Program Benefits
Who would benefit from an Associate of Science in Teaching degree?
Louisiana TeachNext was designed to meet the needs of talented individuals looking for a flexible and cost-effective way to begin the path toward becoming certified elementary teachers. Whether applicants are recent high school graduates planning to enter the teaching profession or individuals looking to change professions, this program offers an associate degree’s and a direct route to a four-year education program.
The AST degree eliminates the course-by-course transfer challenges that many students have experienced in the past when moving from a community college to a four-year receiving institution. Before this degree was approved by the Board of Regents, students had no viable vehicle to receive an associate’s degree and then matriculate to a four-year institution to obtain teacher certification without the loss of numerous earned credits. All 60 of the course credits earned in this program of study will transfer to a four-year teacher education program, enabling AST degree recipients to enter such a program with nearly half of their certification requirements already completed.
Many of the AST courses are offered at multiple times and locations, including some online and weekend offerings, allowing participants the flexibility to plan a convenient, rigorous, and efficient course of study.
For individuals pursuing elementary certification using Louisiana TeachNext as an entry point, a typical timeline includes two years of full-time coursework at the community college to earn the AST degree, followed by approximately two years of full-time coursework at one of our four-year university partners to complete the remaining education coursework, earn a Bachelor of Science degree, and obtain teacher certification.
Graduates of the AST program will be teacher candidates who are effective communicators with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to succeed at four-year institutions.