Western Carolina University

Birth-Kindergarten Majors must earn a C or above in all Birth-Kindergarten and Special Education courses required in the major.

Birth-Kindergarten Majors must maintain an overall Grade Point Average of 2.75 or better on hours attempted.

The requirements for continuing in the program are 1) a GPA of at least 2.75 on hours attempted; 2) behavior which adheres to the code of ethics of the profession and the North Carolina BK Standards; and 3) satisfactory participation in the required professional field experiences, which are prerequisite to Internship.

Students in the Professional Education Concentration must be admitted to Teacher Education and are subject to all of the Teacher Education requirements.

How is the Liberal Studies requirement different if I received an A.A. or an A.A.S. degree at the community college?
Pursuant to University of North Carolina System Policy, students who graduate from an accredited community college in North Carolina and who have earned either an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree will have fulfilled all Liberal Studies (general education) requirement at WCU.

Students who have earned a degree from an accredited institution located outside of North Carolina will undergo a course-by-course evaluation for transfer credits and may have to complete additional courses to fulfill the Liberal Studies requirement.

Students who possess an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree will undergo a course-by-course evaluation for transfer credits. In most cases, the student will be required to complete additional courses at a community college or through WCU to fulfill the Liberal Studies requirement.

Transfer students who have questions in regard to their previous college courses fulfilling WCU’s Liberal Studies or General Education Core requirements are urged to contact the University Advising Center.

Can I receive academic credit for years of service or other training I have completed?
No, WCU does not recognize years of services, training, certifications, or other continuing education units as being equivalent to academic courses at the university level. Transfer credit will only be awarded for courses offered by institutions of higher education that are accredited by nationally recognized, regional accredited organizations. Evaluation of academic transcripts is conducted by the Registrar’s Office, not the individual department.