Award: Associate of Arts in Teaching
No. of credits required: 62
For more information:  Contact Brigid Cook, 443-412-2084, bcook@harford.edu; or Admissions, 443-412-2109.

Program Description

The A.A.T. degree program prepares students for transfer into a four-year college or university education program which results in certification to teach English at grades 7 through 12. High school preparation should include four units of English, three units of math of which two should be algebra, and three units of science.

Students must obtain a passing score on Praxis CORE or an alternative measurement of basic skills as set forth by COMAR and MSDE in order to earn an A.A.T. degree. Students should plan to take Praxis CORE, which includes core English and math competencies, near completion of 45 credit hours. Information can be obtained from Laura Hutton (lhutton@harford.edu). Passing scores on Praxis, SAT, GRE, or ACT may be substituted in place of Praxis CORE, but may not be accepted by all transfer institutions.

Program Goals

Upon completion of the Teacher Education A.A.T. degree programs, students will be able to

1. Demonstrate professional teaching behavior including effective communication.
2. Discuss the development of education/curriculum and select instructional techniques appropriate for a variety of students.
3. Describe influences on growth and development, as well as theories of learning.
4. Make decisions in accordance with legal and ethical standards.
5. Summarize past and present practices pertaining to education.

Transfer Information

This program requires the successful completion of Praxis CORE and at least a 2.75 GPA. Because the program courses are chosen to fulfill predetermined outcomes, the entire program will transfer to any four-year state or private college in Maryland; however, students are not guaranteed admission to any four-year institution and must apply to and meet the criteria required by that particular institution. Additionally, courses in the program will transfer to private and public colleges nationwide.

Past graduates of this program have transferred to four-year state colleges and universities in Maryland and to private and public colleges nationwide. To facilitate transfer, students should consult with an academic advisor early in their studies at HCC and before selecting elective courses.

Employment Information

According to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 1.1 million secondary school public teachers will be needed by 2018.

Degree Requirements

Recommended Course Sequence

¹

Recommended courses: VPA 201 Visual and Performing Arts Survey (GAH) (D) for the Arts/Humanities Elective (GH); MATH 216 Introduction to Statistics (GM) for the Mathematics Elective (GM); HIST 104 History of the United States II (GB) (GAH) (D) for the General Education Elective; BIO 100 Fundamentals of Biology (GL) is recommended for the Biological/Physical Laboratory Science elective (GL); ENG 109 English Composition: Research Writing is recommended for students who choose the English Elective in the forth semester.

²

Select in accordance with transfer institution requirements.

³

A four-credit mathematics general education elective (GM) course may be substituted.

⁴

Students are required to participate in a thirty-hour field placement experience in addition to class time in EDUC 101 Introduction to Education:
Early Childhood through Secondary and EDUC 217 Introduction to Special Education, generally during regular school hours between 8:30 a.m. and
3:00 p.m.

⁵

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

⁶

EDUC 217 Introduction to Special Education is a necessary requirement of the College’s AAT degree, but is not sufficient to meet all special education or inclusion course requirements for four-year teacher education programs. Students may be required to take additional special education or inclusion courses as a part of the requirements for a baccalaureate degree and teacher education certification at four-year institutions.

⁷

If the student plans to transfer to a four-year institution where a sequence of two history classes is required, students must complete either HIST 101 History of Western Civilization I (GB) (D) andHIST 102 History of Western Civilization II (GB) (D)  or HIST 103 History of the United States I (GB) (GAH) (D) and HIST 104 History of the United States II (GB) (GAH) (D) .

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)