PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION,
HUMAN SERVICES
and EDUCATION
START HERE.
More than 70,000 futures
have started at Kirkwood...
Yours can be one of them!
Get a great start here in a respected public administration field.
From early childhood specialists to paralegals and police
officers, our graduates contribute to the quality of life
in Iowa. With the experience earned at Kirkwood, you’ll
quickly earn a high demand career, because you’ll have the
real world skills employers are looking for.
Add to that scholarships for everyone, including nearly
25 individual scholarships only for students interested in
civic-minded areas.
For more information call 800-332-2055 or www.kirkwood.edu/careers.
Liberal Arts - Education Careers
2-year AA degree | Potential Careers: Teacher, special
education teacher, paraeducator
This pre-professional program provides the first two years of
a teaching degree. The curriculum combines a strong arts and
sciences background with professional courses.
Kirkwood provides advising to help students choose courses
that meet transfer institutions’ requirements. The program also
provides specific training, general education, and experience
working with children or youth in educational settings.
Students can complete courses that meet state paraeducator
certification. Paraeducators are school employees who provide
support to teachers and students while under the supervision
of teachers.
Liberal Arts - Early Childhood Education
1 or 2 years (2-5 semesters) AA or AAS degree
Certificate or Diploma
Potential Careers: Childcare or preschool lead teacher,
early childhood program director, teacher
Care for and shape the minds of young children. At Kirkwood,
you will have opportunities to participate in a variety of
community early childhood programs, including Head Start
Centers, kindergarten classrooms, voluntary four-year-old
preschool programs and child care centers.
Liberal Arts - Human Services
2-year AA degree | 2-year AAS degree
Behavioral Health Paraprofessional Diploma
Potential Careers: Case manager, social worker, counselor
Get a solid foundation built on a deep understanding of human
behaviors, social policy, social programs, communication,
record keeping, interviewing, observing, group processes and
problem solving. Kirkwood’s program encourages student
involvement with community agencies, including observations
and hands-on experience. Graduates of the Kirkwood program
usually transfer to four-year schools.
Choose this program if you’re interested in becoming a social
worker, certified alcohol/drug counselor, certified treatment
assistant and/or a community-based patient support staff
person.
Liberal Arts - Criminal Justice
2-year AA degree | 2-year AAS degree
Potential Careers: Police officer, corrections
Examine issues relating to crime, law and justice. You’ll learn
to analyze situations and events in a logical way, organize the
parts of a problem effectively, appreciate diversity, work with
a wide cross-section of the community, and believe in your
abilities and judgment, while at the same time recognizing your
personal limitations and developmental needs.
Kirkwood’s program provides a solid foundation for transfer
to a four-year school. Once students graduate from the
four-year program, they’re qualified for entry-level positions
in law enforcement, corrections, juvenile justice and child
protective services.
Liberal Arts - Paralegal
2-year AA degree | 2-year AAS degree
Potential Careers: Paralegal in law firm or corporate legal
department
Paralegals are legal professionals who assist lawyers. A lawyer
may delegate any legal work to a paralegal, except giving legal
advice or representing a client in court (although paralegals
sometimes help at trial).
After graduating from Kirkwood’s program and earning a fouryear degree, you’ll be qualified for entry-level paralegal positions
in law firms, corporate legal departments and other business
and government offices such as prosecutors’ offices, banks, title
companies and insurance companies.
Liberal Arts – Communications Media/
Public Relations
Get ready for an exciting and fast-paced career in the media!
Choose from any of these areas:
Media Account Executive
Media Artist
Media Buyer
Media Writer
Photo Communicator
Print Communications
Public Relations
Radio Announcer/Operator
Radio/TV News Reporter
TV Production Assistant
•Combine a strong arts and sciences core with specific professional courses so you’re prepared to pursue a four-
year degree.
•Complete both theoretical and practical course work.
•Be published in the Communiqué student newspaper or work for KSP in TV news or videography.
Entry-level Firefighter
2-year AAS degree | Potential Careers: Firefighter,
emergency medical technician (EMT)
Get the skills you need to get started as firefighter. Kirkwood’s
program is tailored for recent high school graduates or local
volunteers wanting to improve their employment possibilities.
Certifications: Firefighter I, EMT (state and national)
Paramedic
2-year AAS degree | Potential Careers: Emergency medical
technician, critical care
Paramedics provide one of the highest levels of pre-hospital
emergency care. They provide advanced care in a variety of
settings. Utilizing critical thinking skills, paramedics rapidly
assess, treat and stabilize injured or ill patients and provide
transport to or between hospitals. Settings may include ground
and air ambulances, emergency departments, critical care
units or cardiac cath labs. Along with advanced assessment
techniques, paramedics utilize medications, cardiac monitoring
and interpreting, defibrillation and advanced invasive skills
as guided by state and local protocols, as well as the medical
direction of each service.
The Paramedic program follows the current National
Emergency Medical Services Education Standards from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The standards
prepare the EMT and AEMT for the more advanced scope
of practice of the paramedic. This allied health program has a
mandatory background check for clinical participation.
Water Environmental Tech Online
1-year diploma or 2-year AAS degree | Potential Careers:
Wastewater treatment plant, engineering firm
Get hands-on training in water and wastewater applications.
Graduates work in municipal water and wastewater treatment
plants and the collection and distribution systems that serve
them. Become certified in one of four grade levels, depending
on the size of the community you serve and the treatment
complexity.
The Water Environmental Technology program comes to you
via Environmental Technology Online, www.et-online.org. It
is possible to transfer credits from this program to the
University of Northern Iowa toward a bachelor’s degree in
Technology Management.
Certificates
Pair your two-year degree with a tailored certification, or
take your current skills to a new level. Earn specialized
certificates in several fields, or create a completely unique
skill set. The choice is yours! See all our certificates at
www.kirkwood.edu/programs.
Advising
At Kirkwood, you have options. Kirkwood advisors help
students with their academic futures, from developing and
academic plan to choosing the best courses to smoothly
transfer to a four-year school. Advisors can also help clarify
course requirements or refer you to support services as
needed. You’ll work with an advisor to choose the degree
pathway that meets your needs and meets your transfer
college requirements Then, we will help you select courses
that count toward your future bachelor’s degree.
Visit www.kirkwood.edu/advising for more information.
Kirkwood’s High School Offerings
Even high school students can get in on the action! High
school juniors and seniors can take Kirkwood classes in related
subjects. Classes fulfill credit for both high school and college.
See www.kirkwood.edu/earncredit for more information.
Kirkwood Continuing Education
Whether you want to advance your professional career or
enrich your personal life, Kirkwood Continuing Education
can help you achieve your goals. We offer top quality programs
taught by highly skilled learning facilitators, at convenient
times and locations. Go to www.kirkwood.edu/ce for a full
course listing.
All of this, along with world-class
faculty, extensive student
services and low tuition make
Kirkwood the place to start if
you want to GO
ANYWHERE!
Find all the ways you can visit Kirkwood’s campus and get
started as a student at www.kirkwood.edu/visitcampus.
Kirkwood Community College
6301 Kirkwood Blvd SW
PO Box 2068
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406-2068
www.kirkwood.edu
Contact 319-398-5517 or 800-363-2220
or admissions@kirkwood.edu for more information.