Early Childhood Education

CDT 1112 – Early Childhood Profession
This course provides an introduction to the profession of early childhood, types of early childhood programs, and theories of child development. Students are required to develop observational skills through laboratory experience. A completed Immunization Form #121 from the Mississippi State Department of Health and completed Fingerprint and Child Abuse Registry forms provided by the ECET Program Coordinator/ Adviser must be returned to the ECET Program Coordinator/Adviser before the first day of the enrollment semester or the student will be officially withdrawn from the class. Lab fee required. Two semester credit hours: One hour lecture and two hours lab.

CDT 1213 – Infant and Toddler Development
This course provides knowledge concerning the care and development of infants and toddlers in early childhood programs. Practice of infant and toddler caregiving skills (birth to 36 months) in group settings is given in classroom laboratory or collaborative centers. Transportation to the child care observation facility is the responsibility of the student. Three semester credit hours: Two hours lecture and two hours lab.

CDT 1223 – Preschool and Primary Development
This course provides knowledge concerning the care, development and education of preschool children in group settings and school age children in after school and summer programming. Practice is given in preschool and primary child caregiving in group settings through classroom laboratory experiences or collaborative centers. (ages 3-8). Three semester credit hours: Two hours lecture and two hours lab.

CDT 1313 – Creative Arts for Young Children
This course provides knowledge of the creative arts and strategies for developing and implementing creative art experiences, both as a means of creative expression and as a part of integrated learning with children birth to age eight. Experiences will be implemented during Practicum. Lab fee required. Three semester credit hours: Three hours lecture.

CDT 1344 – Child Health, Safety and Nutrition
This course provides knowledge of general health, safety, and nutrition practices in the care and education of young children that includes health and safety issues required by the Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) Regulations Governing Licensure of Childcare Facilities and referenced in the Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale Revised (ITERS-R) and Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale Revised (ECERS-R). A student must pass First Aid/ CPR training to pass this class and to advance in the ECET program. Lab fee required. Four semester credit hours: Three hours lecture and two hours lab.

CDT 1713– Language and Literacy Development for Young Children
Prerequisite: A “C” or better in all courses from the first year-first semester of the ECET program. This course provides knowledge of oral and written language development of young children and the strategies for the development and implementation of developmentally appropriate language and literacy experiences throughout the curriculum. The Mississippi Early Learning Standards, Infant Toddler Standards, Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale Revised (ITERS-R), and Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale Revised (ECERS-R) are utilized. Activities will be implemented during Practicum. Transportation to field trip sights is the responsibility of the student. Lab fee required. Three semester credit hours: Three hours lecture.

CDT 2233 – Guiding Social and Emotional Behavior
Prerequisites: A “C” or better in all required core and technical courses from the first year. This course provides knowledge of the typical behaviors of young children at each stage of development, environmental influences affecting their behavior, and the practice of positive guidance principles by adult caregivers. Resources include the Mississippi Department of Health Regulations Governing Licensure of Childcare Facilities, Mississippi Early Learning Standards, Infant Toddler Standards, Infant Toddler Environmental
Rating Scale Revised (ITERS-R), and Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale Revised (ECERS-R). Lab
activities will be implemented during Practicum I and II. Three semester credit hours: Three hours lecture.

CDT 2413 – Development of the Exceptional Child
Prerequisites: A “C” or better in CDT 1213 and CDT 1223. This course provides knowledge of atypically developing children, family, and classroom intervention strategies and available support services. Legal, ethical, legislative, and family issues will be explored. Resources include Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale Revised (ITERS-R), and Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale Revised (ECERS-R). Transportation to facilities for laboratory hours is the responsibility of the student. Three semester credit
hours: Two hours lecture and two hours lab.

CDT 2513 - Family Dynamics and Community Involvement
Prerequisites: A “C” or better in all required core and technical courses from the first year. This course provides knowledge for establishing successful partnerships with children’s families and communities by creating respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families while involving families in their children’s development and learning. (ages birth to 8 years). Three semester credit hours. Three hours lecture.

CDT 2613 – Methods, Materials and Measurements
Prerequisites: A “C: or better in all required core and technical courses from the first year. This course provides knowledge of an integrated approach to planning, preparing, implementing, and evaluating early childhood curriculum and environments. As students gain a broader understanding of young children, this knowledge will be reflected in their curriculum planning. Students will gain strategies for organizing, analyzing, and interpreting observation data to improve program quality and meet the needs of individual
children. The learning experiences will be implemented during Practicum. Three semester credit hours. Three hours lecture.

CDT 2713 – Social Studies, Math, and Science for the Young Children
Prerequisite: A “C” or better in all courses from the first year-first semester of the ECET program. This course provides knowledge of strategies for developing and implementing developmentally appropriate experiences in social studies, math, and science for young children. Lab activities with the children are implemented during Practicum. Three semester credit hours: Three hours lecture.

CDT 2813 – Administration of Programs for Young Children
Prerequisite: A “C” or better in all required core and technical courses from the first three semesters. This course provides knowledge of the development and administration of early childhood education programs. Emphasis is placed on evaluation of policies and procedures, organizational structure, management, and the quality measures through state agencies. Transportation to field trip sights is the responsibility of the student. Three semester credit hours: Three hours lecture.

CDT 2915 – Initial Practicum
Prerequisites: A “C” or better in all required core and technical courses from the first year and CDT 2613. Co-requisites: CDT 2233, CDT 2413, Social/Behavioral Science Elective. This course is a supervised
practicum which includes a minimum of 180 clock hours of observation and supervised teaching in an approved early childhood setting. This course provides the application of evidence based best practices of early education principles and theories. Students work to create an environment that is safe, healthy, and developmentally appropriate to promote an optimum learning environment for young children. Lab fee required. Five semester credit hours: Ten hours lab.

CDT 2945 –Advanced Practicum
Prerequisites: a “C” or better in all required core and technical courses from the first four semesters. Co-requisites: CDT 2813, CDT 2513, SPT 1113. This course is a supervised practicum which includes a minimum of 180 clock hours of supervised teaching in an approved early childhood setting. The course is a capstone course which focuses on the student’s demonstration of competencies throughout the daily routine using a unit of study for young children. It is usually the last course taken before completing of the program. Lab fee required. Five semester credit hours: Ten hours lab.

CDT 1111, CDT 1121, CDT 2111, CDT 2121 - Early Childhood Seminar I, II, III, IV
Optional course for each semester. This course focuses on objectives that would best prepare students for the national exam, collaborate club and on campus activities, and network with state, regional, and national early childhood education activities. May only be taken with ECET Program Coordinator/Advisor approval. One semester credit hour. One hour lecture.