How to Get a Master's Degree in Education
To become a teacher, you must first be a student. Whether your future is in education, administration, research, or government work, a master's degree in education helps match your skills and interests with training that works for your career future.
How to Earn Your Master's Degree in Education
A master's degree in education isn't just a good idea; for many careers in education, it's a requirement. Some school districts require their teachers to hold master's degrees in order to teach at the elementary or secondary level. Hiring managers for most administrative positions require master's degrees from applicants, and jobs in research and government also often require a graduate degree.
Whether you know your exact degree path or you've just begun to consider your options, this guide can help you. Researching potential education master's degree programs is an essential step of the degree process, and it begins before you fill out your first application for admission.
Step 1: Choose Among Education Master's Degree Options
The first step of your degree research is to learn about the basics of an education degree. Choose from the different types of degrees and you can more easily tailor your training to your needs as a student. Whether you hope to work in the classroom or move into administrative work or research, there's an education master's degree that may work for you, including:
- Master of Arts (MA): The broadest of education master's degrees, the MA changes based on your specialization and interests. Choose a pedagogical specialization to remain in the classroom, or an administration specialization to move toward supervisory and administrative positions.
- Master of Science (MS): Known as a research-heavy education master's degree, the MS focuses on the science and technology behind education. Specializations include instructional technology and education statistics, and graduates often go on to research instead of working in a classroom.
- Master of Education (MEd): The MEd sets the standard for administration officials such as principals and vice-principals, though a few states may require it for classroom instruction. Specializations typically include curriculum and instruction, administration, and counseling.
- Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT): Students complete content-based courses, such as math or science, in a graduate setting. Designed to prepare students for initial teacher certification, this degree is required by some school districts across the country.
Remember that there may be a considerable amount of overlap from degree to degree. Before you commit to any degree path, research the teachers, administrators, and researchers currently in your field and learn more about the degrees they earned to get there. You may end up considering more than one type of degree.
Step 2: Choose Among Education Degree Specializations
Whether you choose to search for MA, MS, MEd, or MAT degrees--or a combination of the four--you should also think about how you may specialize within the degree program. Here is a sampling of specialties you may find as you research master's degrees in education:
- Elementary education
- Secondary education
- Special education
- Counseling
- Subject-specific education
- Administration
- Curriculum and instruction
- Instructional technology
You can mix and match specialties with degree types for a focused degree. For example, earn an MS in education with a specialty in instructional technology if you'd like to work as a distance education researcher, or earn an MEd with a specialty in instructional technology and try for a career as the head of a school's technology department.
Step 3: Choose to Earn a Master's Degree Online or On Campus
Educators know the importance of finding an instructional method to suit your strengths as a student. Earn a master's degree online, enroll in a campus-based program, or choose a master's degree program that integrates both worlds. Consider the benefits of each learning environment:
- Online master's degree: Work independently on your own time with an online master's degree in education. Many students even choose to remain employed as they earn a master's degree online.
- On-campus master's degree: Work one-on-one with peers and professors with a campus-based master's degree in education. Many students enjoy the hands-on access to research materials and libraries.
- Hybrid master's degree: Enjoy a mix of both learning styles with a hybrid master's degree in education. Some schools require classroom attendance only during summer session, making it easier on a teacher's unique schedule.
Remember that there is no one "correct" degree type; accredited, excellent degree programs exist in all three categories. Let your own learning style and preferences be your guide to the degree program that works best for you. Use WorldWideLearn.com's guide to online degree programs to get a better idea of what to expect when you earn a master's degree online.
Step 4: Create a List of Prospective Education Master's Degree Programs
After you've thought about your degree type, specializations, and learning method, it's time to create a long list of potential master's degree programs in education. These resources can help you as you begin your research:
- U.S. News and World Report maintains rankings of the top education schools nationwide. You can narrow rankings by education policy, special education, secondary teacher education, and other categories.
- Seek lists of accredited schools from specialized accreditation agencies. For example, the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education maintains a listing of schools accredited for Montessori educators.
- Another specialized accreditation agency, the National Association for Education of Young Children, also maintains a listing of accredited bachelor's and graduate degree programs.
- WorldWideLearn.com offers a database of education master's degree programs. Use the listings to make first contact with potential schools and learn more about the programs offered. Both campus-based education degrees and online master's degree programs are listed.
