Overview
A career in education offers reliable employment opportunities and is described by practitioners in the field as highly rewarding. Educators who earn their PhD can opt to become teachers of teachers in universities and colleges, or they can enter into administrative positions.
Requirements
In addition to a broad concentration such as teaching, general education, educational technology or educational leadership, most programs require candidates to choose a sub-specialization for their dissertation.
Coursework
PhD students intricately investigate the core issues in modern education such as problem definition, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The four common concentrations for intensive study are curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, special education and leisure, youth and human services.
Specific coursework depends on each student’s academic track, but the common goal of all doctoral programs is furthering new developments in the field of education. Through passionate engagement with the research process, candidates emerge as true experts on their dissertation topics. Students already holding their masters degree will have to complete less formalized study during their PhD program. To complete the doctoral degree, students must formally present and defend their dissertations. Since many teachers opt to pursue their doctorate while continuing to work full-time in education, online degree programs can be an attractive educational path.
Potential Jobs
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), students aspiring to be a principal, school district administrator, university department head or chief academic officer should pursue a PhD in Education for optimal career opportunities. Depending on a student’s skill set, other potential paths include consulting or working for a private think tank researching educational topics. Other PhD degree holds may opt to serve in governmental positions or capitalize on their authority and write freelance articles or books in their area of research.
Salary
Salaries for people with a PhD in Education average $72,000. In some parts of the country administrators and counselors earn between $100,000 and $200,000. PhD holders who enter academia may not earn the highest salaries, but university teaching provides other perks not found in K-12 education like sabbaticals, tenure track and shorter work weeks. Professors in higher education earn a median yearly salary of $64,000 in Florida and $70,000 in California. Even more exciting for students interested in obtaining their PhD in Education is that the BLS projects that the demand for postsecondary instructors will increase over the next seven years.
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Overview
Most masters of education programs through accredited online colleges require students to choose a concentration such as educational counseling, educational administration, academic enrichment, adult education or higher education. Coursework varies depending on specific concentration, but all tracks focus on building effective teaching methods and learning to relate to students. Typically, top online schools require a formal thesis for completion of the masters degree.
Time Commitment
When enrolled full-time, masters programs require 2 years of study. Some schools do offer accelerated programs that can be completed in less than 2 years. Part-time students can expect to finish their education in 3 – 4 years. Some states like Massachusetts and New York require a masters degree to earn professional licensure to teach. In most states, counseling and principal positions also require a masters degree.
Concentrations
Early Childhood Education, Reading Comprehension, Secondary Education, General Education, Educational Leadership, Educational Technology, Special Education, Teaching, Elementary Education and Mathematics Specialization
Salary
With a masters degree, you’ll certainly command more compensation than your peers who hold only their bachelors degree, however, the exact amount fluctuates considerably based on location and experience. Teaching subject and school type – public or private – also affects pay scale. Typically, private schools pay less than public schools, since public schools require teacher certifications that private schools do not. For young, inexperienced teachers who have not yet completed the accreditation process, private schools can provide attractive job options. A graduate with a masters in education can expect a starting salary of between $30,000 and $50,000.
Career Potential
Having a masters degree in education definitely makes a candidate more desirable to employers — especially if the student’s undergraduate degree is not in education. A graduate degree also increases salary and benefit potential, and may expand the number of teaching positions an education degree holder is qualified to fill.
eCollegeFinder.org helps you find degrees from accredited online colleges to start a new career or improve your current job. Search eCollegeFinder.org today and find the right online degree for you!