Student Opportunities

College of Education students have many opportunities to participate in a variety of service projects, research projects, and student organizations.

Student Involvement

The Associated Students of the University of Arizona (ASUA) is the student government on campus that is comprised of students who are willing to go above and beyond and serve their school and peers. As a member of the ASUA Senate, you are the voice and representative for the College of Education and its students. While campaigning, your platforms will focus on ways to make improvements to the college. Once elected, you will work hard to follow through on the platforms you proposed while campaigning for the position. Some responsibilities during your term including holding at least 7 office hours per week, attending weekly senate meetings, serving on external committees, and meeting monthly with the Dean of the college. ASUA elections happen once a year in the beginning of the Spring semester. More information about the elections process.

College of Education Student Ambassadors are undergraduates who volunteer their time to speak to prospective students and families about the benefits of higher education and the teaching profession. Ambassadors represent a variety of majors within the college and share thoughts and experiences from a university student’s perspective.

Read more about becoming a College of Education Student Ambassador.

Hands-On Experience through COE

Learn Italian Sign Language in Italy! 

This is a three-week Deaf Studies Program that offers a series of courses in Italian Deaf Culture and Italian Sign Language undergraduates. Students expand their previous linguistic and cultural knowledge through hands-on engagement guided by experienced faculty and staff.

For more information, please visit Study Abroad.

These courses are specially designed for freshmen and other students exploring their major and career options.

TLS 195 (3 units): Introduction to the Profession of Teaching covers current issues in K-12 teaching and their application to classroom instructional practices and procedures.

TLS 197 (1 unit): Freshman Success helps students feel a sense of connection to the College of Education and their intended undergraduate major in this college. Students will learn about the college's programs and services, connect with their peers, gain a deeper understanding of the education field, and much more.

The University of Arizona (UArizona) College of Education's Native Student Outreach Access, and Resiliency (SOAR) is a nationally recognized, high impact multigenerational mentoring program culturally grounded in Indigenous teachings and Ways of Knowing. UArizona undergraduate college students enroll in the HED 397C: Native SOAR class in the fall and spring. They care about giving back to communities by serving as college mentors to Indigenous youth.

For students looking to fulfill their required 60 hours in a classroom for professional program admission, please review the Pre-Program Observation Hours menu item on the Office of Field Experiences Resources page.

Project FOCUS (Focusing Opportunities with Community and University Support), in collaboration with the College of Education and Pima County public school districts, provides a unique post-high school transition opportunity for students (ages 18-21) with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

Project Student Outreach Access & Resiliency (SOAR) is the UA's premier mentoring program. Project SOAR targets students attending under-resourced middle schools in the Tucson area. The program enrolls approximately 100 UA students per semester who serve as mentors for hundreds of middle-school students.

The summer study abroad program focuses on the education of regular and exceptional bilingual/multicultural populations. In addition, it offers intensive Spanish language classes (from beginning to advanced levels) for professionals focusing on the development of academic language for use in school settings. University of Arizona courses are taught on-site in Mexico in English. Participants have the opportunity to observe Mexican public schools in action and complete a practicum experience.

The first week of the program is onsite in Mexico City where students visit the National Palace, the National Museum of Anthropology, the Pyramids at Teotihuacan, and the mural paintings of Diego Rivera in the Secretary of Education. For the remainder of the program, students are in Guanajuato working in public schools, living with host families and taking University of Arizona coursework from international faculty and scholars. Students earn 6 graduate or undergraduate units from the University of Arizona.

Scholarships ARE available. For more information, please visit Study Abroad.

WordCats*Math Cats provides students with experience in an elementary school classroom. Work-Study and paid positions may be available.

Hands-On Experience outside of COE

Local school districts often hire and pay tutors for the AVID program. Under supervision, AVID Tutors assist students in achieving academic goals utilizing AVID methodologies through individual tutoring and/or training in study groups, assist in the preparation of instructional materials, and perform other duties as assigned. Must be an enrolled college student with at least 30 units and a 2.5 GPA. Search for AVID Tutor Tucson to find current opportunities.

