Early Childhood Development - Courses

This bachelor of arts degree completion program requires all 45 units in the major be earned at Fresno Pacific University. The 79 units of general education requirements and general education electives/free electives (IGETC) complete the degree with a total of 124 units.

BIB 300A: Jesus' Life and World (2 units)

• Central to this course is Jesus and his teaching. This offering is foundational to additional courses and to an understanding of the early development of the Christian community. The intent is to provide the student with academic and practical growth through study and experience. It is designed especially for working people enrolled in the degree completion programs. the course uses an interactive approach to learning designed to move beyond knowledge and understanding to doing, living and being.

BIB 300B: Jesus, Church and Society (2 units)

• Foci of this course center around principles for living and the role of the Christian church in society. Study of the beatitudes, kingdom principles and parables are focused through life in the church. The Fresno Pacific Idea is helpful in understanding one's role in society. It is designed to integrate learning and doing for students enrolled in the degree completion programs.

BIB 436: Biblical Perspectives (4 units)

• This course reflects the commitment of Fresno Pacific University as a Christian liberal arts school to nurture an appreciation for the rich resources of the Scriptures for creative personal faith and human life in the modern world. It is designed to foster knowledge and understanding of the literature and history of the Bible and the integration of faith, learning and living.

ECD 300: Child, Family and Community (3 units)

• Students will examine the systems and relationships among family, school and community and their impact on a child's development. Included are a study of ethnic diversity, social class, customs/heritage and gender roles on family behavior, values, morals, attitudes and the development of children.

ECD 310: Human Diversity and Relations (3 units)

• This course expands the student's understanding of the influences of gender, culture, economic situation, learning styles and language on the socialization of children. Students then learn how to use this new understanding to inform the way to program for and interact with children.

ECD 320: Parenting for Early Childhood Educators (3 units)

• This course explores the issues of educating parents through the study of specific developmental assets that integrate factors such as family dynamics, support from community adults, values development and social skills. Parenting is a process and has a variety of rights, responsibilities and roles that change across the life span. Needs of parents, the resources available and the helpful interactions between the parent and the educator are discussed. Variations in parenting practices based on heritage, culture and ethnicity are also reviewed.

ECD 400: Children's Play and Learning Theory (3 units)

• This course examines child development theories as they relate to play and learning in young children. The course considers cultural and developmental perspectives, emphasizes theories in practice and provides a theoretical framework for structuring, observing, analyzing and evaluating play. Students will explore how children learn to play and the effect that play has on the child's development.

ECD 420: Guidance in Social and Emotional Behaviors (3 units)

• In this course, students examine how to promote an encouraging classroom through the study of specific developmental assets that integrate factors such as peer influence, values development and social skills. The short and long term effects of logical and natural consequences for pro-social development are reviewed.

ECD 430: Early Childhood Physical Education Methods (3 units)

• Through this course students will explore movement and developmentally appropriate practices for early childhood physical education. Adaptations for children with exceptionalities will also be presented.

ECD 440: Students with Exceptionalities in School and Community (3 units)

• This course is designed to introduce the student to the information and techniques needed to develop curricula and instruction to meet the unique needs of individual children in early childhood settings. Special emphasis is given to theories, research and practical application from the fields of both early childhood education and special education.

ECD 450: Children's Art and Literature (3 units)

• This course will introduce the student to a diverse selection of children's literature. Students will explore methods and strategies for using children's literature to engage the young learner in multiple learning experiences. A full integration across the curriculum will be a focus as children's literature is directly tied to math, science, social studies and the arts.

ECD 460: Math and Science for Young Children (3 units)

• Designed from a constructivist focus, this course will integrate math and science learning experiences for the young child. Moving young learners from real-world/ concrete experiences to organizing, recording and discovering what they know and understand and what they still wonder about.

ECD 470: Curriculum Development for Early Childhood Education (4 units)

• This course is a general overview of curriculum design for early childhood programs to include planning, preparation, implementation, evaluation of curricular activities, designing a classroom, lesson planning, and the use of observation to guide curriculum and assessment. Developmentally appropriate practices will be a focus through exploration of content across the curriculum. Preparation of a professional portfolio will cap the learning experience.

ECD 482: Childhood Observation Practicum (1 unit)

• This course is divided into a one and two unit course taken over two semesters in which students reflect and apply learning from multiple courses in the child development program. Through readings, reflection on observations and practice, students will synthesize the theory presented through the first semester of course offerings.

ECD 483: Childhood Observation Practicum (2 units)

• This is the second section of this course in which students reflect and apply learning from multiple courses in the child development program. Through readings, reflection on observations and practice, students will synthesize the information presented during this second semester of course offerings.

PSY 352: Advanced Child Growth and Development (3 units)

• This course is an advanced study of human development through a study of diverse cultural backgrounds. Professionals are provided a culturally sensitive account of developmental processes that will assist their young students to develop the skills, understanding and sensitivity needed in a pluralistic society. Included are advanced studies in the cognitive, physical, social, cultural and emotional development of children from conception to age eight from a multicultural perspective and a focus on typical and atypical child growth and development. Research, historical data, theories and recent trends are studied and applied through real-world case studies and applications.