Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree

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. There are three AAT curricula that COM offers, 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 GPA and/or testing requirements. Students are advised to consult with the receiving institution’s advisement staff for requirements unique to that institution.

College of the Mainland offers the following Associate of Arts in teaching degrees:

While the degree is designed for transfer purposes, the Associate of Arts in teaching meets the “No Child Left Behind” requirements for paraprofessionals if students decide to stop after competing the degree. In addition, completion of an Associate of Arts in teaching 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 degree.

For those courses within an Associate of Arts in teaching 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.

Effective September 1, 2017, HB 1508 amends the Texas Occupations Code Section 53 that requires education providers to notify potential or enrolled students that a criminal history may make them ineligible for an occupational license upon program completion. The following website provides links to information about the licensing process and requirements: https://tea.texas.gov

Should you wish to request a review of the impact of criminal history on your potential Associates of Arts in Teaching degree prior to or during your quest for a degree, you can visit this link and request a “Criminal History Evaluation”:
https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/Preliminary_Criminal_History_Evaluation-FAQs/

This information is being provided to all persons who apply or enroll in the program, with notice of the requirements as described above, regardless of whether or not the person has been convicted of a criminal offense. Additionally, HB 1508 authorizes licensing agencies to require reimbursements when a student fails to receive the required notice.