Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation

The Associate in Arts/Associate in Science in Teacher Preparation degree shall be granted for a planned program of study consisting of a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit (SHC) of college transfer courses. Within the degree program, the institution shall include opportunities for the achievement of competence in reading, writing, oral communication, fundamental mathematical skills, and basic computer use.

The Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) and the Independent Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (ICAA) enable North Carolina community college graduates of two-year associate in arts programs who are admitted to constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina and to Signatory Institutions of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities to transfer with junior status.

Community college graduates must obtain a grade of “C” or better in each course and an overall GPA of at least 2.7 on a 4.0 scale in order to transfer with junior status. Courses may also transfer through bilateral agreements between institutions.

Specific Requirements

Courses requiring a grade of “C” or better: ACA, ART, BIO, COM, EDU, ENG, HUM, MAT, PHI, PSY, and SOC.

See advisor for General Education Electives (6 credits)

Course Code	Course	Credit Hours	Link to course details
ACA-122		1
This course provides information and strategies necessary to develop clear academic and professional goals beyond the community college experience. Topics include the CAA, college policies and culture, career exploration, gathering information on senior institutions, strategic planning, critical thinking, and communications skills for a successful academic transition. View course details for College Transfer Success ‌‌
ENG-111		3
This course is designed to develop the ability to produce clear writing in a variety of genres and formats using a recursive process. Emphasis includes inquiry, analysis, effective use of rhetorical strategies, thesis development, audience awareness, and revision. Upon completion, students should be able to produce unified, coherent, well-developed essays using standard written English. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course that satisfies English Composition. View course details for Writing and Inquiry ‌‌
EDU-187		4
View course details for Teaching and Learning for All ‌‌
MAT-143		3
This course is designed to engage students in complex and realistic situations involving the mathematical phenomena of quantity, change and relationship, and uncertainty through a project and activity-based assessment. Emphasis is placed on authentic contexts which will introduce the concepts of numeracy, proportional reasoning, dimensional analysis, rates of growth, personal finance, consumer statistics, practical probabilities, and mathematics for citizenship. View course details for Quantitative Literacy ‌‌

Course Code	Course	Credit Hours	Link to course details
BIO-110		4
This course provides a survey of fundamental biological principles for non-science majors. Emphasis is placed on basic chemistry, cell biology, metabolism, genetics, evolution, ecology, diversity, and other related topics. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate increased knowledge and a better understanding of biology as it applies to everyday life. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course that satisfies Natural Sciences. View course details for Principles of Biology ‌‌
ENG-112		3
This course, the second in a series of two, introduces research techniques, documentation styles, and argumentative strategies. Emphasis is placed on analyzing data and incorporating research findings into documented argumentative essays and research projects. Upon completion, students should be able to summarize, paraphrase, interpret, and synthesize information from primary and secondary sources using standard research format and style. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course that satisfies English Composition. View course details for Writing/Research in the Discipline ‌‌
PHI-240		3
This course introduces theories about the nature and foundations of moral judgments and applications to contemporary moral issues. Emphasis is placed on utilitarianism, rule-based ethics, existentialism, relativism versus objectivism, and egoism. Upon completion, students should be able to apply various ethical theories to individual moral issues such as euthanasia, abortion, crime and punishment, and justice. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course that satisfies Humanities/Fine Arts. View course details for Introduction to Ethics ‌‌
PSY-150		3
This course provides an overview of the scientific study of human behavior. Topics include history, methodology, biopsychology, sensation, perception, learning, motivation, cognition, abnormal behavior, personality theory, social psychology, and other relevant topics. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of the science of psychology. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course that satisfies Social/Behavioral Sciences. View course details for General Psychology ‌‌
SOC-210		3
This course introduces the scientific study of human society, culture, and social interactions. Topics include socialization, research methods, diversity and inequality, cooperation and conflict, social change, social institutions, and organizations. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge of sociological concepts as they apply to the interplay among individuals, groups, and societies. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course that satisfies Social/Behavioral Sciences. View course details for Introduction to Sociology ‌‌

See your advisor for General Education Electives (6 hours)

Course Code	Course	Credit Hours	Link to course details
EDU-216		3
This course introduces the examination of the American educational systems and the teaching profession. Topics include the historical and philosophical influences on education, various perspectives on educational issues, and experiences in birth through grade 12 classrooms. Upon completion, students should be able to reflect on classroom observations, analyze the different educational approaches, including classical/traditional and progressive, and have knowledge of the various roles of educational systems at the federal, state and local levels. View course details for Foundations of Education ‌‌
EDU-250		3
This course provides information and strategies necessary for transfer to a teacher licensure program at a senior institution. Topics include entry-level teacher licensure exam preparation, performance-based assessment systems, requirements for entry into teacher education programs, the process to become a licensed teacher in North Carolina, and professionalism including expectations within the field of education. View course details for Teacher Licensure Preparation ‌‌
SOC-225		3
This course provides a comparison of diverse roles, interests, opportunities, contributions, and experiences in social life. Topics include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class, and religion. Upon completion, students should be able to analyze how cultural and ethnic differences evolve and how they affect personality development, values, and tolerance. This course has been approved for transfer under the CAA as a general education course in Social/Behavioral Sciences. View course details for Social Diversity ‌‌

