Child and Family Development, Associate in Applied Science

Florissant Valley, Forest Park and Meramec

The Child and Family Development, Associate in Applied Science offers students a variety of career pathways, including Infant Toddler Studies, the study of the Exceptional Child, and Early Childhood Leadership. Students will investigate leading theories of child development and methodologies for curriculum planning, and assessment. Through class lectures, observation studies, field work with mentor teachers, service learning, and opportunities for discussion with award winning faculty, students will engage in the best practices designed for the study of young children and their families.

The Child and Family Development program is aligned with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation. St. Louis Community College prepares students to work with young children from infancy through age eight.

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree is a two-year program with a concentration of coursework in child development and family studies. AAS degree candidates can find employment as teachers, parent educators, community service workers, youth development program workers, administrators, program planners, managers or directors in early childhood settings. Environments for teaching young children include Head Start and Early Head Start, preschool programs, laboratory schools, elementary schools, and community child care programs. With further study, students have the possibility of a variety of career options such as those in the legal system, hospital and medical settings, government agencies, and therapy systems.

Students must earn at least a “C” in certain courses to be eligible for the associate degree. See an academic advisor or the program coordinator for details about this requirement.

Cost of Attendance.  For more information on cost of attendance visit MoSCORES. 

Program Career and Salary Information.  Pursuant to Missouri HB 1606 (2018), information regarding the number of credit hours, program length, employment rate, wage data, and graduates employed in careers related to their program of study at St. Louis Community College can be found at the following URL: https://scorecard.mo.gov/scorecard/. Search using School / Program “St. Louis Community College” and choose the degree or credential type of interest. 

The following limitations to the data apply: Information provided is based on the most recent cohorts available. Typically, most recent cohorts for wage and completion data are six years prior to the current academic year. Time to complete a program of study varies depending on the number of credit hours students earn per semester.

Interested in this program? Start the enrollment process by visiting the Apply to STLCC page.   

At the completion of the program, students are expected to:

1. plan appropriate lessons for each young child’s diverse characteristics and needs, based on their knowledge and understanding of child development.
2. design effective communication strategies that support positive relationships.
3. design culturally relevant curriculum.
4. implement responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for each child.
5. implement reflective practice to improve their work with young children.
6. demonstrate professionalism as essential for educators of young children.

Missouri Civics Examination.  Students entering college for the very first time in fall 2019 and who intend to complete an associate’s degree must successfully complete a civics examination. Information on who is eligible for a waiver can be found on our website: https://stlcc.edu/programs-academics/missouri-civics-exam.aspx.  

Program of Study