What Is Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education?
Are you energetic, patient, and caring? Do you want to work in a lively and creative environment with children and families? As an early childhood professional you can influence the development of children during their most impressionable years. Working in the early childhood field allows you to invest yourself in the future!
The Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education program at WKCTC is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs. The program meets the Accreditation Standards through four indicators: documented learning opportunities, key assessments, data on candidate performance on key assessments, and the use of data to improve the program in relation to accreditation standards. Each student will gain understanding of the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development of children from birth through age five. Corresponding field experiences throughout the community help prepare students with the knowledge and competencies of research-based best practices.
What are my career options?
Employment opportunities include child care programs, public and private preschools, Early Head Start, Head Start, early intervention programs, home-based programs, school-age programs, corporate-sponsored child care facilities, youth service worker, family and child advocacy programs to name a few. Students make a positive, sustained impact on children’s learning and family involvement through their employed positions.
What are my degree, diploma, or certificate options?
ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN APPLIED SCIENCE
CERTIFICATE
- Child Care Assistant
- Early Childhood Administrator
- Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education Technical Studies
- Kentucky Child Care Provider
- School Age Child Care
IECE Program Opportunities
Students become actively involved in the Early Childhood Student group, campus activities, community activities, early childhood initiatives and professional early childhood organization activities.
Coursework is encouraged to pursue the Child Development Associate credential (CDA) awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington D.C. The Division of Child Care in Kentucky also acknowledges your educational advancement by offering additional certifications based on your education: Commonwealth Child Care Credential (CCCC) and the Kentucky Director’s Credential.
IECE Scholarship and Funding Opportunities
The Early Childhood Development Scholarship is available for students who meet certain eligibility requirements. This scholarship is a non-repayable tuition scholarship, and is only available to students on the Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education academic plan who are employed 20 hours a week in a child care program. For more information, contact the Early Care and Education Coach: Professional Development: (270) 534-3459. Mini grants are also available for the CDA application should you meet eligibility requirements. Milestone achievement awards, textbook reimbursements and related education awards are additional funding opportunities.
Length of Program
The program can be completed in two years if you take 15 to 18 credit hours per semester. General education classes should be taken along with curriculum classes.
This information should not be considered a substitute for the KCTCS Catalog. You should always choose classes in cooperation with your faculty advisor to ensure that you meet all degree requirements.
Field Licensure Requirements
Students will need to transfer to a four-year school if they wish to obtain their certification as an Early Head Start, Head Start, Preschool/Kindergarten teacher or Developmental Interventionist. This will ultimately require testing based upon the requirements of the Educational Professional Standards Board of Kentucky. However, no certification is necessary to graduate from the Associate degree program in IECE. Criminal Background check, Child Abuse and Neglect check (CAN check) and negative TB skin test are required to complete required field observation hours and student teaching.
