Associate in Applied Science
Overview
The Associate in Applied Science: Major in Early Care and Education degree prepares students for a variety of careers working with children and families. Program graduates are qualified for employment in head start, child care centers, 4K programs, elementary school paraprofessional positions, and other agencies serving children and families.
To meet the needs of children and families, our students need strong communication skills and the ability to think critically and make sound decisions. This program provides a foundation in ethics, advocacy, and leadership skills. and balances developmental and educational theory with supervised hands-on experiences and general core coursework.
- Field Work Requirements
For all courses requiring off-site field work and the capstone field placement course leading to graduation, we require:
- Clear criminal background check
- Health assessment denoting good health
- Negative tuberculosis skin test
- Student liability insurance
- Current certification in First Aid and Infant, Child, and Adult CPR
- Accreditation
The Associate in Applied Science in Early Care and Education program at Aiken Technical College is accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The current accreditation term runs from July 2018 through March 2027.
- Program Data
AAS.ECE Program Completers by Year (Full-Time and Part-Time) Academic Year Number of program completers % of program completers who were attending full-time (at the time of completion) % of program completers who were attending part-time (at the time of completion) 2022-2023 4 0 4 2023-2024 3 0 3 2024-2025 1 0 1 AAS.ECE Completion Percentage by Time to Candidate Completion (150% and 200%) The academic year in which a Fall cohort of full-time candidates enrolled in the program (select three sequential years) % of those candidates who completed the program within 150% of the published time frame % of those candidates who completed the program within (select one measure):
-100% (exactly the published timeframe)
-200% (twice the published time frame)
-300% (three times the published time frame)Fall 2019 25% 50% Fall 2020 25% 25% Fall 2021 100% 100% Fall to Fall Retention Rate in the Program for the Three Most Recently Completed Academic Years Academic Year % of part-time candidates enrolled in the program (% of total enrollment) Retention rate among part-time candidates % of full-time candidates enrolled in the program (% of total enrollment) Retention rate among full-time candidates FA22->FA23 74% 37% 37% 11% FA23->FA24 69% 38% 31% 17% FA24->FA25 63% 47% 37% 17% The number and percentage of program graduates employed in the early childhood profession or pursuing further education in the profession within one year of graduation for each of the three most recent academic years: Academic Year Number of graduates % of graduates employed in the ECE profession within one year of graduation % of graduates pursuing further education in the ECE profession within one year of graduation 2021-2022 (2023 report) 2 2 0 2022-2023 (2024 report) 4 4 0 2023-2024 (2025 report) 3 3 0 - Additional Documents
