Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer, Elementary Teacher Education
Huntington Beach, USA
Associate of Arts
DURATION
4 semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2027
TUITION FEES
USD 5,953 / per semester *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* $11,906 per year
Key Summary
About: The Elementary Education AA-T at Golden West College (GWC) prepares students to transfer to a four-year Baccalaureate and to meet California Multiple Subjects Credential requirements for K-8 teaching. It covers lower-division transfer prep and Cal-GETC. Degree requirements include 60 semester units or 90 quarter units, minimum overall GPA 2.0, and C (or P) in each major course.
Career Outcomes: This transfer pathway leads to a Bachelor’s and eligibility for the Multiple Subjects Credential, also opening roles as elementary school teacher (K-8). Before transfer, students may work as teacher aides, paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, after-school staff, or early childhood education assistants.
The Elementary Education Associate of Arts for Transfer is designed for students seeking to enter the teaching profession, typically in K-8 settings, and planning to transfer to a four-year university to pursue the Baccalaureate degree in order to meet California state requirements for teaching. With careful planning, the student desiring to transfer will be able to complete the Associate in Arts Degree while concurrently satisfying the lower division transfer preparation for the Baccalaureate degree and the requirements for the state-approved Multiple Subjects Credential Program.
Associate Degrees for Transfer require students to meet the following requirements:
- Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of degree-applicable courses,
- Minimum overall grade point average of 2.0,
- Minimum grade of “C” (or “P”) for each course in the major, and
- Completion of Cal-GETC.
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Explain the historical context of elementary education, including its relationship to contemporary society and culture.
- Identify the qualities of a teacher as outlined in the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.
- Develop preparation in meeting subject matter competency in preparation for the CSET Multiple Subjects Exam.
- Develop a comprehensive professional portfolio for the teaching profession.
- Obtain early classroom experiences via observational and practical experiences in the classroom.