Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education program focuses on delivering an educational foundation in the growth and development of young children. The program prepares students to work with children to promote their cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and social development. As part of the program, students will work directly with young children in the model laboratory on campus or on approved sites. An Associate of Science degree will be awarded upon successful completion. Outside work required.

The Early Childhood Education program is intended to provide career-focused students an educational foundation for working with young children in varied educational settings.

Students will:

• Describe basic concepts of child development
• Demonstrate a comprehension of the characteristics and needs of young children including factors that influence their learning environments
• Plan/Create safe/healthy/respectful/supportive learning environments
• Comprehend observations, documentation, assessments, and their uses to improve child development
• Understand and apply skills to support children's social/emotional/physical/intellectual advancement together with language and literacy development
• Identify and work with differing approaches, instructional methodologies, and tools used to interact and constructively work with children and their families/communities
• Uphold ethical guidelines and professional standards, applying knowledge gained in the program to real world scenarios

All applicants will be required to do a pre-enrollment interview with an Admissions Coordinator to determine the necessary requirements for entrance into the program. To be considered for enrollment, applicants must supply verification of standard high school graduation, GED completion, or proof of graduation from a foreign institution comparable to a United States secondary school; home-schooled applicants are considered upon receipt of the proper state credential.

Prerequisites.

• Background check and drug screening where applicable
• Have a High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent
• Pass the entrance examination

Program length. This program can be completed in 20 months for full-time students.

Campus hours. Classes are in session year-round, except for the holidays and vacations listed in the Academic Calendar. The Boynton Beach and Miami Lakes campuses are open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 10:30 pm, Fridays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Start dates. The catalog publishes term dates (each term begins on a Monday; for example, the Winter 2027 semester begins January 11, 2027) but no program-specific start dates; contact the campus for the next start.

Tuition and fees (Florida). At Southeastern College, tuition and fees are charged to the student by the semester/pay period. Each semester is 16-weeks in duration for credit hour programs. Each pay period is 450 hours (900 clock hour program), 370 hours (740 clock hour program) and 500 hours (1500 clock hour program) in duration for clock hour programs. Southeastern College students are not charged by the course or by credit hours.

The catalog lists 5 semesters for this program. The following fees are charged each semester/pay period in addition to tuition, and the one-time fees are charged at enrollment:

• Tuition per 16-week semester (full-time): $12,576.00
• Technology fee (per semester/pay period): $400.00
• Student services fee (per semester/pay period): $300.00
• Program fee (per semester/pay period): $100.00
• Lab fee (per semester/pay period): $100.00
• Application fee (one-time): $50.00
• Registration fee (one-time): $95.00
• Transcript fee: $5.00
• Diploma shipping and handling fee: $100.00

Tuition for students less than full time is charged based on a pro-rata calculation at the beginning of the semester/pay period. Programs that require a student kit will be assessed a fee accordingly. Textbook prices are available on the student portal by course. If applicable, students taking online courses who have the textbooks shipped will have shipping charges assessed for them.

Financial aid. Southeastern College is approved by the U.S. Department of Education for Title IV Federal Aid Programs. Prospective students who seek financial assistance must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and make an appointment with a Financial Aid Officer. The college's aid programs include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Stafford Student Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Work Study and Southeastern College and private scholarships. Federal School Code (FAFSA) for this campus: 031239.

Military and veterans. Southeastern College is approved by the Florida and North Carolina state approving agencies for veterans training, and its VA Pending Payment Policy protects students using Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) or VR&E (Chapter 31) benefits. Tuition Assistance funds are available to eligible Service members; Active Duty students must meet with their branch of service before enrolling.

Net price calculator. Southeastern College Net Price Calculator

Career focus. The Early Childhood Education program focuses on delivering an educational foundation in the growth and development of young children. The program prepares students to work with children to promote their cognitive, emotional, language, physical, and social development. As part of the program, students will work directly with young children in the model laboratory on campus or on approved sites. An Associate of Science degree will be awarded upon successful completion. Outside work required.

Graduation and employment rates (ACCSC 2025 annual report, as of 10/10/2025). Full-time cohort starting October 2021 – September 2022: 100% graduation rate (of 2); no employment outcomes to report.

Professional licensure disclosure: Diploma-AS-BS-Early-Childhood-Education-Licensure-Disclosure-2026.pdf