How to Get a PhD in Adult Education

Increasingly, education is viewed as a life-long experience, no longer limited to a short period of years when a person is very young. This has created a job market for teachers who specialize in adult education.

You have an opportunity to witness the world of adult education from two perspectives if you pursue a PhD in Adult Education. First, as you study for a doctorate degree, you can benefit from a range of academic options that has never been wider, including both on-campus and online PhD programs. Then, once you have your PhD in Adult Education, you can enter the job market for teachers and start helping other adults who want to expand their job options.

This process all starts with earning your doctorate degree. The materials that follow can help you understand what is involved in earning a doctorate degree and how you may benefit from it. You will learn how to find the advanced adult education degree that's right for you, including campus-based, hybrid, and online PhD programs.

Overview: The Growing Demand for Adult Education

Adult education is growing. This is not always for good reasons: the National Commission for Adult Education has called for a goal of increasing enrollment in remedial programs to 20 million by the year 2020, to make up for a long pattern of high dropout rates and other educational shortcomings. On a more positive note, advanced education is more popular than ever before.

Overall, there are four trends which contribute to the growth of adult education:

• The need to improve adult literacy and basic competency rates. Some 40 million adults in the U.S. have not completed a high school diploma or equivalent. For about a third of that group, English is not their primary language. The basic math and language skills that people without a high school diploma often lack are not only necessary to make them more employable, but also are important for running a household in this day and age. The sheer number of people who need to catch up on skills they missed earlier in life adds considerably to the demand for adult education.
• The need for retraining in a shifting economy. Beyond the normal economic cycles of expansion and contraction, there have been long-term trends which have changed the nature of the U.S. economy, including the job market. Heavy manufacturing jobs are on the decline, while the need for computer skills has increased. Outsourcing has helped shift the focus of the economy more toward the service sector. What this means is that many people who are laid off from their jobs these days do not have much of a chance of finding a new job unless they retrain in new skills. Adult education can help these individuals compete more effectively and contribute more productively in the modern economy.
• The increased demand for college and advanced degrees. Not only is the nature of the job market changing, but it is also getting more competitive, as more and more people earn college and advanced degrees. Between the years 2000 and 2008, the number of people in the United States with an associate's degree increased by nearly 3.9 million. The number with a bachelor's degree increased by over 8.3 million, and the number with a master's degree increased by more than 4.3 million. Even the number of people with doctorate degrees rose by 453,000. The point is, with millions of people seeking to improve their academic credentials, demand for adult education is strong.
• The evolving habits that go with longer life spans. In 1900, the average life expectancy of an American was 47.3 years. By the year 2000, it had jumped to 77 years, and continues to rise. Understandably, with another 30 years or more of life expectancy now than Americans had a century ago, an approach to education that seeks to limit learning to the first 20 or so years of life is being re-thought and re-invented.

What the above implies is that there are several types of careers you can pursue with a PhD in Adult Education, including:

• Teaching high school equivalency programs
• Teaching English as a second language
• Retraining workers in up-to-date job skills
• Working as a corporate trainer
• Teaching college or advanced degree programs
• Conducting continuing education seminars
• Leading self-help or self-improvement sessions
• Teaching general interest subjects or crafts

Note that earning a doctorate degree in adult education does not necessarily have to point you toward a role in front of the classroom. With a PhD in Adult Education, you'll have the advanced skills to design or administer programs, as well.

Meeting Job Requirements with a PhD in Adult Education

While a bachelor's or master's degree may be sufficient for entry-level teaching jobs, a doctorate degree can be especially useful when there are developmental or mental health issues involved with the student body. In addition, since a doctorate is considered the highest-level degree in the U.S., a PhD in Adult Education could give you an additional advantage in securing the teaching position of your choice in an increasingly competitive job market.

Not only can a PhD in Adult Education help you land a job in the field, but it could also considerably improve your prospects for advancement. Higher-level jobs such as principal, central office administrator, academic dean, and department chairperson are especially likely to require a doctorate. Certainly, at these levels of the academic world, the competition for promotion is more likely to have doctorate-level credentials.

Doctorate Degrees in Adult Education

As the range of job possibilities suggests, a variety of specialties within adult education exist, and you can choose a doctorate according to the specialty that interest you.

