Education Careers

Make a Difference for Students

We all remember those special teachers who connected with us, challenged us, and really reached us. At Kirkwood, we can prepare you to make a huge difference in students’ lives.

Our Education Careers interest area focuses on important aspects of becoming a successful teacher or paraeducator, including general teaching concepts and methods, behavior management, educational psychology, meeting the needs of diverse learners, and more.

As a Liberal Arts student, you will fulfill core requirements while choosing from specialty and elective options in education. And, since Kirkwood has transfer agreements with all three state universities and many other four-year institutions, transferring and earning a degree in education couldn’t be easier – or more affordable.

How to Apply Request More Info

Transfer & Advising
Careers

If you're planning to transfer to a four-year program, you'll work very closely with the experts in our Advising and Transfer Center. They'll make sure you get everything needed for a trouble-free transfer.

Kirkwood Community College is proud to have special transfer agreements with leading universities and colleges in Iowa for Education Careers students, including the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Coe College, and Mount Mercy University.

Courses for Transfer:

Exploring Teaching
Developmental Psychology
Educational Psychology
Field Experience in Education

The opportunities are endless for a rewarding career in education. In addition to teaching K-12 and being a paraeducator, you can pursue a career as a principal, administrator, curriculum developer, higher education professor, or special education professional.

Kirkwood can help you explore all your career options – and provide exciting experiences in and out of the classroom to help you find the best path. And with the demand for educators on the rise, the future looks incredibly bright for education graduates.

Resources:

Scholarships

Explore your share of more than $3 million in scholarship opportunities! At Kirkwood, we make it incredibly easy — you only need to apply once, even if you're eligible for more than one scholarship.

Apply for Scholarships Paying for College

Scholarships for Education Students

Must be enrolled in Education Careers, Early Childhood Education or Human Services
Must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average
Must demonstrate financial need

Must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average
Must be enrolled in Education Careers
Must demonstrate financial need

Must have a minimum 2.0 grade point average
Must be enrolled as a full-time student in Education Careers
Must demonstrate financial need

Preference given to veteran(s) and/or student(s) enrolled in education careers
Preference given to student(s) who have overcome significant hardship and demonstrate an authentic desire to succeed
Must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average
Must demonstrate financial need

Preference given to veteran(s) and/or student(s) enrolled in education careers
Preference given to student(s) who have overcome significant hardship and demonstrate an authentic desire to succeed
Must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average
Must demonstrate financial need

Must be enrolled in Education Careers
Must be a graduate of one of the seven high schools in Johnson County

Must be enrolled in Education Careers
Must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average
Preference given to Iowa students who are pursuing a teaching career in math
Must demonstrate financial need

Currently or previously employed as a paraeducator
Demonstrate the dispositions or qualities of an effective paraeducator
Goal of improving skills and understandings that relate to working as a paraeducator
Goal of acquiring one or more of the levels of Iowa paraeducator certification
Financial need that presents a challenge to paying for college tuition and textbooks

How to Apply

In addition to completion of the application, candidates need two letters of recommendation from teachers and/or principals who have supervised the candidate's work with children in a K-12 school.

Application Form Letter of Recommendation Form

Deadlines for submission and letters of recommendation are:

May 1 for summer semester
August 1 for fall semester
January 1 for spring semester

Must be enrolled in Education Careers
Must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average
Must have the intention of completing a four-year degree in education with the goal of teaching in either special education or math

Explore More

We are excited about your interest in becoming an educator. One of the final classes in preparation to transfer from Kirkwood Community College is EDU-810 Field Experience. As part of the preparation for this course and your career, we require students enrolled in EDU-810 Field Experience to complete the background check process.

Step 1: Apply to be registered for EDU-810 Field Experience

Complete the Field Experience Application Form
Once your application has been approved, you will be notified by email to move to Step 2 of this process.

Important information before you start the compliance process:

Please read ALL of the instructions on this page BEFORE you begin the Step 2 of this process.
Do not begin the background check process until after you have been instructed to do so.
Do not set up your CastleBranch account until after you have been instructed to do so by your instructor.
There will be a $45 charge* to complete the process. Please have a credit or debit card available when you create your account. (If you are a high school student taking EDU-810 Field Experience as concurrent enrollment, your payment will be billed to the school.)

Step 2: Create a CastleBranch Account*

*Do not initiate Step 2 until you have been instructed to do so by the instructor or the Social Sciences Department Staff.

You will create and pay for your background check through CastleBranch's online process.

Visit https://portal.castlebranch.com/KG73 to create your account. You must use the following information when creating your account based on the standard process determined by the Social Sciences Department at Kirkwood Community College. The account creation process is standard for all students, so we can assist with questions throughout the process.

Visit https://portal.castlebranch.com/KG73 to order your program specific package and create your account.
You must use your Kirkwood student email for the email when creating your account.
Students concurrently enrolled for high school and college credit should select "High School Concurrent Enrollment Program." A PIN number will be provided to you by your instructor in class. You will need this PIN number to complete your process.
Students enrolled in the liberal arts degree with a transfer interest in education must submit payment for the account at the time they are set up. Please have a debit or credit card available when creating the account.

Step 3: Background Check Process

To be enrolled in EDU-810 Field Experience, you are required to complete the background check process. Specific steps for the completion of the background check are listed below. Once you have created your account with CastleBranch, you will have 72 hours to complete the background check portion. It is important to complete the background check process within 72 hours, or you will be timed out and will have to redo the process at an additional cost to you.

Once you have your account created, you will download the background check forms, which must be completed for the CastleBranch check process. Please remember that these forms must be completed and returned to CastleBranch based on the guidelines established. Information on how to return these forms to CastleBranch will be provided in the information you download.
Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Release Form
A sample copy of this form is here for your review. You must submit the Child and Dependent Adult Abuse release form. Do not use them as documents to submit.
Instructions on how to submit these completed forms are in the instruction forms you received in your download. It is important that these forms uploaded to CastleBranch within 72 hours of starting the process. We are aware that the forms say return within five business days, but we are telling you 72 hours.

Students in Kirkwood's Education programs are encouraged to join the Kirkwood chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), the only national Career and Technical Student Organization with the family as its central focus.

FCCLA is one of eight recognized members of the National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO). CTSOs are co-curricular groups that help students in career and technical education programs further their knowledge and skills by participating in activities, events, and competitions.

The Education Careers interest area at Kirkwood is part of our Liberal Arts program. You will work closely with experts at the Advising and Transfer Center and education careers faculty when deciding on which classes are right for you.

Our education careers faculty feature experienced professionals who are ready to help you find the right path during your journey into a rewarding K-12 career.

With many options to choose from, the advising process will also help you figure out what specialty areas to pursue.

EDU-110 Exploring Teaching (3)

Introduces the concerns and activities of beginning teachers. The focus is on developing generic teaching skills applicable from preschool through high school. Microteaching is used to simulate actual teaching situations. Case studies are used to discuss common teaching problems.