Ashworth College Addresses Increased Demand for Qualified Teaching Professionals
Online, March 2, 2010 (Newswire.com) - NORCROSS, Georgia - March 1, 2010 - Ashworth College announced today the addition of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu) to its roster of online degree programs. The new bachelor's curriculum is nationally accredited and designed to provide students with in-depth instruction in the principles and procedures of supervising and educating children from newborn to age eight.
With 64% of U.S. mothers with children between the ages of 1 and 6 years working outside the home, it's not surprising to see a renewed emphasis on kindergarten and first-grade readiness. As a result, employment in child care is expected to grow by 38% over the next decade, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
"For those interested in becoming a public or private elementary school teacher, a bachelor's degree is typically a prerequisite," stated Dr. Milton Miller, Vice President of Education at Ashworth College. "And with increased employment opportunities in non-traditional teaching roles, including pre-school, special education, after-school programs, tutoring services, youth recreation programs and camps, we believe the time is right to introduce this new bachelor's degree program."
The program will cater to undergraduate students with little or no previous college credits as well as those with an associate degree and planning to take their education and career to the next level. Ashworth also offers an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education.
In addition to laying the foundation for a broad base of knowledge through general education courses, Ashworth's eight semester distance education program offers specialty courses such as child development, early childhood literacy, curriculum development, cultural diversity, and exceptional children. Each focuses on preparing students for careers in the field of early childhood education.
"With an Ashworth College Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education, students will graduate with skills that can be immediately applied in an early childhood environment," said Deepa Chadha, Degree Program Director at Ashworth. "Ashworth's instructors are experienced, working professionals who give our students the added benefit of practical, real-world knowledge."
Ashworth's Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education program is comprised of forty comprehensive courses which include learning objectives, lecture notes, review questions, multiple-choice exams and written assignments. Courses include:
Achieving Academic Excellence
Art & Creative Development
Child Development
Children's Literature
Creating Learning Environments
Creative Expression & Play
Cultural Diversity
Curriculum Development
Early Childhood Literacy
Early Childhood Math & Science
Exceptional Children
Guidance & Discipline
Health, Safety & Nutrition
Home, School & Community
Introduction to Early Childhood Education
Movement & Music
Because Ashworth is a distance education institution, students can start the program at any time, study at their own pace, and take exams online. The program is extremely conducive to the working professional's schedule.
"Like all of our degree programs, the Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Education is self paced," commented Dr. Miller. "Many of our students work full-time jobs and have families. We want this to be as flexible as possible so that they can incorporate their studies into their work and family schedules. It helps that they can complete their online courses at home and not travel to a classroom."