Elementary Education, BA

The Elementary Education program is designed for teacher candidates to earn a baccalaureate degree in Elementary Education. Upon successful completion of the BA program and passing scores on the required State of New Mexico Teacher Assessments, teacher candidates will be eligible to apply for a teacher license and TESOL endorsement through the New Mexico Public Education Department. This program meets the New Mexico Public Education Department’s (PED) Entry-Level Teacher Competencies- the Interstate New Mexico Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Standards and the TESOL competencies. Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education prepares teacher candidates to work in diverse educational settings in grades kindergarten through eight and earn a TESOL endorsement. Teacher candidates must also choose from a bilingual endorsement or one of four (4) content area teaching fields:

Endorsements:

• Bilingual Education (24 CR)

Content Area Teaching Field:

• Social Studies (24 cr - minimum of 12 upper division)
• Language Arts (24 cr - minimum of 12 upper division)
• Mathematics (24 cr - minimum of 12 upper division)
• Science (24 cr - minimum of 12 upper division)

Admission Criteria

1. Admission to the College in regular status (i.e., all transcripts have been received),
2. Good standing at NNMC,
3. Completion of at least 60 credits of coursework toward an Associate of Arts in Elementary Education,
4. Cumulative GPA of at least 2.75,

Application Process

1. Students must declare a Bachelor of Arts in Education to be officially accepted into a program of study and advised accordingly by the Department of Teacher Education.
2. Completed BA Program application which can be found on the Elementary Education page on our website at www.nnmc.edu.
3. Letter of Intent: a one-page typed letter stating a) your reasons for wanting to become a teacher, b) experience, and c) personal strengths.
4. Personal Philosophy of Education Statement: a one-page statement that describes your beliefs about a) education, b) learning, and c) working with students.
5. Signed Assurance form obtained at www.nnmc.edu, or at the Teacher Education Center.
6. Provide copies of all college transcripts.

Completed application materials will be reviewed by the Department of Teacher Education and teacher candidates will be advised accordingly.

Entrance Interview

Once your application materials are received and prior to acceptance into the BA Program, you will be interviewed by the Department of Teacher Education Interview Committee.

Transfer Students

Applicants who transfer from other institutions must have been granted admission in regular status (i.e., all transcripts have been received) prior to applying to the BA Program.

Transfer Credits

Northern New Mexico College will fully accept AA degrees earned from other institutions when transferring to NNMC to complete their BA degree. For non-degree holding students transferring to NNMC, a degree check will be completed by the Registrar and eligible credits will be transferred.

Assessment of Student Learning

Teacher candidates must maintain a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.75 to remain in good standing in the program. In addition, your progress will be evaluated Teacher candidates must earn a (C-) or better in all courses to remain in good standing in the program. In addition, students’ progress will be evaluated by practicum and student teaching observations, disposition assessments, and self-assessments.

Courses in which the teacher candidates earn a grade lower than a C- do not count towards graduation or certification and do not meet criteria for satisfying prerequisites.