Associate of Arts in Teaching

With the increasing demand for student success in the classroom, the need is greater than ever for highly qualified and well-educated pre-kindergarten through 12^th grade teachers. The Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree program at South Plains College offers course work for the first two years of study in preparation for a teaching career. The award-winning AAT program, approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, consists of lower division courses intended to seamlessly transfer to a Texas Teacher Certification program in any university.

The AAT program has entered into articulation agreements with Texas Tech University, Lubbock Christian University, Wayland University, and has developed education-specific transfer guides for these, as well as West Texas A & M University and Texas Women’s University. SPC advisors will work with AAT students to select and complete the classes needed to fulfill the AAT degree requirements as well as university-recommended courses for the various content and grade-level certifications. SPC offers personalized attention to students before and during the transfer process to these, or any, university in order to ensure success.

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The Program

The AAT degree program offers a 60+ credit hour academic program that includes the following classes: state-stipulated core curriculum classes for any academic major + education-specific classes + content-specific courses for your desired certification area. Students who complete this program receive the Associate of Arts in Teaching degree. The following education and content-specific courses are structured into the AAT degree plans:

Introduction to the Teaching Professions (EDUC 1301) provides an overview of education in the U.S., including educational philosophies, student diversity, structured lesson planning, and current trends in education, Pre-K through 12^th Students also have the opportunity to participate in early field experiences by completing 16 hours of classroom observations in a variety of local area schools.
Introduction to Special Populations (EDUC 2301) provides an overview of the school: classroom instructional environment; socioeconomic status, gender and ethnic diversity of the school population; and academic diversity and equity, with an emphasis on factors that facilitate learning, such as assessing student needs and differentiating or personalizing learning for Pre-K through 12^th grade students. The course content is aligned as applicable to SBEC Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities Standards and Technology Application Standards for all beginning teachers. Students also have the opportunity to participate in early field experiences (with an emphasis on special populations) by completing 16 hours of classroom observations in a variety of local area schools.
Fundamentals of Math I (MATH 1350—required for EC – 8^th grade certifications) provides concepts of sets, functions, numeration systems, number theory and properties of the natural numbers, integers, rational and real number systems, with an emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking.
Fundamentals of Math II (MATH 1351—required for EC – 8^th grade certifications) provides concepts of geometry, probability and statistics, as well as applications of the algebraic properties of real numbers to concepts of measurements, with an emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking.

AAT Specializations

Students are able to specialize in ESL, Bilingual education, and Special Education once they transfer to their preferred university.

*NOTE: Students who wish to teach music, art, agriculture, Spanish, business, computer science, family consumer sciences, and kinesiology are encouraged to pursue an Associate of Arts (AA) or an Associate of Science (AS) degree from SPC in your selected area of study, rather than pursuing an Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree from SPC. You will minor in education at your preferred transfer university.

If you are interested in pursuing an AAT degree at SPC, please contact one of the education advisors listed below:

**WE RECOMMEND THAT STUDENTS DO NOT SELF-ADVISE.**