Course Code	Course	Credit Hours	Link to course details
ART-111		3
This course introduces the origins and historical development of art. Emphasis is placed on the relationship of design principles to various art forms including but not limited to sculpture, painting, and architecture. Upon completion, students should be able to identify and analyze a variety of artistic styles, periods, and media. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course that satisfies Humanities/Fine Arts. View course details for Art Appreciation ‌‌
COM-231		3
This course provides instruction and experience in preparation and delivery of speeches within a public setting and group discussion. Emphasis is placed on research, preparation, delivery, and evaluation of informative, persuasive, and special occasion public speaking. Upon completion, students should be able to prepare and deliver well-organized speeches and participate in a group discussion with appropriate audiovisual support. This is a Universal General Education Transfer Component (UGETC) course that satisfies Communication. View course details for Public Speaking ‌‌
EDU-279		4
View course details for Literacy Develop and Instruct ‌‌
HUM-220		3
This course presents some major dimensions of human experience as reflected in art, music, literature, philosophy, and history. Topics include the search for identity, the quest for knowledge, the need for love, the individual and society, and the meaning of life. Upon completion, students should be able to recognize interdisciplinary connections and distinguish between open and closed questions and between narrative and scientific models of understanding. View course details for Human Values and Meaning ‌‌

Total Credit Hours Required:

Curriculum is based on the 2024-2025 catalog.

Why General Education?

You may be asking yourself, “Why do I have to take (course name) when it is not directly related to my major?”

General Education courses will help you develop skills necessary to be successful in your major and in life. General Education can teach you how to talk to your employer, write a paper in a major course, understand interest rates on your car, and much more. General Education can also give you the skills to be a better member of society and a more informed citizen. Critical thinking, global understanding, and appreciation for the human experience are hallmarks of a well-rounded education.

How many hours of General Education do I have to take?

If you are enrolled in an Associate of Applied Science Degree program, a minimum of 15 general education hours are required in the following categories:

Six hours from Communication
Three hours from Humanities & Fine Arts
Three hours from Social & Behavioral Science
Three hours from Natural Science & Mathematics

General Education courses have been pre-selected for you by your faculty from the following list:

Communication	Humanities & Fine Arts	Social & Behavioral Science	Natural Science & Mathematics
COM-110	ART-111	ECO-251	BIO-161
COM-120	ART-114	ECO-252	BIO-163
COM-231	ART-115	HIS-111	BIO-168
ENG-110	HUM-110	HIS-112	MAT-110
ENG-111	HUM-115	HIS-131	MAT-121
ENG-112	MUS-110	HIS-132	MAT-143
ENG-114	MUS-112	POL-120	MAT-152
	PHI-215	PSY-150	MAT-171
	PHI-240	SOC-210	PHY-110/110A
		SOC-225	PHY-121

Degrees designed to transfer to universities require more general education hours. If you are enrolled in the Associate in Arts or Associate in Science, you are required to take 45 hours of General Education from the following categories:

Six hours in English Composition
Six to nine hours in Communication/Humanities & Fine Arts
Six to nine hours in Social & Behavioral Sciences
Three to eight hours in Mathematics
Four to eight hours in Natural Sciences
11 to 14 additional General Education hours

If you are enrolled in the Associate in Engineering, you are required to take 42 general education hours from the following:

Six hours in English Composition
Six hours in Communication/Humanities & Fine Arts
Six work hours in Social & Behavioral Sciences
12 hours in Mathematics
12 hours in Natural Sciences

If you are enrolled in the Associate in Fine Arts in Visual Arts, you are required to take 25 general education hours from the following:

Six hours in English Composition
Six hours in Communication/Humanities & Fine Arts
Six hours in Social & Behavioral Sciences
Three to four hours in Mathematics
Four hours in Natural Sciences

Additional information about General Education for transfer degrees, including courses that satisfy each category, may be found in the current College Catalog.

What will I learn in General Education?

At A-B Tech, our faculty have designed a general education core so that A-B Tech graduates will learn the following:

Students will critically evaluate information:

Students will demonstrate information literacy.
Students will critique works of human expression.
Students will analyze scientific literature.

Students will solve problems:

Students will identify processes.
Students will analyze problems.
Students will interpret the results.
Students will recommend appropriate strategies or solutions.

Students will effectively communicate.

Students will communicate appropriately about the subject.
Students will communicate appropriately with the audience.
Students will communicate appropriately for the medium.

Ever wonder how A-B Tech awards credit for a certain course?

A-B Tech complies with the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges Code, so your courses are assigned the course level and receive the same amount of credit as courses at all 58 North Carolina Community Colleges.

If you want to read more about this, see the A-B Tech Policy and Procedure for the Assignment of Course Level Credit.