No matter what age group you teach, a career in education can be one that is highly rewarding with a lot of opportunities for growth and progression. Whether you are newly qualified as a teacher, have some experience or have been teaching for several years, graduate degree programs in education can help you take your career to the next level, and there are now more options to choose from than ever before.
Today, online study has become more widely available with an increasing number of graduate education programs available that you can fit around your career as a teacher while studying to take it to the next level. A graduate degree in education can lead to a wide range of different teaching roles, with several different career paths for those who are educated to this level to choose from. Here are some potential career options that you might want to consider working towards by getting an advanced education degree.
The Principal or Head Teacher:
If you are a natural leader, enjoy inspiring others, and want to work your way to the top in your teaching career, going for the role of head teacher or principal could be an ideal choice for you. A graduate degree in education such as the online EdD programs from Marymount University could be the ideal choice for you if you want to take your career to the top and prepare yourself for managing an entire school or educational institution. The majority of roles as a head teacher or principal will require you to have earned at least a master’s degree in a relevant subject, along with several years of experience in teaching.
Head of Department:
If you are passionate about your current teaching department and want to be in a role where you can improve it by managing other teachers, coordinating schedules, and being responsible for managing any issues that arise and improvements that can be made in your department, this role could be the ideal choice for you. A graduate degree in education can help you take your career to the next level and put you in charge of your chosen department. This is an ideal role for anybody who wants to continue teaching classes but would also enjoy further management and leadership opportunities within their role.
School Counselor
If the part of your job as a teacher that you enjoy the most involves getting to know your students and guiding them to success, a school counselor role could be the ideal choice for you. If you are good at communicating with your students, listening to their concerns, and helping them come up with solutions that work for them, a graduate degree in education could help you with landing a role where you are able to put these skills to even further use. A school counselor is often the first point of call for students who need support and help, whether they are considering where to apply for college or are dealing with personal issues in their life that they require additional support with. Since you might be dealing with situations that can be quite sensitive and in some cases even upsetting, it’s important for school counselors to be highly empathetic, compassionate, and have excellent listening skills.
Educational Psychologist:
An educational psychologist is a professional who works towards the main goal of developing the capacity of individuals, groups, and organizations. If you are interested in psychology, love learning about what makes people tick, and want to work in a key role where you are instrumental in helping students further develop their learning skills to achieve their future career goals, a career as an educational psychologist could be right for you. To work as an educational psychologist, it is typically required of you to have a background in either psychology or education, although this isn’t always necessary. Along with a relevant undergraduate qualification, you will also need to complete a master’s degree in educational psychology or another relevant subject choice.
Choosing the Right Master’s Degree in Education:
Now that you know more about the different roles that you could potentially go into with a master’s degree in education, it will be easier for you to narrow your choices of advanced degree down to choose one that is most suitable for the role that you hope to work in. Some of the main factors to consider when you are looking for a suitable master’s degree to take your career in education to the next level include:
Your Career Goals:
When choosing a master’s degree, you can get a general degree in education that will help you prepare for several different roles, or a more specialized subject that narrows your options down to specific careers, such as educational psychology. It’s important to take some time to think about your career goals and figure out where you want to be in the future in order to make sure that you are choosing the right degree options for you.
If you do not have a set future career goal and would prefer to keep your options open, a general master’s degree in education is likely to be the best option for you since it will lead to several different opportunities and provide you with various different choices for your future career. However, for those with a specific career goal in mind, a specialized master’s degree designed to help you enter that career might be a wiser choice.
What You Enjoy:
With so many different options available for educational professionals looking to improve their knowledge and skills with a master’s degree, it can be difficult to narrow down your choices if you’re not sure where you want your career to take you. To figure out which educational careers you might enjoy the most, a good place to start is to look at your current career and determine which parts of it are most enjoyable for you. For example, perhaps you love the classroom teaching side of things, but paperwork and admin aren’t the best part of the job.
Or, maybe you’re not that excited about teaching students a subject but love the chance to get to know them as people and help guide them through this important part of their lives to make better future decisions and achieve their goals. Whatever you see yourself doing more of in your job is a great place to start when it comes to determining which future career, and which educational master’s degree program, is going to be the best choice for you.
Other Related Career Options:
Maybe you enjoy working in education and with students but would rather not spend your whole life teaching. With some teaching experience behind you, a master’s degree in education is a great opportunity to pivot your career in a different direction, for example, by getting into educational psychology. There are several career options to consider that are related to teaching and education but do not require classroom teaching. Research careers, school guidance counseling, and many other roles are hugely important to the smooth running and continuous improvement of our education system and will enable you to make just as much of a difference as you do as a teacher.
How and Where to Study:
Finally, one of the main concerns that you are likely to have when embarking on a master’s degree in an educational subject is where and how you are going to study. If you plan to continue working full-time as a teacher while you are getting your master’s degree, it is important to figure out what your options are in terms of flexibility that will allow you to do this. Online degree programs are quickly becoming the most popular choice among teachers in this situation since they are very flexible and many are completely self-led, allowing you to decide when you are able to study to get the best results, for example, on weekends. You can study online both part-time and full-time, and some colleges offer blended programs where you can get all the benefits of studying online while still being able to attend campus for classes, lectures, and using facilities such as the library.
Where to study is also going to be a key question that you’re probably asking yourself when choosing an education master’s degree program. While your degree qualification will not be worth any less or more from certain schools, there is no denying that some schools tend to impress more as they have a more prestigious reputation. Whether you decide to study online or go down the traditional route of getting your master’s degree in education, it’s important to spend plenty of time researching the schools you are interested in. Even if you plan to get your degree online, visiting the campus can help you get a better idea of what to expect, explore the quality of teaching and resources and meet the faculty.
Taking your career to the next level as a teacher often means getting a master’s degree, which can open up several different opportunities.