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- Career & Technical Education homepage
- Course Schedule
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- NOCTI Test Credit
- Occupational Experience Credit
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Undergraduate information
- Email Nicole Hampton, or call 928-523-2560
Undergraduate advising
- Email or call 800-426-8315
Graduate information
- Email Michael Roberts, or call 928-523-9408
Graduate advising
- Email or call 928-523-2145
Career and Technical Education 90-30, Bachelor of Science in Education
- Available Emphasis Areas:
- Business and Marketing - Emphasis
- Education and Training - Emphasis
- Family and Consumer Science - Emphasis
- Health Careers - Emphasis
- Industrial and Emerging Technologies - Emphasis
- Occupational - Emphasis
We offer this degree as part of Northern Arizona University's Online and Innovative Initiatives' program. All CTE requirements are offered in the online format.
Requirements Accordion Open
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
- All of Northern Arizona University's liberal studies, diversity, junior-level writing, and capstone requirements.
- All requirements for your specific academic plan(s).
- At least 30 units of upper-division courses, which may include transfer work.
- At least 30 units of coursework taken through Northern Arizona University, of which at least 18 must be upper-division courses (300-level or above). This requirement is not met by credit-by-exam, retro-credits, transfer coursework, etc.
- A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on all work attempted at Northern Arizona University.
Overview Accordion Closed
In addition to University Requirements:
- At least 85 units of major core requirements including:
- at least 34 units of CTE core requirements
- at least 51 units of emphasis requirements
- Elective courses, if needed, to reach an overall total of at least 120 units
Please note that students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Students may transfer up to 90 units of community college and/or university credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Major GPA | 2.5 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| Progression Plan Link | Not Available |
| Community College Emphasis Required | An emphasis is transferred to NAU from a Community College. |
Purpose Statement
The purpose of the Bachelor of Science in Education, Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, is to integrate occupation specific knowledge and skills with current career and technical education theory and practice to create professionals who can train others in those occupations. The program is geared to promote professionalism and continual growth and development by combining professional and workplace knowledge with the fundamentals of career and technical education. CTE graduates will have the knowledge and ability to (a) assume a role for career and technical education within society, (b) plan, develop, deliver, and assess instruction in an occupationally specific area, and (c) integrate current technological and safety practices into the instructional environment of the classroom or workplace.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the degree, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate occupation specific knowledge and skills.
- Demonstrate 3-years occupational knowledge and skills through coursework, Job Ready NOCTI Exam (Written and Performance), and/ or occupational experience credit
- Demonstrate familiarity and understanding of foundations of Career and Technical Education.
- Demonstrate familiarity and understanding of the Career and Technical Education terminology and structure through appropriate use in written documents and oral presentations
- Differentiate the functional, historical and philosophical structure and contexts of Career and Technical Education at the national and international levels
- Examine the philosophical social, economic, and ethical considerations and consequences of Career and Technical Education’s role in American society; and identify how these consequences will impact their work in the profession
- Demonstrate the ability to plan and develop instruction
- Demonstrate ability to pre-assess prior knowledge to plan for effective instruction
- Select materials, methods and resources to meet instructional goals
- Demonstrate the ability to deliver and assess instruction.
- Demonstrate ability to employ a variety of teaching methods to effectively engage learners
- Evaluate learning, provide appropriate feedback to learners, and objectively judge effectiveness of content delivery methods
- Understand how to develop, manage and maintain an effective and safe learning environment or workplace
- Demonstrate safety and health principles and practices; as appropriate for occupational area
- Integrate Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rules and regulations in the workplace
- Demonstrate technological literacy
- Possess technological literacy to apply available technologies and investigate potential technology applications
- Appropriately integrate instructional technology
- Demonstrate professionalism
- Demonstrate effective communication skills (written and oral) in business/industry and in the planning, development, delivery and assessment of instruction
- Evaluate and critique employability skills for application and integration into Career and Technical Education curriculum and programs
- Interpret appropriate ethical decision making through contextual scenarios in occupational professional situations
- Model appropriate professional occupational conduct and ethics though application in the planning, development, delivery and assessment of instruction
- Demonstrate the ability to positively affect learning of all students and address the needs of diverse students.
- Demonstrate understanding of learning styles and their impact on pedagogy and andragogy though application in the planning, development, delivery and assessment of instruction
- Apply leadership and management theory through research and practice in organizations including promoting and actively involving external and internal publics in the educational system.
- Evaluate leadership roles of business/industry in promoting school/community relations and interpret the impact those roles have on programs
- Prepare appropriate materials for involving publics in the educational system
Details Accordion Closed
Liberal Studies Requirement
Students who have not earned an AGEC/IGETC/CSUGE must complete all Liberal Studies requirements and diversity requirements before graduation.
