Elementary Education, Associate Degree, AEE

Program Description

Code 331 - 60 Credits

The Associate Degree in Elementary Education primarily prepares students to transfer into a baccalaureate program of education as an elementary education major. Educators work in environments that include public and private schools, childcare centers, education, and human service programs, non-profit organizations and community-based organizations. Public school teachers must have at least a bachelor’s degree, complete an approved teacher education program and be licensed by the State of Michigan. Students pursuing degrees in education will be selecting majors and/or minors for the degree at the bachelor level.

Students who complete the Michigan Transfer Agreement requirements may be able to customize the degree depending upon the chosen bachelor granting institution and the major and minor areas a student chooses. These choices are dependent upon specific transfer guides for each bachelor granting institution. The Associate Degree in Elementary Education can be customized to meet state licensing regulations for lead teachers of school age, preschool center-based and school-based programs. Students should work with an academic advisor to assure individual transfer requirements are being met based on the baccalaureate institution selected.

The associate degree prepares graduates for entry-level education positions such as education paraprofessionals, lead preschool teachers, youth workers, family support specialists, and education teaching positions such as camp and after-school program teachers. Students desiring to work in education are required to complete service-learning and field experience opportunities while earning an Associate Degree in Elementary Education. Any experience with children or young adults should be documented as they could potentially be used towards the completion of bachelor-level requirements. Note: Many KCC courses offer service-learning and field experience opportunities.

Requirements for the Degree

1. A minimum of sixty (60) credit hours earned, excluding BIOL, TSEN, TSMA, TSRE courses with numbers less than 100, and MUSI 100 .
2. A cumulative grade point average at KCC of at least 2.0.
3. A minimum of fifteen (15) credit hours must be completed at Kellogg Community College.
4. A maximum of 75% of the credit hours required for a degree may be documented and transferred to KCC.
5. All first-time, degree-seeking, KCC students must complete the FYS 101 - First-Year Seminar  course with a grade of C or higher. See an Academic Advisor for course completion and/or any questions pertaining to the FYS course.

Service-Learning Requirement

Students who obtain an Associate degree or an Associate of Applied Science degree will be required to complete a service-learning experience. The final grade in the course must qualify for academic credit in order to receive the service-learning endorsement. Please contact an Academic Advisor for courses that offer a service-learning experience, or search in the class schedules.

Prerequisites Requirements

Students should see the individual course descriptions for specific prerequisite information. Candidates must successfully pass the State of Michigan Central Abuse and Neglect Registry (CANR) process, criminal background check, character guidelines, and physical health requirements as set forth by College policy and the State of Michigan for teachers and state licensed pre-school and school-age programs for children.

Students transferring to baccalaureate programs will most likely need a 2.5 GPA or better; achievement of acceptable scores on a Michigan Basic Skills Examination (BSE); and will need to apply to a baccalaureate institution on an average of one year in advance to be admitted. Students can expect to complete a criminal background check prior to admittance to most baccalaureate schools of education.

Cooperative Partnership Information

Students can follow specific education transfer guides without pursuing an Associate Degree in Elementary Education. Students are asked to speak with an academic advisor or the Early Childhood and Teacher Education office if they have questions.

Each bachelor granting institution will vary in program requirements. It is very critical that community college students seek out program requirements for entry and for graduation from bachelor granting institutions as soon as possible, even as early as the freshman year at Kellogg Community College.

Kellogg Community College has collaborated with several bachelor granting degree institutions, such as Western Michigan University, to facilitate a smooth transition for students. Some of these institutions provide advising at the beginning of the freshman year to elementary education majors in cooperation with KCC. This information is available during EDUC 200 - Foundations of Education , which should be taken during the first semester in the Elementary Education program. For more information, contact the Early Childhood and Teacher Education office at 269-965-3931, extension 2109.