Associate Degree in Education
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About This Program
The Education degree program is designed to prepare pre-service teachers with the necessary knowledge and skills for employment and/or future study in the field of K-12 education. Successful graduates experience field work in public school classrooms in each education course taken as a way to connect theory into actual practice. Topics that are covered, beyond core requirements, seek to address the theories of how human beings learn, the compelling issues related to American education, the developmental stages of literacy acquisition from birth to grade 12, and an in-depth overview on issues related to special education law and students with special needs.
Graduates of the associate degree program are eligible for certification as Educational Technician II with the designation as “highly qualified.”
Your Degree Courses
SMCC offers an Associate in Science degree requiring a mix of general education and hands-on courses. The following courses are a sampling of what you might take as a student in this program and are subject to change.
Program Course Sampling
- English Composition
- Introduction to Literature
- Freshman Interest Group Elective
- Fundamentals of Elementary School Math I
- Fundamentals of Elementary School Math II
- Science Elective with Lab
- Fine Arts or Humanities Elective
- Introduction to Psychology
- Introduction to Teaching
- Introduction to American Education
Current Major-Specific Courses Available
Interested in seeing some of the current major-specific courses being offered as a part of this degree program?
Graduation Requirements
Prospective Students
If you are thinking about attending SMCC and are curious what the current program course requirements are to earn your degree, download the current SMCC Course Catalog.
Current Students
If you are a current student, your program requirements may be different than those listed for the current catalog year. To view your specific program requirements or to search and register for courses, log in to MySMCC and visit the MyDegree webpage.
Graduation Outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of “best practice” in teaching that promotes optimal learning for all students.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the major issues in public education today that inform the organization of schools in the 21st century.
- Understand the federal and state laws that define resources and supports for special education students as defined by IDEA and understand the myriad of disabilities that are identified in students in public schools.
- Identify and select interventions that promote growth toward goals set out in an individual’s IEP.
- Understand the components of literacy acquisition from birth to grade 12 and understand how to think about teaching literacy for optimum learning with an eye toward developing competent and confident readers.
- Understand the need for collaboration with peers and colleagues as a tool to continually learn and perfect the craft of teaching.
- Use verbal and oral communication, interpersonal relationships and other related personal skills (such as self-discipline and time management) effectively.
Estimated Degree Completion Time
Please note, these estimates are based on a student taking an average of 15 credits per semester and do not include college preparatory or developmental courses.
Certificate Programs
Education offers an advanced certificate in Education which requires a mix of general education and hands-on courses. For more information, visit our Advanced Education Certificate webpage.
SMCC Graduates
