Associate of Arts (AA or AS) Degree with an Emphasis in Early Childhood Education requires 41 hours of general education and 19 hours in early childhood education, totaling 60 hours. This degree is designed for students planning to earn a baccalaureate degree at a four-year college or university. To become licensed as a teacher in public schools in the state of Tennessee, students must complete a four year degree and complete a teacher education program. Students who wish to prepare for teaching Pre-K through 3rd grade may choose this university parallel degree to meet requirements for the first two years of college. Note: Students should consult a catalog from the transfer college/university of their choice. Throughout the advising and registration process at Nashville State, it is very important that students become familiar with requirements of the transfer program they are pursuing.
Day, Evening, Weekend, and Web-Based Classes
Early childhood education courses are offered on the Nashville campus during the day, evenings, weekends, and on the web. Students who work fulltime may be able to complete the degree at night, weekends and on the web. Courses are offered at off-site locations such as Clarksville and Dickson. Most of the early childhood courses are offered on-line at NSCC or through the RODP (Regent’s Online Degree Program).
Transfer Information
Students may choose to use this program as a stepping stone into higher levels of education. If a student plans to transfer, the student should consult his/her advisor for a specialized program of study. Failure to do so could result in a loss of credits in the transfer process. Students should consult a catalog from the transfer college/university of their choice. Throughout the advising and registration process at Nashville State, it is very important that students become familiar with requirements of the transfer program they are pursuing.
Students who wish to become employed in child care programs licensed by Department of Human Services, State of Tennessee must undergo a criminal history and abuse registry background check. Tennessee law requires a satisfactory background check prior to employment. This is initiated by the employer.
Grading Policy for Early Childhood Majors
A grade of C or above must be earned in all early childhood courses prior to graduation. The student majoring in ECED must receive a C or above in each early childhood course in order to meet prerequisite requirements for subsequent courses.
For TECTA-Supported Students
Students who have been enrolled in ECED courses through the TECTA program (Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance) and have completed the courses designated for preparation for the CDA Credential will have completed 11 to 13 credit hours of the 60 total credits required for an associate degree. The courses already completed through TECTA may include:
Clinical Practicum Courses I, II, and II
Students who wish to register for any of the three ECED Clinical Practicum courses should contact his/her advisor for permission to enroll in the course. Before registering for any Clinical Practicum course (I, II, or III) a student must have:
• attained a grade of C or higher in all ECED courses taken
• met all pre-requisite requirements
Course Requirements Checklists
Early Childhood Education Certificate
Certificate Checklist (pdf file)
AAS Degree in Early Childhood Education
AAS Checklist (pdf file)
AA or AS Degree with Area of Emphasis in Early Childhood Education (for Pre-K-3rd grade)
AS Checklist (pdf file)