Social and behavioral studies are a versatile and diverse fields that cultivate transferable skills to make your community better.
Certificates can be completed in as little as 6 months, and associate degrees can be completed in two years. Your length of study will depend on how many classes you take each semester.
Designed to be finished at Oakton and prepare you directly for the workforce with industry-relevant coursework.
Designed to transfer into a 4-year Bachelor's program; includes all General Education coursework. View Oakton's Transfer Partnerships and Guides here.
Oakton offers pre-majors:
Gain a new skill or upskill to enhance your resume; complete it stand-alone or talk with Advising to plan how the certificate can a stepping stone to a further degree. Visit the Applied Associate of Sciences (A.A.S.) degree page for a full list of certificates available.
Early Childhood Education
Discover majors and in-demand careers based on your interests. The Career Coach assessment is a 6- or 60-question quiz that links your interests to programs offered here at Oakton and local career opportunities. Don’t worry about education, training or cost when answering the questions; just consider what you would like to spend time doing.
Take the Career Coach Assessment
When Sheena decided it was time to make a change in her life, she knew the first step would be going back to school. Oakton provides a supportive environment where she is pursuing her goal to become a middle school counselor. She will earn an associate degree as a psychology pre-major and plans to transfer to a bachelor's degree program to continue her education.
“As an early childhood educator, you don’t just help the kids, you guide the parents. Especially around milestones. It’s great to see how little kids evolve. What I love about Oakton’s early childhood education program is that it’s giving me the theory for the knowledge I have already from being a mom."
"Teaching feels like a direct intervention in the lives of students in the classroom where you can, over time, you can see some kind of impact or change in students."