Upon successful completion of the Child Development A.A. or A.A.S. Degree Program, students will be able to:

1. Develop assertive, practical behaviors as an early childhood professional.
2. Use relationship-based practices to build and value relationships with children, their families, professionals and the community.
3. Plan, implement and manage their classroom using research and theory as a foundation.
4. Understand and utilize the observation, assessment, planning, documentation, evaluation and learning cycle for everyday practice in the classroom.
5. Design, implement and evaluate a play-based, child-led, immersive curriculum experience to ensure every child’s developmental needs are met.

The Child Development Program’s Learning Outcomes assist students in achieving the above program goals.

General Information about the Child Development Program

• The above certificate and degrees will enhance students’ knowledge, skills, and competencies in their careers in the early childhood fields as a master teacher, an administrator, or a family childcare home provider.
• We offer up-to-date instruction on child development research and theories focused on the whole child (physically, cognitively, and social-emotionally), relationship-based practices with children and families, following the children’s lead with learning, and promoting active learning as well as many other current practices.
• Students who graduate with our Child Development certificate or degrees meet criteria for Oklahoma DHS Licensing. As well as higher levels on:
  • Oklahoma Director’s Credential
  • Professional Development Ladder (PDL)
  • Oklahoma Reaching for Stars Rating System.
• Classes are offered in a variety of formats to accommodate all students and their schedules. Each term/semester classes are offered in the following formats:
  • online
  • hybrid (part of the class is on campus or Zoom and part of the class is online)
  • flex (student has the choice to attend class on campus or on Zoom)

Most on-campus or Zoom classes are offered in the evening.  Some classes are offered during the day.

• Several of the classes have an observation and/or lab component. This lab component must be completed at an early childhood site.  The Child Development Program has a variety of sites for students to complete their observations or labs.
• Our professors have experience working in the field. They are well informed in practical strategies to bridge the student’s learning from the course material to actual everyday work with children and their families.
• The Child Development workroom, located in the Main Building, room 2N6, has materials and equipment to check out for your labs, as well as materials to help you create activities for your work with young children.

Transferring to a Four-Year School

Thinking about your next step after completing your degree at OCCC? The Child Development Department prepares students for the workforce or for transfer to a four-year college/university.  We have transfer agreements with the following programs:

• • B.S. in Early Intervention – Child Development at Southeastern Oklahoma State University
  • B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies – Child Development at the University of Central Oklahoma
  • B.S. in Early Childhood Education at the University of Central Oklahoma

When researching a four-year college/university to transfer to, it is always best practice to discuss the OCCC courses with a Student Success Advisor or faculty advisor at OCCC to fully understand which courses will transfer.

Scholarship Opportunities

The OCCC Child Development Department is thrilled to partner with the Scholars for Excellence Scholars for Excellence in Child Care – Oklahoma City Community College (occc.edu) in Child Care Program funded by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and administered through the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Qualifying students receive 90%-100% of tuition/fees paid and 100% of textbooks paid through the Scholars’ program. For additional information, contact the Scholar Coordinator, Carina Amrine, by email or phone; carina.s.amrine@occc.edu or 405-682-7832.

Accreditation 

On July 25, 2024 the A.A.S. Child Development degree program and the A.A. Child Development degree program at Oklahoma City Community College was placed on probation/conditions by the Commission on the Accreditation of Early Childhood Higher Education Programs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. A program on probation/conditions is accredited but is not in full compliance with the accreditation standards and/or other requirements for maintaining its accreditation status. A program has up to two yearly reporting cycles to demonstrate full compliance with the standards and/or other requirements for maintaining its accreditation status. The current accreditation term runs from July 2024 through September 2026.

Program Outcomes

Program Outcomes Data

Learning Outcomes Data