Award: Associate of Applied Science Degree
No. of credits required: 60
For more information: Contact Assistant Professor Brigid Cook, 443-412-2084, bcook@harford.edu; or Admissions, 443-412-2109.

Program Description

This program prepares students to work with individuals with disabilities in a variety of roles including as paraeducators (teaching assistants) in schools and as direct care staff in adult services. Graduates will work under the supervision of a professional to provide instructional and/or behavioral support in a variety of settings. This program includes two required field placement experiences (30 hours each) which will provide students with experience assisting individuals with disabilities.

Program Goals

Upon completion of the Paraeducation AAS Degree Program, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate professional behavior including effective communication.
2. Develop collaborative relationships with co-workers, community resources and parents to support learning.
3. Modify curriculum and select instructional techniques appropriate for a variety of individuals.
4. Identify influences on growth and development and theories of learning.
5. State scaffolding that can be provided to assist individuals in demonstrating appropriate behavior.
6. Make decisions in accordance with legal and ethical standards.

Employment Information

The United States Department of Labor anticipates the number of paraeducator positions to grow by 4% between 2018 and 2026. Completion of the Paraeducator A.A.S. program makes students “highly qualified” for a position as a paraeducator and provides graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary to be a valuable addition to a general or special education classroom. 

Degree Requirements

Recommended Course Sequence

¹

MATH 216 Introduction to Statistics (GM) is recommended for the mathematics general elective (GM). HIST 104 History of the United States II (GB) (GAH) (D) is recommended for the general education elective. 

²

Students are required to participate in a thirty-hour field placement experience in addition to time spent in EDUC 101 Introduction to Education: Early Childhood through Secondary, EDUC 102 Supporting Adults with Disabilities, and EDUC 217 Introduction to Special Education. Field placement experiences for EDUC 101 Introduction to Education: Early Childhood through Secondary and EDUC 217 Introduction to Special Education take place sometime during regular school hours, generally between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.  

³

A criminal background check and fingerprinting, at the expense of the student, may be required for courses including a field placement. 

⁴

A course with a different number of credits may be substituted as long as at least 60 credits are completed. 

⁵

A literature elective is recommended. 

⁶

Students who complete EDUC 103 The Young Child and EDUC 104 Materials and Curriculum in Early Childhood will receive the 90-hour Preschool Certificate required by the Maryland State Department of Education, Office of Child Care. 

⁷

Students interested in working with young children should take EDUC 103 The Young Child or PSY 202 Child Psychology, EDUC 101 Introduction to Education: Early Childhood through Secondary, andEDUC 220 Teaching Methods for Differentiating Instruction/Elementary. Students interested in working with teens should take PSY 214 Human Development Across the Life Span or PSY 216 Adolescent Psychology, EDUC 101 Introduction to Education: Early Childhood through Secondary, and EDUC 221 Teaching Methods for Differentiating Instruction/Secondary. Students interested in working with adults should take PSY 214 Human Development Across the Life Span, EDUC 102 Supporting Adults with Disabilities, and EDUC 225 Prevocational and Vocational Curriculum and Methods for Persons with Disabilities.

⁸

Helpful career-based electives for students interested in working with young  include EDUC 104 Materials and Curriculum in Early Childhood, EDUC 106 Communication Skills for Educators, EDUC 108 Classroom Management: Early Childhood, EDUC 207 Processes and Acquisition of Reading and EDUC 219 Everyday Classroom Assessment.  Helpful career-based electives for students interested in working with teens include EDUC 106 Communication Skills for Educators, EDUC 219 Everyday Classroom Assessment, EDUC 225 Prevocational and Vocational Curriculum and Methods for Persons with Disabilities, and PSY 204 Abnormal Psychology. Helpful career-based electives for students interested in working with adults include BA 107 Principles of Supervision, BA 109 Principles of Management, EDUC 106 Communication Skills for Educators, PSY 204 Abnormal Psychology, and PSY 212 The Helping Relationship.

Career-Based Electives   

Select four of the following courses:

General Education Degree Requirements

Note: The following codes identify courses which satisfy the General Education Degree Requirements:

Behavioral/Social Science (GB)
English Composition (GE)
Arts/Humanities (GAH)
Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues (GI)
Biological/Physical Laboratory Science (GL)
Mathematics (GM)
Biological/Physical Science (GS)