Oakton Community College offers an Associate of Arts in Teaching: Special Education degree. Special Education majors should follow the degree requirements linked below and note the following "Five Critical Things to Know."

 

Associate of Arts in Teaching: Special Education

The goal of the Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree (A.A.T.) in Special Education is to provide courses necessary for transfer into an Education program at a four-year college or university as a Special Education major. The degree includes all necessary general education courses, as well as introductory Education courses. Early field experiences are included through observations, projects, and service learning opportunities in schools.

Degree Requirements

 

Five Critical Things to Know

Special Education students should be aware of the following very important points:

1. Have you declared yourself as a Special Education student at Oakton? You can do so either at the Admissions Office or at Registrations and Records. This is very important so that you receive all of the informational mailings and e-mails sent to Education students. Aspects of the Education major change often and it may be necessary for the Education Program Coordinator to get ahold of you. Also, please be sure that your e-mail address, street address and phone number are always current with Oakton.

For more information see:

Basic Skills Test Framework

Basic Skills Test Study Guide

Basic Skills Test Registration and Information Website

Oakton does not offer this test on campus. However, the Learning Center does offer test preparation workshops.

Basic Skills Test Preparation Workshops

3. Admission requirements to Schools of Education are often higher than admission requirements to the university itself. Also, admission requirements to Schools of Education are often higher than requirements for graduation from Oakton. For example, since many Schools of Education in the Chicago area require a 2.5 GPA or higher for acceptance, Oakton has raised the required GPA for graduation with an AAT degree to 2.5 from the 2.0 required of all other Associate degrees.

4. Many Schools of Education have very specific general education requirements for their students. These may not completely align with the IAI-approved general education course taken as part of the AA degree at Oakton. It is crucial that Education students at Oakton make contact with advisors at their prospective transfer institution as soon as possible in order to make sure they are taking the correct general education courses. Below are general education requirements for the most common transfer institutions.

Top Transfer Institutions	General Education Requirements for Special Education Majors
Northeastern Illinois University	Information Coming Soon
DePaul University	Information Coming Soon
University of Illinois - Chicago	Information Coming Soon
Roosevelt University	Information Coming Soon
Northern Illinois University	Information Coming Soon
Loyola University	Information Coming Soon
University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign	Information Coming Soon
Elmhurst College	Information Coming Soon
National Louis University	Information Coming Soon
Illinois State University	Information Coming Soon

5. Depending on the transfer institution, Education students at Oakton may be able to take some introductory-level Education courses at Oakton prior to transfer. The AAT degree will tranfer as a package to some area four-year institutions. This means that the Oakton student, having graduated with an AAT, will be admittted to a four-year institution as a junior with all general education requirements complete. However, please remember that there may still be a higher grade point average necessary. Completion of an AAT degree does not guarantee that an applicant will be accepted into a four-year institution's School of Education.

It is crucial that Education students at Oakton make contact with advisors at their prospective transfer institution as soon as possible in order to determine which Oakton Education courses will transfer. Some may transfer as elective credit, and some may transfer as equivalent to courses in the Education major. Visit the link below often to check the status of course transferability -- the information will change over time as Oakton enters into agreements with local four-year institutions.

Transferability of Oakton Education Courses