Early Childhood Education

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Early Childhood Education

Nurture Young Minds

Help shape the future as you create safe spaces for tomorrow’s leaders to learn, play, and grow. Early Childhood Education is your path to teaching and caring for infants to Pre-K children.

Earn your certificate, diploma, or associate degree—it’s up to you! After completing your program, start teaching young learners. Make a difference and see the world through fresh, young eyes.

APPLY AT HAWKEYE TODAY.

Choose Your Early Childhood Education Pathway

Certificate (4 Months) Earn a certificate to get to work as soon as possible in an entry-level childcare position.

Start in fall or spring
All classes are about working with children
Learn how children grow and develop from infancy on
Credits count towards diploma or AAS
Go to work right away when you're done
Stack this into the diploma

Explore the Early Childhood Education 4 month certificate

Diploma (1 Year) Earn a diploma and in as little as 12 months to start a childcare career with more autonomy.

Start in fall or spring
Includes all classes in the certificate
Learn how children grow and develop from infancy on
Adds supervised field experience
Adds courses for professional growth
Credits count towards diploma or AAS
Go to work right away when you're done
Stack this into the AAS

Explore the Early Childhood Education 1 year diploma option

Associate of Applied Science Degree (2 years) Earn an AAS degree in as little as two years to qualify for lead or assistant teacher/caregiver roles.

Start in fall or spring
Includes all classes as the diploma
Adds more supervised field experience
Adds courses for career development
The strongest start for those who want more responsibility
When you're done, start your career
If you might transfer, talk to your academic advisor early and often

Explore the Early Childhood Education AAS degree 2 year option

What You Get

By choosing to study Early Childhood Education at Hawkeye, you can look forward to a lower cost, high-quality education.

Throughout your coursework, you gain the knowledge and skills you’ll need to work effectively and safely with infants through preschool-aged children.

Field-specific knowledge areas you’ll focus on include:

Child growth and development
Health, safety, and nutrition
Infant and toddler care
Program administration
State regulations

Career-specific skills you’ll build include:

Classroom management
Curriculum planning and assessment
Decision-making abilities
Effective written and oral communication with children, families, and other educators
Positive emotional and behavioral guidance techniques
Plan and implement imaginative and creative activities for children

Teach and care for infants through preschool-aged children in childcare centers, preschools, child development homes, public and private schools, and more.

Field Experiences

You can start building confidence right away. You get up to 240 hours of work experience in the Hawkeye's NAEYC accredited Child Development Center and local Head Start, preschool, and early childhood programs.

You'll complete your field experience during the day.

Classroom Technology

Experience the technology of the modern-day classroom, including Owlets in infant classrooms, electronic assessment practices, and interactive technology on whiteboards, iPads, and laptops.

As part of this program, you may receive the following certifications:

First Aid
CPR
Blood Borne Pathogens and Universal Precautions
Mandatory Reporter

Our program curriculum prepares you for licensing and work in this field in the state of Iowa. Hawkeye has not determined whether the program curriculum meets all other states’ educational requirements for licensure or certification.

If you wish to work outside the state of Iowa, please contact the state agency in which you hope to work for details about licensure or certification.

You can get right to work after you complete your program. Or, if you plan to go on to earn a bachelor’s degree, consider your transfer options. There is a documented pathway from the Early Childhood Education AAS to these programs:

Upper Iowa University

Bachelor of Arts, Education (Birth-Grade 3: Inclusive Settings Emphasis)

University of Nothern Iowa

Bachelor of Arts, Early Childhood Education Teaching

Northwestern College

Bachelor of Arts, Early Childhood + Teaching Licensure
Bachelor of Arts, Early Childhood (Non-Licensure)

If you’re interested in transferring, you must work closely with an academic advisor at Hawkeye and at the transfer institution. This is important to ensure courses transfer and you meet program requirements.

Plan Your Transfer

Succeed at Hawkeye

Graduate Spotlight Princilia Kianbanzawoko

Princilia Kianbanzawoko arrived in the U.S. from the Congo with her family in 2016. After graduating from Waterloo West High, she came to Hawkeye Community College for Early Childhood Education and has since found big opportunities.

Play Graduate Spotlight: Princilia Kiabanzawoko

Play A lifelong love of children becomes a career through Hawkeye's Early Childhood Education program.

Graduate Spotlight Cayden Griswold

A lifelong love of children drew Cayden to the Early Childhood Education program. She worked in the Child Development Center on campus to help her prepare for a rewarding career seeing children grow and thrive.

Explore Funding

Hawkeye Scholarships

Explore Early Childhood Education Scholarships

Iowa Kibbie Tuition Grant

Pays a portion of your tuition and fees

Iowa T.E.A.C.H. Scholarship

Money to support you as you pursue your degree

Child Care WAGE$® Iowa

Salary supplement program

Play

Child Care WAGE$® Iowa Salary Supplement Program

The Child Care WAGE$® Iowa program offers salary supplements (also called stipends) to the early care and education workforce, based on the individual’s level of formal education and commitment to their program.

WAGE$ program