Frequently Asked Questions

Students Most Common Questions

Q1. What are the "12 units" my center director is talking about?

A1. The first four core courses I should take to meet licensing requirements and Child Development Permit Core course requirements are:

  • CDE 101 – Principles and Practices of Teaching Young Children
  • CDE 15 – Child, Family, and Community
  • CDE 7 – Child Growth and Development
  • CDE 110 – Introduction to Curriculum (you must complete CDE 7 and 101 before you can enroll in this course)

A2. These four courses also earn the Associate Teacher Permit and are the foundation of the Early Childhood Teacher, Infant Toddler Teacher, Master Teacher, and Site Supervisor Certificates and the AS and AS-T in Early Childhood Education.

A3. The AA-T in Child and Adolescent Development, AA-T in Elementary Teacher Preparation, Professional Development for Preschool/TK Certificate include some, but not all of these courses. Check the specific requirements under Certificates and Degrees

Q2. The class I want is full, how do I add myself to the waitlist?

A. Please view this video and FAQ about the waitlist.  

Q3. I took a similar class at another college. How do I find out if a Child Development course I completed at another college will count at Saddleback?

A1. In order for classes taken at another college to count towards certificates and degrees at Saddleback, you must have official transcripts sent to Saddleback Admissions and Records for internal verification as well as completing the form in A3.

A2. For quick references to similar courses at other colleges check these pages

A3. If you find a course you think is equivalent you must petition for approval following the directions and completing the Course Waiver and Substitution Petition.  This is not done automatically even if your course is on the list above.

Q4. If I took some Child Development courses at Saddleback a long time ago, how do I know which classes they are equivalent to now? 

A1. View the  Historic Human Development and Child Development Course Matrix to see what new course your old course is equivalent to.

Practicum Questions

Q5. Do the practicum prerequisites need to be taken at Saddleback?

A1. See the answer to FAQ 3.

Q6. I plan to qualify for my Child Development Permit using the alternative qualifications column listed on the Permit Matrix.  What are the courses I would need to take before I can take practicum (the supervised field experience requirement) at Saddleback?

A1. Before taking practicum (CDE 121), you would need to take or transfer an equivalent course from another college for:

  • CDE 101 – Principles and Practices of Teaching Young Children
  • CDE 15 – Child, Family and Community
  • CDE 7 – Child Growth and Development
  • CDE 110 -  Introduction to Curriculum
  • CDE 120 – Observation and Assessment

Q7. Is CDE 121 Practicum: The Student Teaching Experience ever offered online?

A1. Not typically at this college.  When it is offered online, the student must secure a placement with a California Early Childhood Mentor Teacher in their local area for the 100 lab hours.  The lecture portion of the course is then done online.

A2. Other colleges offer a similar course online that can be transferred to Saddleback to use toward competition of certificate and degree requirements. See FAQ question 3