The Saddleback Child Development program prepares students with theory-based, hands-on early childhood teacher education enabling them to begin or expand their developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate care and teaching practices in settings designed for young children.

All Saddleback child development courses are offered on campus as well as online and there are morning, afternoon, evening and weekend courses.

Students have many opportunities to apply their learning in our nationally accredited early childhood lab school as well as in the classrooms of our local California mentor teachers.

The foundational skills and abilities provide a solid base upon which specialized and advanced studies can be built. Successful completion of our child development courses enables students to qualify for a state of California Child Development Permit and along with CSU or IGETC pattern general education courses prepares students for transfer to bachelor's degree programs.

As result of coordination with many state agencies, our program is designed to streamline the process for students pursuing child development certificates, degrees, transfers and state certifications.

Our core courses are aligned with the California Community College Early Childhood Curriculum Alignment Project. The common course names and content in the "Lower Division 8" utilized by early childhood faculty across the state facilitate transfer for students to and between other two and four year colleges.