Otero Junior College issued the following announcement on Dec. 7.
Otero Junior College is pleased to announce an expanded partnership with the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) to offer three additional bachelor-level education degrees, in addition to the Elementary Education degree that was established in 2017. Enrollment for the new education programs is open for Spring Semester, starting on January 11, 2021.
According to Dr. Calandra Lockhart, vice president of academic and student affairs at OJC, the expanded partnership with CU Denver will open up opportunities for students to earn bachelor degrees in Middle School Math, Secondary Science and Special Education.
“Since 2017, when we first launched this innovative partnership with CU Denver to offer a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, we have seen a critical need in our area for other education credentials,” said Lockhart. “We’ve had outstanding success with students completing the preliminary associate of arts degree at OJC, and then seamlessly transfer to CU Denver to complete the bachelor’s degree, without having to leave OJC. With the launch of the three new degrees, we plan to follow that same model,” she explained.
In addition to the academic component of the degrees, students enrolled at OJC will have multiple field experiences in the Lower Arkansas Valley partner schools. Upon completing the associate degree at OJC, student will complete a full year of teaching experience in the final year of the four-year program.
Not only will this partnership satisfy community and statewide interests, it will add highly competent newcomers to the teaching profession in rural Colorado, in accordance with Colorado House Bill 17-1003, signed by former Colorado Governor Hickenlooper on May 21, 2017. The intent of Colorado House Bill 17-1003 was to examine recruitment, preparation and retention of teachers and to prepare a strategic plan to address teacher shortages in school districts and public schools within the state.
How it Works:
1. Apply to Otero Junior College and choose the Associate of Arts degree on the OJC Application
2. Once students are accepted, they meet with an OJC Academic Advisor about their interest in one of the four education programs of study:
• Elementary Education Associate of Arts
• Middle School Math Associate of Arts
• Secondary Science Associate of Arts
• Special Education Associate of Arts
3. Students complete the first two years of coursework and receive an associate’s degree from OJC. Instructors for this program are from a group of OJC instructors who will be working closely with instructors from CU Denver.
4. Students will apply for admission to the University of Colorado Denver. The application fee to CU Denver will be waived.
5. Students will continue their studies on-site at OJC through a combination of CU Denver education courses (online and in-person), teaching internships, and student teaching experiences in Southern Colorado schools.
6. Students will earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Denver in their chosen specialty with licensure from the Colorado Department of Education.
Note: Students who may have already earned, or started, an associate’s degree and/or bachelor’s degree are also eligible to apply. Students will meet with an advisor to determine what they need to do to move into the program.
Enrollment for the new education programs is now open for Spring Semester, starting on January 11, 2021.
Original source can be found here.
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