Course Descriptions

This course provides an examination of the physical and social environments that promote learning and development for young children. It includes an introduction to basic child guidance techniques for individual and group situations. Emphasis is on exploring, observing and practicing problem prevention and positive child guidance strategies through coursework and a lab experience. This course contains an off-site lab experience that will assist in guiding students to obtain the skills necessary to become successful professionals within early childhood settings. All students will be required to obtain and pass a Minnesota background check prior to completing 30 hours at an approved lab site.

This course provides an overview of developmentally appropriate learning experiences in home, center-based and school settings. Students integrate knowledge of developmental needs, environments and teaching strategies to enhance all areas of a child's emerging development throughout the curriculum.

This course provides the student with an opportunity to observe, assess, record, interpret and develop plans to strengthen the development of children. Students will study then carry out numerous informal and formal methods of observing and assessing children and will construct a child study based on assessments gathered throughout the semester.

Students will examine strategies that support inclusive programs for children and families along with legal and ethical requirements, eligibility and qualification for services, including but not limited to American Disabilities Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, typical and atypical development. Strategies to adapt curriculum to meet the needs of children with developmental differences and cultivate partnerships with families will also be explored.

This course provides an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills in an actual child development setting. Students will observe and assess children's behavior, facilitate free choice play, implement adult-directed learning experiences and maintain professional relationships.This course can be taken only after students have completed the first three semesters of the program or with instructor approval.

This course provides an overview of language and literacy development for children birth to age 8. Students will research, evaluate, plan and design developmentally appropriate language and literacy-rich experiences for children. Students also will learn teaching strategies utilized to promote literacy development within the program/school setting and home.

This course will provide an introduction to anatomy of the cardiovascular system. Students will be introduced to the cardiac cycle, heart and vascular pressures, and the basics of electrophysiology. Students will also learn the medical terminology associated with the cardiovascular system and anatomical locations.

This course provides hands-on learning in an echocardiography laboratory as simulated in a clinical environment. Students will be introduced to ultrasound imaging equipment, transducer position, echocardiographic views and scanning techniques following an adult transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography exam protocol. Students will also become familiar with transducer motions associated with echocardiographic imaging.

This course will cover the anatomy of the cardiovascular system. Students will learn the cardiac cycle, including event timing, heart and vascular pressure, cardiac chamber quantification, and electrophysiology. Also included in this course is an introduction to the two-dimensional ultrasound appearance of cardiac anatomy, including abnormalities detected by adult transthoracic echocardiography.

This course provides hands-on learning in an echocardiography laboratory as simulated in a clinical environment. Students familiarize with ultrasound imaging equipment, system controls, transducer position, and scanning techniques following an adult transthoracic echocardiography exam protocol.

This course includes an in-depth review of the pathophysiology of heart disease and the role of ultrasound diagnosis and treatment. Topics include measurements of cardiac chamber size, calculations of valve area, hemodynamics, estimation of regurgitation, evaluation of native valve disease, evaluation of pericardial disease, prosthetic valves, aortic disease, cardiomyopathies and evaluation of cardiac tumors.

Students will continue to build on the ultrasound scanning skills learned in ECHO1100. Content includes the development of a full adult transthoracic echocardiography scanning protocol. In addition, students will learn the required measurements to determine the severity of cardiovascular disease.

Students will apply the principles of ultrasound, sound propagation, pulsed-echo instrumentation, image formation, transducers and system operation to the interpretation of sonographic information and image methodology. Integrating these theories and abstract principles with their practice clinical applications will be emphasized.

This course continues exploration of the theoretical and abstract principles that form the technological basis of diagnostic medical sonography. Topics include Doppler physics and instrumentation, artifacts, quality assurance and hemodynamics. Physics applications and collaborative learning will be highly emphasized.

This course includes an in-depth review of the pathophysiology of heart disease, including congenital heart defects. The role of ultrasound enhancement agents and exercise echocardiography is discussed. Quantitative echocardiography is addressed, including regurgitation assessment, 3D imaging and transesophageal echocardiography.