“What I value most about my experience thus far is the closeness and compassion of the faculty and my cohort. As a non-traditional student and mother of six, being able to continue my education and pursue my goals of becoming a knowledgeable and skilled social worker has been a life-changing experience.”
Bachelor’s Degree Completion Programs
The Elms College bachelor’s degree completion programs offered at Berkshire Community College meet all general requirements of Elms College. You enter this program with the required associate’s degree (and at least 60 credits) , satisfy Elms’ core requirements, and complete the requirements of your specific degree program.
Classes are held at the Berkshire Community College campus in Pittsfield on Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m., and are taught by Elms faculty. By completing your coursework in 10 eight-week sessions over a 20-month period, you can save thousands of dollars by completing your degree.
Early Care and Education
Take your interest in early childhood education and transform it into a rewarding career. The degree completion program offered at Berkshire Community College will provide you with the knowledge and skills to foster cognitive, social, and emotional growth in young children.
Earn your degree in 20 months
Classes held Saturdays (8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-5 p.m.) on the BCC campus
Early childhood education specialists make an impact in public and private schools, childcare centers, daycares, and more.
Early childhood education specialists can earn an average salary of $35,000 per year, according to ZipRecruiter.
Preschool and childcare center directors can earn a median salary of $47,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
By accelerating your studies over 20 months, you can save thousands of dollars while completing your degree. All you need to do is:
Enter the early care and education program with the required associate's degree (and at least 60 credits)
Satisfy the Elms College core requirements
Complete the requirements of the early care and education program
Quick Info
Click to view course requirements for the Social Work (B.S.).
Click to collapse the course requirements for the Social Work (B.S.).
The bachelor’s degree program requires 120 credits. You can transfer in a maximum of 78 credits from BCC or other regionally accredited colleges. A minimum of 42 credits must be earned through Elms College.
Minimum of 60 Elms Credits and a Minimum of 120 Credit to Graduate with a Baccalaureate Degree. Additional requirements: Macroeconomics; Introduction to Sociology; General Psychology; Philosophy; U.S. History I or II; Human Growth & Development; Fine/Performing Art. A college-level math is strongly recommended. Courses and sequence subject to change.
*400 hours of fieldwork required outside of the program schedule
Session 1 - Fall 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 2101
SWK 211
Professional Communication in Social Work
3
SWK 1001
SWK 101
Introduction to Social Work
3
Session 2 - Fall 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 3002
SWK 302
Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families
3
SSD 2002
SSD 202
American Government/Public Policy (online)
3
Session 3 - Spring 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 3001
SWK 301
Social Welfare Policies and Services
3
SWK 3003
SWK 303
Mental Health and Mental Illness
3
Session 4 - Spring 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 3105
SWK 315
Social Work Practice with Communities
3
MAT 1009
MAT 109
Statistics
3
Session 5 - Summer 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 2005
SWK 205
Human Behavior in the Social Environment II
3
BIO 1005
BIO 105
Human Biology (online)
3
Session 6 - Summer 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 3007
SWK 307
Social Group Work
3
REL 2105
REL 215
World Religions (online)
3
Session 7 - Fall 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 4002A
SWK 402A
Advanced Social Work Practice
3
SWK 3100A
SWK 310A
Social Work Research
3
SWK 4001D
SWK 401D
Field Work Experience*
3
Session 8 - Fall 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 4002B
SWK 402B
Advanced Social Work Practice
3
SWK 3100B
SWK 310B
Social Work Research
3
SWK 4001E
SWK 401E
Field Work Experience*
3
Session 9 - Spring 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 4004A
SWK 404A
Survey of Social Work Issues (Capstone)
SWK 4001F
SWK 401F
Field Work Experience*
3
Session 10 - Spring 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
SWK 4004B
SWK 404B
Survey of Social Work Issues (Capstone)
SOC 3106
SOC 316
Racial and Ethnic Groups (online)
3
SWK 4001G
SWK 401G
Field Work Experience*
3
Click to view course requirements for the Early Care and Education (B.A.).
Click to collapse the course requirements for the Early Care and Education (B.A.).
The bachelor’s degree program requires 120 credits. You can transfer in a maximum of 78 credits from regionally accredited colleges. A minimum of 42 credits must be earned through Elms College.
Courses and sequence subject to change
Session 1 - Fall 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3309
EDU 339
Writing in the Professions for ECE
3
PHI 2402
PHI 242
Ethics (online)
3
Session 2 - Fall 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3108
EDU 318
Technology for Early Childhood Educators
3
Elective
3
Session 3 - Spring 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3400
EDU 340
Health, Safety and Nutrition for ECE (online)
3
REL 3002
REL 302
World Religions (online)
3
Session 4 - Spring 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3308
EDU 338
Assessment of Young Children
3
EDU 2004
EDU 204
Multicultural Children's Literature
3
Session 5 - Summer 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3207
EDU 327
Addressing Challenging Behaviors in ECE
3
EDU 2400
EDU 240
Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorders in ECE
3
Session 6 - Summer 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3307
EDU 337
Early Literacy and Bilingualism
3
Elective
3
Session 7 - Fall 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3401
EDU 341
Inclusionary ECE Classroom
3
EDU 3601
EDU 361
Advanced Case Studies in Child Psychology
3
Session 8 - Fall 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3602
EDU 362
Inquiry Based Strategies for Teaching Math to Young Children
3
Elective
3
Session 9 - Spring 1
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3603
EDU 363
Pubic Policy and Advocacy in ECE
3
EDU 3702
EDU 372
Nature and Environmental Curriculum: An Inquiry-Based Approach
3
Session 1 - Spring 2
Course #
Formerly
Course Name
# of Credit Hours
EDU 3703
EDU 373
Capstone Portfolio Seminar
3
Elective
3
Jean Barrett '20
“With the Elms at BCC program, I’m able to complete my bachelor’s degree while working full time during the week as a preschool teacher. The professors for my early education and care courses all work right here in the Berkshires, so we can hear from their experiences. Having this degree will help me pursue my dreams of opening my own childcare center.”
