The Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree is a collegiate degree program consisting of lower-division courses intended for transfer to baccalaureate programs that lead to initial Texas teacher certification. COM offers three AAT curricula, and they are intended to be fully transferable to any Texas public university offering baccalaureate degree programs leading to these initial teacher certifications. Students who complete the AAT degree will, however, be required to meet any and all entrance requirements of the receiving university and the educator preparation program, including grade point average and /or testing requirements. Students are advised to consult with the receiving institution’s advisement staff for requirements unique to that institution.
While the degree is designed for transfer purposes, for those who decide to “stop out” after completing the AAT, this degree meets the “Every Student Succeeds Act” requirements for paraprofessionals. In addition, completion of the AAT is much like that of an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree in that it may qualify students for work that requires at least an associate’s degree.
For those courses within an AAT degree that require “lab” and/or “field experiences,” students will be required to submit an application for a criminal background check. If a student has a felony conviction for certain offenses against children and families, they may not be eligible to observe, work, or volunteer in the public schools or child care facilities at which these “labs” and/or “field experiences” will take place.