Transfer Block
Students may transfer up to 90 units of community college and/or university credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education.
Major Requirements
This 90-30 degree allows you to transfer up to 90 units for your degree from a community college, and requires 85 units distributed as follows:
- Career and Technical Education Requirements taken at NAU: 34 units
- An Emphasis transferred as part of an Associate’s Degree or other set of courses from a community college: 51 units
Take the following 85 units:
Career and Technical Education Core Requirements
Complete the following 34 units with a minimum GPA of 2.5
- CTE 300, CTE 396, CTE 465, CTE 433 with grades of C of better (12 units)
- Select from the following: CTE 330, CTE 455, CTE 491, CTE 492, CTE 399, CTE 401, CTE 408, CTE 431, CTE 486, CTE 496, CTE 499, CTE 503, CTE 593, including at least one instructional technology course (CTE 455, CTE 431, CTE 486) (12 units)
- CTE 340W which meets the junior writing requirement (3 units)
- CTE 495C with a grade of C or better, which meets the senior capstone requirement (3 units)
Internship Requirements
- CTE 408, or internship transfer credit, or occupational experience credit (4 units)
Emphasis Requirements (Select One):
Emphasis is transferred as part of an Associate’s Degree or other set of courses from a community college.- Select courses in one of the following approved career and technical education (CTE) occupation areas (51 units):
- Business and Marketing Emphasis
- Education and Training Emphasis
- Family and Consumer Science Emphasis
- Health Careers Emphasis
- Industrial and Emerging Technologies Emphasis
- Occupational Emphasis
Coursework can include any combination of transfer credit* approved by CTE advisor, minor(s) from related fields, certificate(s) awarded by accredited institutions from related fields, National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Job Ready test credit, and/or occupational experience credit. See your advisor for more information.
*For Occupational Emphasis, transfer credits must be approved coursework clusters of at least 15 units in a specific occupation.
Please note that if you have previous trade, industrial, or technical experience, we may grant you up to 20 units toward your major requirements upon unit verification of work experience aligned with emphases area and coursework. Student must provide unit with CTE certification from the teacher certification unit at the Arizona Department of Education. Additionally, you may earn 35 units for successful passage of an emphasis area/coursework aligned NOCTI test administered by Northern Arizona University. See your advisor for more information.- Select courses in one of the following approved career and technical education (CTE) occupation areas (51 units):
General Electives
Additional coursework is required, if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you. (Please note that you may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.)
Additional Information
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take. For prerequisite information click on the course or see your advisor.
Career and Technical Education State Teaching Certification
You may become career and technical education certified in Arizona by providing documentation of previous occupational experience to the teacher-certification unit at the Arizona Department of Education. See your advisor for more information.
Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan. Accelerated Programs provide the opportunity for outstanding undergraduates working on their bachelor’s degree to simultaneously begin work on a master’s degree. Departments may allow students to complete both degrees in an accelerated manner by approving up to 12 units applicable toward both degrees. Students must apply to the accelerated program and the master’s program by the application deadline, and meet all requirements as listed on the Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Programs to be considered for admission. Admission to programs is competitive and qualified applicants may be denied because of limits on the number of students admitted each year. Be sure to speak with your advisor regarding your interest in Accelerated Programs.
This program is ideal if you:
- want to train others in the technologies of their field
- have occupational work experience or prior college credits
- want a fast track to degree completion by taking the NOCTI exam and/or receiving credit for occupational work experience
- want a bachelors degree so they can pursue career advancement or graduate studies
- want to teach their occupational area to others in HRD, trade schools, or community colleges
- are a community college employee, corporate trainer or in a corporate educational position
- are a CTE certified teachers needing a bachelors degree to be highly qualified
- want your bachelor's degree to come from a highly regarded institution known for outstanding education programs throughout the State of Arizona
Program Highlights:
- Complete all degree requirements online
- Transfer up to a maximum of 90 hours of community college and/or university credit from regionally accredited institutions of higher education
- Credit by exam - earn 35 credit hours towards the major requirements for successful passage of a NOCTI test
- Up to 20 credit hours awarded towards major and internship requirements for prior Occupational Experience
- Coursework, the NOCTI exam, or Occupational Experience in any combination can be used to meet the emphasis requirements
- Accelerated MEd CTE Available - Earn your Bachelor of Science in Education (BSEd) and Master of Education (MEd) in Career and Technical Education (CTE) in as little as five years total, by working on bachelor’s and master’s degree requirements simultaneously!