Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) today entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) that offers a pathway for BCTC students to complete the elementary education degree through a 2+2 program with EKU.
Beginning fall 2022, BCTC students who have completed the two-year Associate of Arts degree from BCTC and wish to progress to a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education will have the opportunity to smoothly transition to EKU’s program. Students who graduate from the program will be qualified to teach students in primary through fifth grades.
“This is an innovative and much needed pathway that will benefit our students and transform our communities for years to come,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “It is important that we work together to meet the critical needs of our region.”
EKU is the number one transfer institution in the Commonwealth with the most students coming from BCTC.
“Each of us has something unique to offer students, and our partnership with EKU offers students limitless possibilities, said BCTC President Koffi Akakpo. “We share the privilege of serving our students and our communities, and we serve them best when we partner.”
The agreement is a crucial step in helping school districts across the Commonwealth meet the critical need for teachers.
“After several decades of declining enrollment in teacher education programs across the U.S., as well as the short-term and long-term pandemic stresses on the profession, school districts are experiencing teacher shortages,” said Dr. Sherry Powers, dean of EKU’s College of Education & Applied Human Sciences. “This partnership establishes a practical pathway for education students to experience outstanding preparation that is foundational for high-quality teaching.”
For information about EKU’s elementary education teaching program, visit curriculum.eku.edu/elementary.
For details about programs offered at BCTC, visit bluegrass.kctcs.edu.