What is CTE?
The Career and Technical Education (CTE) program offers degrees for the preparation of teachers, supervisors, and administrators in a range of related fields, generally found in secondary education.
The Bachelor of Science in Education is divided into three majors:
Admission to the B.S.E. in Career and Technical Education is competitive and admission will be determined by the Career and Education faculty based on the items listed with the concentration requirements. Students seeking admission to the Career and Technical Education program at the University of Arkansas must be aware of the deadlines and admissions policies. These deadlines and limitations are designed to ensure that all students have a high quality experience.
The University of Arkansas program in career and technical education has been approved by the State Board for Career and Technical Education for the preparation of teachers, supervisors, and administrators in career and technical education.
Meet the CTE Faculty
Dr. Betsy Orr
Betsy Orr is an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education and Health Professions. She is the program coordinator for the Career and Technical Education program. Her research is focused in the areas of assistive technology, classroom management, technology and teacher education. Dr. Orr began her career at the University of Arkansas in 1989 and during this time has served as an Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Associate Dean. Dr. Orr is the major graduate advisor for business education students. Her expertise is in business education.
Dr. Orr has presented her research internationally in Japan, Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Greece, Ireland, Finland, and Singapore. She has published numerous refereed articles and book chapters in educational journals.
Dr. Sheri Deaton
Sheri Deaton is a teaching assistant professor of Career and Technical Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction of the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions. She also serves as the Director of the Bessie Moore Center for Economic Education, where she supports preservice and practicing teachers by curating, creating, and disseminating economic education materials and providing training.
Sheri is a nationally board-certified teacher with over two decades of experience including teaching middle school, high school, and collegiate-level courses. She instructs, mentors, and supervises Career and Technical Education teacher candidates while also providing content courses for Family and Consumer Sciences education students. Before joining the university in 2016, she taught Family and Consumer Sciences Education in public schools for 13 years. Sheri frequently presents research at the Association for Career & Technical Educators (ACTE) conferences. She was a 2021 national finalist for the ACTE Post-Secondary Teacher Educator of the Year and was named the Arkansas Post-Secondary Professional of the Year in 2024 and the Region IV ACTE Post-Secondary Professional of the Year in 2025.
Career and Technical Education faculty love connecting with new students and sharing all that the CTE program at the University of Arkansas has to offer. Attending career fairs and recruitment events at local schools is just one of the many ways our faculty work to inspire future educators and professionals while highlighting the exciting opportunities available through the program.
