ICC, The W sign MOU for bachelor’s degree program in elementary, special education
Itawamba Community College and Mississippi University for Women signed a memorandum of understanding today (Nov. 1) to offer an undergraduate program of study that will lead to a bachelor’s degree in elementary education or special education from the School of Education at The W.
“We are excited to announce this partnership with ICC that strengthens our commitment to providing access and new pathways for our students,” said W President Nora Miller. “Together we are dedicated to fostering academic growth and preparing teachers for their classrooms.”
“This agreement will allow our students to now have an opportunity to transfer their credits and work toward a bachelor’s degree at MUW in a discipline in which they are truly passionate,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “This degree opportunity recognizes the value of both elementary and special education degrees offered at Mississippi’s community colleges and the impact they are making not only on Mississippi’s workforce but to provide an unparalleled foundation for our children in the state and beyond. This allows our previous, current and future elementary education or special education majors a natural progression for post-ICC educational endeavors while transferring academic credits.”
Both ICC and The W advisers will collaborate to ensure seamless transition between programs. The W’s School of Education offers students the ability to complete a bachelor’s degree in elementary education online with the expectation of fieldwork, which will be available for students to complete in a local school, potentially where a student may want to teach. The W accepts up to 90 transfer credit hours toward the 120 credit hours required for a bachelor’s degree.
“The MOU with MUW is an excellent opportunity for our students to have a smooth transition from ICC’s School of Education into MUW’s School of Education,” said Chris Cox, Education Department chair. “There is a big need for quality educators, especially in elementary and special education in our area and state. This partnership is another step in ensuring that ICC is helping to produce great educators that will not only help eliminate the teacher shortage but also make a major impact on our local communities. We are excited about this opportunity and hope to continue to find ways to partner with our local universities.”
“We’ve been very successful in helping students onboard to teacher education at The W. “We want them to get to know us early, complete key courses as soon as possible and move seamlessly from completion of their associate’s degree to starting their bachelor’s teacher education program with us, said Dr. Martin Hatton, dean of the School of Education at The W. “The MOU represents our commitment to work together to make that happen to each student transferring into a teacher education program at The W.”
In 2021, ICC and The W signed an MOU to provide educational opportunities for students pursuing careers in early childhood education. The agreement establishes a pathway for ICC students who are earning an associate’s degree in early childhood technology to have the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree at The W.