What are people's reasons for taking Masters in Education

[jb111]

Hi.  I imagine most are teachers or homeschooling - just wondering what other reasons this degree would be helpful.  For example, I'd love to teach someday (small group, corporate or college level).  However, most of the education programs have a lot of K-12 stuff I'm not interested in.  I really like psychology, theology and philosophy - seems a powerful combination.

[eriehiker]

I am just about to start my 19th year as a teacher. I've taught high school, middle school, one year within an elementary school and I was a preschool teacher for a year or two at the start. There is a strong economic incentive for a teacher to earn a master's degree. Normally, it shifts a teacher into another pay column. I completed an MAT through Marygrove College in Detroit. It was very convenient and relatively cheap. It was a distance program before the internet really took hold, so I watched a lot of VHS tapes, wrote a lot of papers and then created a big binder full of work for a final portfolio. Teachers also need to earn a certain number of credits or PD hours to renew certification, so this kind of program is better than just doing a bunch of random credits.

One benefit is that once you have a master's degree, you can conceivably teach at the community college level with 18 graduate credits within a discipline. So there is some utility in it, although there are many more lucrative graduate degrees.

[dfrecore]

Hi.  I imagine most are teachers or homeschooling - just wondering what other reasons this degree would be helpful.  For example, I'd love to teach someday (small group, corporate or college level).  However, most of the education programs have a lot of K-12 stuff I'm not interested in.  I really like psychology, theology and philosophy - seems a powerful combination.

I can't imagine anyone homeschooling getting this degree.  It's completely unnecessary.  Teaching your own children, at home, is literally NOTHING like teaching at a school.  Lots of teaching courses are about classroom management or curriculum, which is also not anything we need to deal with.

[cookderosa]

The ONLY reason to obtain a masters in education is that you work -or want to work- as an educator or administrator.

MAT is usually associated with teaching k-12, while MEd can be anything from teaching to student services to educational technology.

Here's the thing, for those who already work in education, a master's can be a bump in pay. So..... for those NOT working in education, having a master's (without experience) makes you an expensive risk. (what if you're not good at the job?)

Depending on the field and employer, obtain the minimum credential to get employed, and then work on a higher credential simultaneously. Education alone isn't enough, you need to bring experience too.

PS - homeschooling is parent directed learning, so learning classroom pedagogy isn't relevant. As a credential, parents are legally able to teach their kids in all 50 states without a college degree.

[sanantone]

I think some states require a master's degree to teach K-12.

Strangely, I've seen a few high-ranking police officers with master's degrees in education. I don't know if they got these degrees because they were trainers or they just had an interest in education. Some departments pay more for having a master's degree and usually don't care which subject it's in.

Other reasons to get a master's in education would be to become an instructional designer, corporate trainer, test designer, or researcher in education. Less commonly, some education programs are designed for licensure in counseling or school psychology or certification as a behavioral analyst.

There are an increasing number of education programs that focus on adult learning.

[cookderosa]

I think some states require a master's degree to teach K-12.

ARe you sure? I don't think that's right.

[dfrecore]

I think some states require a master's degree to teach K-12.

Strangely, I've seen a few high-ranking police officers with master's degrees in education. I don't know if they got these degrees because they were trainers or they just had an interest in education. Some departments pay more for having a master's degree and usually don't care which subject it's in.

Other reasons to get a master's in education would be to become an instructional designer, corporate trainer, test designer, or researcher in education. Less commonly, some education programs are designed for licensure in counseling or school psychology or certification as a behavioral analyst.

There are an increasing number of education programs that focus on adult learning.

I've never heard this before.

[bjcheung77]

Yeah, there are a few states that require a masters degree after X years of teaching. See this thread.
Ohio, New York, Mass - https://careertrend.com/list-6325844-sta...hers-.html

[nykorn]

Taught ESL. Got really good at it. Realized companies who let you actually teach, who respect you, aren't doing any illegal stuff, and who will pay you more than minimum wage, all require a degree in Education.

[Messdiener]

Taught ESL. Got really good at it. Realized companies who let you actually teach, who respect you, aren't doing any illegal stuff, and who will pay you more than minimum wage, all require a degree in Education.

Presumably, you've encountered quite a few that do the opposite of what you described?

In my experience in schools across several continents, respect and legal activity (following contracts, labour laws, etc.) are hard to come by.