Students interested in becoming elementary education teachers now have another pathway to the profession thanks to a shared commitment to increase student access to higher education.

Kirkwood Community College (KCC) students can now seamlessly transfer to the University of Iowa College of Education to obtain their elementary education licensure, due to a new articulation agreement between the two institutions.

“We have been working hard to find different pathways for students to complete our elementary education program as efficiently as possible,” says Mark McDermott, associate dean for teacher education and student services in the UI College of Education.

With this new agreement in place, students who obtain an associate degree from KCC can transfer to the UI Elementary Education Program for two additional years to earn their Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. Students are guaranteed admittance to the Elementary Education, Teacher Education Program, provided all application requirements have been met.

Amanda Humphrey, KCC dean of social sciences, says Kirkwood is committed to addressing the teacher shortage that Iowa is experiencing by expanding this partnership to create a clear and direct path between the education program at Kirkwood and the UI College of Education.

“The education faculty at Kirkwood work closely with their colleagues at the University of Iowa to ensure that students develop a strong foundation in the theory and practice of education,” Humphrey says. “Because of this articulation agreement, students pursing education can economically earn their Associate of Arts degree at Kirkwood and move directly into the College of Education at the University of Iowa to finish their degree and licensure.  This articulation will help our two institutions to get new teachers out into the workforce more quickly, while maintaining the exceptional standards of high-quality teaching and education that make the state of Iowa a national leader in education.​”

The agreement, which was signed in August, will save students both time and money and is projected to increase enrollment. In 2023, 145 students completed the Teacher Education Program majoring in elementary education.

Advisors from the UI College of Education’s Office of Student Services also now periodically visit the Kirkwood Community College campus in Cedar Rapids, to provide direct support and guidance.

Currently, there are 526 elementary education students in the College of Education’s Teacher Education Program, the largest undergraduate major in the college.

Others include art education, English education, math education, music education, science education, social studies education, and special education.

“We continue to explore ways to make it more efficient to get teacher licensure while maintaining the rigor of the program,” McDermott adds. “Our goal is to prepare the very best teachers possible for our state and students and make the opportunity as accessible as possible.”

Transfer students with an Associate of Arts degree from a two-year institution that has an articulation agreement with Iowa will enter the university having fulfilled all the General Education Program requirements in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tippie College of Business, College of Education, and University College, with the exception of:

• The respective World Language requirement for each UI college
• Diversity and Inclusion requirement for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Tippie College of Business

For more information, visit UI Admissions Transfer Planning Resources or contact Jennifer Timmons, associate director, Transfer Relations and Outreach,  University Office of Admissions, at 319-335-1565 or jennifer-timmons@uiowa.edu or Misty Brents in the UI College of Education Office of Student Services, at 319-335-5359 or misty-brents@uiowa.edu.