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The Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) degree is a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) approved collegiate degree program consisting of lower-division courses intended for transfer to baccalaureate programs that lead to initial Texas teacher certification. The A.A.T. curricula are designed to lead to teacher certification in three areas:
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Early Childhood Education, Elementary and middle school (including bilingual and ESL),
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High school and all levels of arts and special education certification and
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Specialized certification for those who plan to teach early childhood through Grade 6.
Each A.A.T. degree consists of the Core Curriculum selected by Dallas College and additional course work required for the specific certification sought. In keeping with Texas State law, students who complete the 42- hour credits of the Core Curriculum are assured that the Core should transfer to any Texas public college or university. In such instances, the Core should be substituted for the core requirements of the receiving institution. Therefore, in pursuing a degree, students are encouraged to complete the entire Core within Dallas College. However, care should be taken in the selection of math and science courses to ensure that those courses also meet requirements of the proposed major at the transfer institution. Each A.A.T. curriculum requires specific courses that must be taken in addition to the Core.
Additional notes for students in the A.A.T. program:
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Courses with School of Education rubrics (i.e, EDUC, TECA) in the A.A.T. degree plan have field-based components and require students to complete 32 hours of lab time. Lab time experiences are comprised of observation(s) in Pk-12 classroom settings as well as curated experiences developed by faculty and School of Education leadership. Minimum standards for field experiences in these courses are established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Students will receive specific guidance around how to successfully complete course requirements from their course faculty.
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Courses in the AAT Degree plan transfer seamlessly into the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Degree .
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State of Texas requires students to submit and pass a criminal background check. Some school districts may also require students enrolled in field-based courses to complete background checks (or other district requirements) prior to entering the classroom. These background checks are completed by the school district and not completed by Dallas College. Students will receive specific guidance around how to successfully complete these district-based requirements from their course faculty and/or from School of Education leadership.
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Learning outcomes in EDUC 1301 and EDUC 2301 meet the criterion for working as a substitute teacher or educational aide in an educational setting. Students taking these courses either individually, or in a sequence may meet the requirements for becoming an educational aide in Texas as defined by the Texas Education Agency.
In addition to completing the required courses, student must meet all Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements and receive a GPA (2) of at least 2.5. The A.A.T. is designed to prepare students for admission to baccalaureate programs that lead to initial Texas teacher certification. The GPA required for the AAT is higher than the GPA required for the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or Associate of Applied Science degrees. The following Associate of Arts in Teaching Degrees are offered on the following Dallas College campuses:
*NOTE: The Associate of Arts in Teaching degree has three very distinct specialization areas leading to teacher certification. The specialization areas of the Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree EC-6 and the Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree 4-8 (Generalist), EC-12 Special Education have similar content. These two degrees differ only in additional required science courses. Students must choose one of the two degrees but not both.
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