CTE Advanced
Course Descriptions

CTE Advanced Studies

Prerequisite: Two credits in one Career Cluster
This culminating course is for juniors and seniors who have earned two technical credits, one of which is a completer course, in one Career Cluster. The Advanced Studies course must augment the content of the completer course and prepare students for success in transitioning to postsecondary education and future careers. Students work under the guidance of a teacher with expertise in the content of the completer course in collaboration with community members, business representatives, and other school-based personnel. The four parts of the course include writing a research paper, producing a product, developing a portfolio, and delivering a presentation. Students demonstrate their abilities to use 21st century skills. Competitive events, community service, and leadership activities provide the opportunity to apply essential standards and workplace readiness skills through authentic experiences.

 

CTE Internship

A CTE Internship allows for additional development of career and technical competencies within a general career field. Internships allow students to observe and participate in daily operations, develop direct contact with job personnel, ask questions about particular careers, and perform certain job tasks. This activity is exploratory and allows the student to get hands-on experience in a number of related activities. The teacher, student, and the business community jointly plan the organization, implementation, and evaluation of an internship, regardless of whether it is an unpaid or paid internship.

 

Veterinary Assisting

Prerequisite - Animal Science I & II

This course provides instruction for students desiring a career in animal medicine. Topics include proper veterinary practice management and client relations, pharmacy and laboratory procedure, advanced animal care, and surgical/radiological procedures. Applied mathematics, science and writing are integrated throughout the curriculum. Advanced FFA leadership will be infused throughout the curriculum to develop the student's ability to work with the public. All aspects of this course will feature hands-on skill sets designed to enhance experiential learning. English language arts, mathematics, and science are reinforced. Work-based learning strategies appropriate for this course are cooperative education, internship, mentorship, service- learning job shadowing and supervised agricultural experience. FFA competitive events, community service, and leadership activities provide the opportunity to apply essential standards and workplace readiness skill through authentic experiences. Students who wish to take the Veterinary Assisting Exam developed by Texas Veterinary Medical Association to be a Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVA) Level 1 should complete an additional 500 hours of supervised agricultural experience (SAE) during their three animal science courses. Two hundred SAE hours focus on the care and management of animals; will be substantiated by records and conducted under the direct supervision of the agricultural teacher. Hours may be earned any time during the year including summer months. An additional 300 hours of supervised agricultural experience (worked based learning) will be conducted as an internship program in animal medicine under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian or certified veterinary technician who will attest that participating students have mastered a standard set of skills used in animal medicine as identified by the cooperating teacher. Hours may be earned any time during the year including summer months.