In addition to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) option, there is also the Doctor of Education (EdD). Each type of doctorate can be a general degree in the field, or can have its particular concentrated area of study. The following are some examples of EdD and PhD programs related to adult education:

• PhD in Adult Education (General)
• EdD in Adult Education (General)
• PhD in Post-Secondary and Adult Education
• PhD in Education with an emphasis in Community College Leadership
• EdD in Education with an emphasis in Community College Leadership
• EdD in Adult and Higher Education
• PhD in Adult Education--Human Resource Development and Continuing Professional Education
• PhD in Adult Education--Adult Literacy and Community Education
• PhD in Adult Education--International and Policy Issues in Adult Education

The above list was drawn from a sampling of on-campus and online PhD and EdD programs. There are reasons for considering both on-campus and online PhD programs in your search. First of all, an online PhD in Adult Education may be especially well suited to the person who has already begun a teaching career, and is seeking an additional credential to increase advancement potential. If you are in that situation, an online PhD in Adult Education could help you work toward your future career while not giving up your current paycheck, by giving you more scheduling flexibility and no travel or commuting obligations.

Speaking of travel, another advantage of an online PhD in Adult Education is that it may allow you to pursue an area of specialization that is not offered in your part of the country.

On the other hand, on-campus programs offer advantages such as the potential for increased interaction with teachers and fellow students, and may be more conducive for arrangements such as teaching assistantships. You may also have access to research materials that may not be available online.

Selecting an Adult Education Doctoral Program

There are several factors you'll need to consider when choosing a doctoral-level adult education program. Fortunately, online resources, from directories to individual college web sites, can help you compile the relevant information, whether you are pursuing an on-campus or online PhD in Adult Education.

As you start to assemble information on graduate adult education programs, here are some of the things you should keep in mind:

• Your desired specialty. An initial method of narrowing down the field is to focus on PhD programs in adult education that specialize in your particular area of interest.
• Accreditation. Proper accreditation is important. This is complicated by the fact that there are several accrediting organizations, but the U.S. Department of Education is a good source of information on those organizations and their standards.
• Faculty quality. Look at what degrees and honors members of the faculty have earned. Also, find out if they've been published frequently in academic journals. Studying under well-respected teachers can only help your credentials.
• Student-to-faculty ratio. The smaller the number, the greater chance you have of getting personal attention.
• Program history. A program's reputation can enhance the power of your degree. One way to gauge this: look at where recent alumni have gone on to teach or find other positions.
• Graduation rate. Ideally, you want a program that is not too easy, but where the odds are still clearly in favor of you earning your doctorate.
• Program ranking. Various publications run annual rankings of college programs, based on a variety of criteria. Find out where your target institutions rank in publications such as U.S. News and World Report and Kiplinger's.

Even as you assemble all this objective information, you should start to form a subjective impression of different institutions. Those impressions are also important. Pursuing a doctorate is a big commitment of time and money, so it should be a decision you make with both your head and your heart.

Applying to PhD Programs

One benefit of narrowing down your search is that it makes the application process more efficient. Every school's process and criteria are a little different, so focusing on the programs you really care about will help you do a better job.

Once again, online resources can be a big help, both by putting you in touch with specific programs and by helping you understand some of the general issues involved, most notably:

• Mapping out the application process. As you get ready to begin applying to different schools, assemble a list of materials you'll need to submit along with your applications, and formulate a work calendar based on a list of deadlines.
• Sizing up your undergraduate qualifications. As you review admissions criteria, make sure you have the relevant degree prerequisites, and grades that are in line with the standards for the schools to which you are applying.
• Taking qualifying exams. For many PhD programs, you will need to take a GRE or a GMAT. Find out as early as you can what exams are required, and what scores are necessary for admission.
• Assessing program cost. While your initial choices may be based on qualitative criteria, program cost is a quantitative reality you will need to cope with sooner or later.
• Exploring financial aid. Financial aid can be one way to overcome the cost hurdle. Look into financial aid from the school itself as well as from government and other sources. In teaching programs, see if there are paid assistantships that could help you gain some practical experience while helping to pay for your doctorate.
• Coming to grips with the acceptance rate. It's good to apply to competitive programs--if you've got the qualifications to compete. Set your sights on at least one program where you have a strong chance at admission.
• Paying for the application process. One reason to be so selective about choosing which PhD programs to apply for is that the application process can be costly.

Making the Most of Your Doctorate Degree in Adult Education

Along with earning your doctorate credential on paper, there are other things that will help you make the most of your PhD or EdD in Adult Education. Publishing is always very important in the academic world, both for landing the position you want, and for earning tenure. Also, taking part in conferences related to your area of specialization will help you stay on the cutting edge of your subject while also making valuable contacts.

All of the above should help you make the most of your career path, but first things first. The next step on that path could be going online to research options for earning a doctorate in Adult Education.

Sources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Education Administrators
• Census Bureau, Educational Attainment of the Population 18 Years and Over
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Life Expectancy of U.S. Citizens
• Department of Education, Financial Aid for Post-Secondary Students
• Department of Education, Profiles of the Adult Education Target Population
• National Commission on Adult Education, Reach Higher, America: Overcoming Crisis in the U.S. Workforce
• PBS.org, Reviving the Economy: Jobs--The American Recovery and Reinvestment Law