This AmeriCorps grant is called Student Thinking Enrichment through Mathematics Mentors (STEMM). The program's goal is to provide FREE mathematics mentoring and tutoring to Arizona school children, especially in communities underrepresented in STEM. These services are provided via mentoring in person at schools, providing in person support during classroom instruction, and offering tutoring Monday through Sunday year-round over zoom. Each member will serve from 100-1700 hours and receive a living stipend during their service. Members will also earn an educational award to use at any accredited AZ university of community college for the successful completion of their service commitment. Members train weekly on Wednesdays from 4:00-4:50 PM or 6:00-6:50 AM. UArizona students will earn 1 credit in mathematics.

Support Opportunities

Being named an Arizona Teaching Fellow is a special recognition that connects students to the school district where they student teach in a meaningful way with the intention that they will teach in that district after completing the professional preparation program. These fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students subsidize costs related to their school experience, like tuition or cost-of-living expenses.

ITEP has a mission to increase the number of Indigenous teachers serving Indigenous students, schools, and communities.

The TRiO SSS – Teacher Prep Program is a federally funded program by the U.S. Department of Education that holistically supports our undergraduate students in order to increase our graduation rates and teacher workforce. We work in supporting students who are first-generation college students, low-income, or have a documented disability.

Employment & Internships

Every current, degree-seeking UA student and recent graduate from within the past year has a new account on Handshake ready and waiting. Just activate it by clicking on the "University of Arizona Sign On" then entering your UA email address. If you graduated more than a year ago, just create a new account. 

For additional career resources and support, visit the the office of Student Engagement & Career Development in the fourth floor of the Student Union Memorial Center.

For additional College of Education resources and information, please be sure to read our weekly listserv messages. If you are not already receiving these messages, please email us to join our listserv. 

All employers can create a Handshake account and post job listings. If you need assistance with this process, you can contact the office of Student Engagement & Career Development at 520-621-2588. 

These courses offered by the College of Education are open for enrollment and provide hands-on experience working with youth in the community! Hours completed through these courses may be counted towards professional admission requirements depending on your program.

 

HED 350: Project SOAR (3 units)

This course satisfies the Exploring Perspectives: Social Scientist gen ed requirement and is typically offered in both fall and spring semesters. This course will introduce students to literature on college access, outreach, academic achievement, and resiliency. Students will learn about inequities that permeate the U.S. public education system and discover solutions to those inequities. The service-learning component of this course. known as Project SOAR, will allow the students to take meaningful action while they apply their learning as mentors to students at under-resourced Tucson middle schools on a weekly basis.

 

HED 397C: Native SOAR (3 units)

This course satisfies the Building Connections gen ed requirement and is typically offered in both fall and spring semesters. The College of Education's Native Student Outreach Access, and Resiliency (SOAR) program is a nationally recognized, high impact multigenerational mentoring program culturally grounded in Indigenous teachings and Ways of Knowing. Enrolled students care about giving back to communities by serving as college mentors to Indigenous youth.

 

TLS 497F: Community and School Garden Workshop (2-6 units)

This course is typically offered in fall and spring semesters and can be taken for 2 units or up to 6 units depending on how many hours students will serve in garden settings per week. This School Garden Workshop is designed to enable UA undergraduate and graduate students to work in Tucson-area schools and community sites helping stakeholders to plant, harvest and prepare foods from their garden as well as use the garden as a learning space. As a member of a school or community garden team, students are likely to cover a wide range of activities from maintaining a compost pile to administering lesson plans for teaching in the garden to weeding, planting, and organizing work crews. In addition to attending one 3-hour weekend workshop, students are required to attend weekly class meetings on the UA campus. Most of the course, however, revolves around independent and sustained involvement with a Tucson school or community garden. No teaching or gardening experience is required.