Education – Elementary

• Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS)

Students may begin their teacher training at FVCC and in most cases complete their education in an additional two years at a transfer institution. Most Montana four-year colleges and universities have teacher training programs in both elementary and secondary education.

Opportunities

• Thanks to a 2+2 partnership between FVCC and the University of Montana, students can earn an Associate of Science degree from FVCC and then apply for acceptance into UM’s Elementary Education program with junior standing. Students may transfer to the UM Missoula campus to complete a bachelor’s degree or stay in the Flathead Valley and complete a bachelor’s degree through a UM distance learning cohort based at FVCC.
• Elementary education graduates are eligible to be certified by the state of Montana to teach grades K-8.
• The national job outlook for teachers for the next five to 10 years is favorable due to projected high levels of retirement.

Suggested Course of Study

The suggested course load for the elementary education transfer program is rigorous. A more moderate semester credit load can be achieved by taking general education core courses during summer terms or by extending the course load for an additional semester or two at FVCC before transferring.

Elementary education students preparing to transfer should work closely with an advisor to customize a course of study based on their transfer goals. In addition to general education requirements, elementary education students typically take the following courses at FVCC prior to transferring:

If time permits, students may consider taking additional coursework to fulfill concentration or endorsement requirements at their transfer institutions. ECP 100-First Aid and CPR could be taken, but because current certification is needed prior to student teaching, students may want to wait to take this course until the semester prior to student teaching. Students should consult their advisors and their transfer institutions for specific recommendations.

Transfer Tips

• Admission into teacher education programs at four-year schools can be competitive and requires good grades, experience working with youth, and strong recommendations. Students need to apply to the school of education at their transfer school and pass a background check the semester prior to starting at that school.
• Admission requirements and application deadlines vary among transfer schools. Students should become familiar with the curriculum at their transfer school of choice and work with an advisor to choose courses that will support that school’s program requirements.

Transfer Articulation Agreement

Students interested in transferring to the University of Montana to complete a bachelor’s degree have the opportunity to take advantage of a 2+2 program of study that prepares students for acceptance into the UM Elementary Education program with junior standing. Students who complete the 2+2 program of study at FVCC will be prepared to apply for acceptance into the Teacher Education Program at UM. Students may transfer to the UM Missoula campus to complete a bachelor’s degree or complete it through the UM distance learning cohort based at FVCC. A new cohort of distance learning students begins each fall on the FVCC campus for students who have completed FVCC’s program of study and have been accepted into the University of Montana and the Teacher Education program. For more information about this transfer opportunity visit catalog.fvcc.edu.

Student Testimonial

Lexie Strouse, a 2018 FVCC graduate, is in her senior year as part of the UM distance learning cohort for elementary education students. She credits FVCC’s classes and instructors for giving her a solid foundation for success.

“The lower-division classes at FVCC really prepared us for the upper-division classes at UM,” Lexie said.