The new agreement will allow students to complete the first two years of a bachelor degree in elementary education at North Central Michigan College before transferring to University of Michigan–Dearborn to complete the program.
North Central Michigan College and the University of Michigan–Dearborn have partnered for a new pathway program for individuals seeking to work in elementary education. The 2+2 elementary education pathway will create an arrangement that will allow students to complete the first two years of a bachelor degree in elementary education at North Central Michigan College before transferring to the University of Michigan–Dearborn to complete the program. The agreement will expand access to teacher education for individuals living in rural areas.
According to an article on North Central Michigan College’s website, Stephen Strom, who serves as the college’s Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, was quoted as saying of the new partnership, “This pathway removes the disruption that often comes with pursuing a teaching career. Students can maintain their lives, their jobs, and their community ties while advancing toward a bachelor’s degree. That stability matters, and we believe it will open the door for more graduates to step into the profession.”
The agreement will expand access to teacher education by eliminating the need for students to relocate to complete their degrees. Students will be able to take their first two years of bachelor degree course work at North Central Michigan College, and for their third and fourth years, will take online courses with the University of Michigan–Dearborn. Student-teaching placements will occur in local schools around North Central, eliminating the need to travel and giving students in rural areas the ability to learn and teach in their own communities.
Danielle DeFauw, a professor of reading and language arts and the chair of the Department of Education in UM-Dearborn’s College of Education, Health & Human Services, noted, “UM-Dearborn is pleased to and proud to partner with NCMC to bring more highly trained teachers to PK-12 schools in Northern Michigan. This streamlined pathway increases access to certification for aspiring teachers and strengthens the teacher pipeline to help address Michigan’s PK-12 teacher shortage.”
Speaking to the benefits of teachers becoming prepared within the communities they will eventually have their own classrooms in, Michele Andrews, NCMC’s dean of business, education and adjunct faculty, said, “When teachers complete their preparation in the same communities where they’ll eventually work, everyone benefits. They enter the classroom with a real understanding of local needs and a strong sense of belonging, qualities that make for exceptional educators.”
The new 2+2 in elementary education pathway will begin enrollment in the Fall 2026 semester.
For more information about North Central Michigan College, visit the school’s website.