Earning a graduate degree in education can expand your capacity as an educator, add an area of specialty to your skillset, position you for leadership roles, and enhance the positive impact that you’re able to make on students’ outcomes.
Some common focuses for a graduate program in education include curriculum and instruction, educational administration, special education, school counseling, educational policy, and bilingual education. You might study early childhood education, classroom management, or theories of teaching.
There are several degrees to consider. A Master’s of Arts in Teaching is structured around acquiring your teaching license and building your skillset for the classroom. Other degrees, like a Master’s in Education, a Master’s of Science in Education, and a Master’s of Arts in Education, are designed to help experienced teachers advance their careers, strengthening their abilities and positioning them for new roles.
You can use a master’s to pursue administrative positions, like high school principal, dean of students, or superintendent. It can also be a stepping stone to other types of work; for example, perhaps there’s a particular student population you’d like to work with, or maybe you’re interested in teaching in another country. You can also use a master’s in education as a preparatory degree for your doctorate. Alternatively, you could stay in your current position and leverage your new degree for a higher salary.
