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About the A.A. Degree Program
A.A. with an Emphasis in Early Childhood Education (A.A./ECE)
The Associate of Arts degree with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education has been designed to provide a highly supportive learning environment in which members of the early childhood community can develop the skills and knowledge needed to meet the current standards for advanced degrees in the field of early childhood. The program is a collaborative effort between the Fischler School of Education and Human Services (FSEHS), the Farquhar Center for Undergraduate Studies (FCUS), and the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies (MSI). The A.A./ECE program is structured according to the national and state requirements for associate degree programs in early childhood education. The program is based on the competencies and guidelines established by the following national organizations:
Program Goals/Learning Outcomes
Early childhood educators enrolled in the AA program will do the following:
- Develop the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the increased challenges and responsibilities faced in today’s early childhood settings
- Learn how to incorporate the best teaching competencies and practices in their work environment
- Learn to recognize the diverse needs and learning styles of all children in today’s multicultural early childhood settings
- Learn how to be responsive to the individual and unique needs of children with special needs
- Attain a greater assurance of job security and expand their potential for career advancement
- Increase their computer and technology skills
- Create a foundation for lifelong learning
Instructional Delivery System
A.A./ECE courses are delivered using a blended online/onsite model at specified sites in the state of Florida. Students will take their early childhood courses (ECA prefix) onsite and then move into the online program for the general education portion of their curriculum. Online courses are delivered online using the WebCT platform. Online delivery provides access to coursework at times and places that are convenient for working professionals.
Program Completion Timeline
The formal instructional portion of the program is designed to be completed in two years, but it must be completed within five years, while students maintain employment in an educational setting.
Program Completion Requirements
To graduate, a student must (a) successfully complete all coursework and apply for degree conferral, (b) maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average, and (c) meet all financial obligations to the University.
About NSU
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, coeducational institution. It was founded in 1964 as Nova University of Advanced Technology. In 1974, the board of trustees changed the university’s name to Nova University. In 1994, Nova University merged with Southeastern University of the Health Sciences to form Nova Southeastern University.
NSU is well known for innovation and quality in both traditional and distance education. The university serves large numbers of adult students and a growing population of traditional undergraduates. To date, the institution has produced approximately 79,000 alumni.
Using fall-term enrollment as a measure, Nova Southeastern University is the largest independent institution of higher education in the Southeast and the seventh largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. NSU is one of 161 colleges and universities statewide, and one of 87 independent four-year institutions in Florida.
The university awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, psychology, and other social sciences. Nova Southeastern University has the only college of optometry in Florida, and the only colleges of pharmacy and dental medicine in South Florida. The institution also enjoys an excellent reputation for its programs for families offered through the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies and the University School. These include innovative parenting, preschool, primary, and secondary education programs.
The university’s programs are administered through academic centers that offer courses at the Fort Lauderdale campuses as well as at locations throughout Florida, across the nation, and at selected international sites in the Caribbean, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Greece, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela. Despite the geographic diversity of sites where classes are offered, 82 percent of the student body attends classes in Florida. Seventy-three percent of all students enrolled attend classes in the tri-county area (i.e., Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties). Nova Southeastern University is a major provider of educational programs for Florida residents. Through its undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs, NSU educated approximately 22,000 Florida residents in calendar year 2004. With an annual budget of approximately $355 million, Nova Southeastern University also has a significant economic impact on the surrounding community. A recent NSU study revealed that the university and its students and employees are expected to contribute more than $1.6 billion to the Florida economy by 2010 when a new Academical Village is fully implemented.
The institution also enjoys an excellent reputation for its programs for families offered through the Mailman Segal Institute for Early Childhood Studies and University School, including innovative parenting, preschool, primary, and secondary education programs.
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