The Foundations of Teacher Education associate degree program prepares you to engage with students of diverse ages and varying ability levels while operating under the guidance and supervision of a licensed teacher. You will be well-equipped for a fulfilling career as a paraprofessional or educational assistant, offering invaluable support services to school-age students. While this program prepares graduates to serve in a variety of educational contexts, it places a primary emphasis on roles in elementary and middle-level schools.

Graduates of this program possess the knowledge and skills necessary to implement effective instructional strategies, enabling you to assist students with a wide array of academic tasks, including mathematics, science, reading, and writing assignments, in addition to other instructional activities. You will be adept at monitoring student progress, providing individualized support, facilitating small group activities, and offering one-on-one tutoring. Moreover, you'll play an integral role in enhancing the classroom environment by contributing to classroom displays, aiding students with computer and media-related tasks, and overseeing various classroom and school events.

Western's Foundations of Teacher Education program is fully compliant with Title I requirements and fulfills the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for paraprofessionals. Furthermore, graduates of this program have the opportunity to transfer to several universities offering bachelor degree programs in Elementary Education or Special Education.

In the United States, buildings represent one of our biggest energy consumers. As a result, buildings have been targeted for energy reduction strategies to reduce cost and dependence on carbon based fuels. Building Science and Energy Management will examine the built environment and how it relates to energy using the latest research, tools, and technology available. You will gain hands-on experience working with community projects and in living laboratories in Western's state-of-the-art facilities. Study topics include energy auditing, energy management, renewable energy systems, and integrated design.

The focus of the program is to prepare you for entry-level work in the growing renewable energy, energy efficiency, and building systems industry. Having these unique skills will give you a leg-up in an increasingly competitive job market.

Radiographers play an important role in the care of individuals who are ill or injured. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that diagnostic images are of the highest quality, enabling the medical team to make precise diagnoses and provide appropriate patient treatment.

In Western's program, you will gain a deep understanding of the impact of radiation on the human body, acquire the skills to accurately position patients, determine the optimal exposure settings, and learn how to safeguard both yourself and your patients from the effects of radiation.

Core classes are conducted in classroom and laboratory settings, with a strong emphasis on hands-on clinical experience within a healthcare environment. We offer classes in various formats, including traditional face-to-face, online, and blended, to accommodate your preferred learning style and schedule.

Are you interested in a career that makes a real difference in people's lives? Consider enrolling in our associate degree program to become a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), or to explore other exciting job opportunities in related fields. As a COTA, you'll have the chance to work closely under the guidance of an occupational therapist. Your role? To help individuals overcome challenges in their daily lives using engaging, goal-oriented activities. This could mean assisting people in mastering everyday living skills, enjoying leisure and play, or developing work skills.

But that's not all. As a COTA, you'll find yourself in a variety of settings, each offering unique experiences. You might work in a hospital, a school, a geriatric center, or even in people's homes and communities. Each environment offers a chance to positively impact lives, helping people to not just live, but to thrive. If this sounds like the path for you, our program is the perfect starting point to launch your rewarding career in occupational therapy.

Would you like to be part of a team that develops new products and designs solutions to technical problems? Using the mathematical and scientific problem-solving techniques you learn in this program, you could work with engineers to create new, more reliable, and more sophisticated products in less time.

You will create 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) models of parts and assemblies to meet design requirements; produce working drawings that include dimensions, technical details, and materials to be used; evaluate materials and processes; produce engineering documentation; use CAD models for strength and motion analysis, machining and rapid prototyping; and develop organizational skills to keep projects on track.

There are many career opportunities for mechanical design technicians in research and development, manufacturing, sales, construction, inspection, and maintenance.