These tools are designed to help you easily create a long list of potential master's degrees in education. After you've established the master list, you can begin learning more about schools and considering different categories, ultimately condensing your longer compilation into a short list of the strongest schools for you.
Step 5: Determine Master's Degree Program Accreditation
Accreditation has to do with set standards for educational quality that schools can meet at the master's degree level. The accreditation process involves a third-party agency checking on a school's financial policies, academics, and faculty, and making their findings public.
Checking the accreditation status of each potential master's degree program on your list is an essential step in the process of researching master's degrees in education. An accredited school comes with a number of benefits to you as a student. It may:
- Ensure the quality of your degree in the eyes of hiring managers in and outside academia
- Secure federal financial aid, transfer credits, and integrate seamlessly with other schools
- Maintain the high standard of education master's degrees nationwide
Fortunately, it's simple to determine a college or university's accreditation status. Search the U.S. Department of Education's accreditation database by school name, location, or accreditation agency. Additionally, see specialized and regional accreditation searches, such as:
- The National Association for Education of Young Children
- The Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education
Learn more about the accreditation process at WorldWideLearn.com's Accreditation Answers page.
Step 6: Narrow Down Accredited Master's Degree Programs in Education
Whether you're considering an MA, MS, MEd, or MAT, you should have a lot of options in a range of schools. At this point, you should have created an extensive list of accredited master's degree programs in education. As you continue your research, you can filter your potential list of education programs down to the strongest candidates. Use these categories to help focus your search:
- Location: Think about the city or town in which each school is located. Would you remain there for a job if you had the option? Are job prospects easy to come by, or would it be difficult to find employment? If these questions are important to you, your school's location can be a big selling point.
- Requirements: Every education master's degree application may require different materials from students. Some ask you to submit a current teaching certificate or scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and other tests. International students have their own requirements, such as passing the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam.
- Ranking: Program rankings, like the ones published by U.S. News & World Report, can have a big effect on students. The highest-ranked education degrees may be viewed with the most respect by hiring managers, but they can also come with the highest tuition costs. Balance a school's ranking with other qualities, such as funding and faculty.
- Financial aid: Learn more about the funding situation at potential master's degree programs. Some schools offer the most promising teaching stipends, grants, and other funding to their graduate education students, while others rely on federal financial aid.
- Faculty: A strong group of faculty members can make your degree program a welcome challenge. Remember to base your application on the strength of a department's entire faculty, instead of on one professor who may leave before you have a chance to enroll.
- Extras: Students might be encouraged to complete teaching internships, work in the community, secure funding to travel to professional conferences, and more. These perks are important, but they should be the last category you consider as you focus your list.
Consider each school on your list using these categories. Though it may be time consuming, the process gives you a chance to look deeper into what each school has to offer you as a student. Proper research into different education master's degree programs is essential to your happiness as a student. Because no one school is objectively the best for everyone, it makes sense to spend time individually researching the education departments in schools nationwide to find your best fit.
There is also a financial benefit to your good research. After you've zeroed in on the best possible education programs, you likely won't have to spend as much money on application fees to schools that ultimately won't interest you. Make an educated decision with your academic future, and you can reap the rewards for years to come.
Step 7: Begin the Education Master's Degree Application Process
After you've taken your list of M.A., M.S., M.Ed. and MAT education degrees and condensed them into the strongest few, your application process immediately simplifies. You should only keep track of deadlines and prepare paperwork for a handful of programs. As you begin the application process for the handful of education graduate degree programs, keep the following in mind:
- Requirements: Every education master's degree program may have different requirements for prospective students. Be prepared to provide undergraduate transcripts, teaching certificates, and resumes. More selective schools may request certain GPA minimums and professional recommendation letters.
- Deadlines: Your deadlines may change from college to college for sending transcripts, applications, and financial aid. Organization is key to your success in this regard; a special deadlines-only calendar can help streamline the process.
- Personalization: Stand out from the crowd with a personal, engaging application. Write original letters of intent for each school, considering the school's personality as well as your own as you convince the readers why you would be a perfect student for the program.
Above all, the research process is a chance to take a closer look at your future degree experience. Use this opportunity to learn more about every aspect of the master's degree, and you should come away with a better idea of the educational process as a whole.
Sources
- Accreditation List, The National Association for Education of Young Children
- Accreditation Search, U.S. Department of Education
- Best Education Graduate Schools, U.S. News and World Report
- Master of Arts in Teaching, Salisbury University
- University Catalog: Graduate Education Department, George Mason University
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