How to Get a Master's Degree in K-12 Education

One of the first decisions you have to make is whether to pursue an online or campus graduate degree program. There are advantages to each format.

• Campus degree programs traditionally prepare students for careers in academia as researchers or teachers. While this is truer for doctorates than it is for master's degrees, if a doctorate is in your future, then a campus degree program probably offers you the best preparation.
• Online degree programs are usually tailored to the needs of working professionals seeking to apply current research and a deeper knowledge base to their work. The format offers considerable flexibility for busy adults with family and other commitments because students can take courses during the evenings and on weekends from the comfort of home. Students benefit from the real-world experience held by their peers and the networking opportunities online education offers.
• Hybrid degree programs combine online courses with face-to-face residencies. This is a popular option for working educators, whose time available for classroom-based instruction is usually limited to the summer months.

What You Can Do With an M.A. or Ed.M. in K-12 Education

Whether you choose to earn a master's degree online or on campus, your master's degree in K-12 education should reward you with a deeper skill set and greater career opportunities. Your degree can prepare you for myriad career paths.

Teacher or supervisor of:

• Elementary education
• Secondary education
• Students with disabilities
• Special education
• Gifted education
• Literacy and other programs

Director of:

• Government-run or nonprofit organization or agency
• Private or alternative school

Administrator in charge of:

• Curriculum and instruction
• Curriculum research
• Professional development
• Programs for students with special education or other needs

WorldWideLearn.com's Career Pathways resource offers tools to help you find the right career by assessing your skills and learning about career options in your field.

Finding the Right Master's Degree in K-12 Education

The following three steps can help walk you through the process of identifying and applying to the graduate schools in K-12 education that best meet your needs.

Step 1: Find the MA or Ed.M. in K-12 Education That Fits Your Needs

1. Identify Your Baseline Criteria

You can narrow your options right off the bat if you take the time to think through your core criteria for an MA or Ed.M. in K-12 Education. Be sure to consider the following:

• On campus or online? If a doctorate is in your future, a campus program could be the best choice. If not, an online master's degree could offer you the flexibility that enables you to balance your career and your education.
• Location. If you choose a campus, do you have to relocate?
• Entry requirements. What are they? Is current teaching certification or a particular bachelor's degree required for admission?

You can explore program format options at WorldWideLearn.com's Online Degree Programs and Campus Education sections. To find a campus-based program near you, search campus degrees by location.

2. Develop a List of Accredited Graduate Schools in K-12 Education

Whatever your baseline criteria, be sure to limit your search to accredited programs. Accreditation means that a school has met standards of excellence set by an authorizing body.

• The major national accrediting authority for K-12 education is the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, which maintains a list of accredited programs.
• The U.S. Department of Education also offers a database of both accredited institutions and approved accreditation agencies.
• In addition to offering school rankings, U.S. News & World Report publishes an A-Z Directory of Education Schools.

3. Explore Academic Programs in Depth

In order to whittle down your list of programs, you need to gather details for each of the schools you are exploring. Following is a list of some of the key areas you want to consider.

Specializations. In K-12 education, specializations are varied and reflect the diversity of career options available to practitioners. Some specializations are organized by level and subject:

• Adolescent literacy and technology
• Elementary reading and literacy
• Elementary mathematics
• Middle school education
• Secondary mathematics
• Secondary science

Other specializations include broader topics within the field of education:

• Curriculum and instruction
• Education administration and supervision
• Education policy
• Educational leadership
• Educational psychology
• International education policy and management
• Learning, diversity, and urban studies
• Special education
• Student counseling and personnel services

While master's degree specializations can be quite specific--a handful of schools offer a specialization in vision rehabilitation therapy, for example--some schools offer general master's degrees in K-12 education. When deciding on a specialization, consider your personal interests and career objectives.

Look at program quality when determining a program's caliber:

• Faculty expertise
• History of the program
• Program's reputation in the field
• Philosophy and orientation of the program
• Academic requirements
• Graduate student placement

Program cost can also be an important consideration. Will the master's degree program fit into your budget? Many schools offer scholarships or fellowships to qualified students. Find out what kind of financial aid is available.

Consider the program's admissions requirements. Can you get in? Some master's programs in K-12 education require a minimum GPA and GRE scores. Make sure you can meet the admission requirements.

Does the campus offer any special resources for graduate students, such as student publications or professional groups? If you choose to earn a master's degree online, is the school set up to support peer-to-peer networking and offer career guidance?

Other Resources

• Rankings can help you assess a program's overall quality. U.S. News & World Report ranks 278 graduate programs in education.
• Schools' websites usually offer a wealth of information about admission and program requirements, faculty research areas, graduate placements, and other useful pieces of information.
• WorldWideLearn.com makes the research process easier by putting you in touch directly with schools that meet your criteria. Just fill out a form online and program representatives contact you, saving you time and effort.
• There is no substitute for campus visits to obtain first-hand knowledge about programs. If you choose to earn a master's degree online, ask the school to put you in touch with faculty members and current students.
• Academic journals can help you identify scholars who are exploring your areas of interest and who can steer you in the direction of high-quality programs in K-12 education. There are many to choose from, including:

• Current Issues in Education
• Education Review
• The Journal: Technological Horizons in Education
• School Library Journal

STEP TWO: Apply to Master's Degree Programs in K-12 Education

Now that you have selected your top programs in K-12 education, you can begin the application process.

1. Gather Application Materials

Carefully review each school's requirements--creating a folder for each program can be helpful--and begin to gather your materials. Common requirements include:

• Transcripts
• Prerequisite courses and degrees
• Letters of recommendation
• Qualifying exams, such as the GRE
• Application fees
• Personal statement

2. Apply for Financial Aid

Begin the financial aid application process as soon as you apply to schools to better your chances of obtaining funding. Aid can come from several sources:

• Your school may offer scholarships or fellowships in the form of teaching assistantships and tuition waivers. These financial aid packages are often based on merit.
• Private foundations and businesses sometimes offer sponsorships, research grants, scholarships, and loans. This financial aid can be based on your area of study (special education among African-American students) or your personal demographic information (Native American, minority woman).
• Federal and state government agencies offer scholarships and loans that can be either merit- or need-based.

WorldWideLearn.com offers extensive information about financial aid options.

STEP THREE: Prepare for Your Master's Degree in K-12 Education

Whether you've chosen to earn a master's degree online or on campus, you can begin to prepare for your graduate education by familiarizing yourself with your academic community. Build your expertise in the field by:

• Subscribing to academic journals to learn who's who in your field
• Attending conferences to familiarize yourself with current research and fellow scholars
• Joining academic and professional associations

Finally, remember that you may have the most success in graduate school if you keep your career objectives firmly in mind. By embarking on this educational journey, you are joining thousands of educators who have chosen to become masters in the field of K-12 education.

Sources

• Education Week, "Halt Urged to Paying Teachers for Earning Master's Degrees," by Stephen Sawchuk, July 2009
• National Council on Teacher Quality, "Increasing the Odds: How Good Policies Can Yield Better Teachers"
• TEACH, " NEA Addresses Top Five Teaching Trends and Outlines 'Portrait of American Teacher'"
• Teachers College Columbia University, Curriculum and Teaching, Department Mission
• U.S. Department of Education, A Brief History of Teacher Professionalism, by Diane Ravitch, Ph.D.
• Vanderbilt Peabody College, College of Education and Human Development, Career Outcomes
• Walden University, M.S. in Education
• Washington State University College of Education, Educational Leadership