In Depth Guide to Degree Programs: Education

1. What will you study in an Education degree program?

Your coursework in an education degree program depends heavily on your specialization. For undergraduates, this likely means choosing courses that suit your interests. At the graduate level, it is possible to build your entire degree around a specific category. Here are the major categories within an education degree program:

• Curriculum and Teaching. Coursework includes pedagogical and disciplinary instruction in the student's desired subject area.
• Educational Counseling and Psychology. Develops a clinical understanding of psychology as well as a familiarity with ongoing research.
• Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Includes national and state education policy coursework as well as economic and legal instruction.
• Culture, Literacy, and Language Education. Mixes child development, language acquisition, and pedagogy coursework.
• Instructional Systems Technology. Focuses on the technical aspect of education, preparing students to incorporate technology into classrooms and schools.

As you can see, the education major is not simply related to teaching. The major encompasses the entire industry, from counseling services, to technology, to literacy programs and services. Your specific major and coursework will depend on your career interests within the industry.

2. Which characteristics do Education majors typically possess?

As an education major, you might be interested in one age group, such as pre-teens. You might be interested in how a young girl's culture affects the way she interacts in the classroom, or the best ways to include a minority group into a larger school. You might aspire to improve higher education policies, or manage a business program at a university.

A few characteristics bind education majors together. They are curious, motivated people who are interested in how students learn and interact with one another. Education majors possess leadership and management qualities and an interest in the learning process as it affects all ages of development. Above all, Education majors aspire to work in edifying surroundings, enjoying the benefits of the educational process throughout their careers.

3. Which specific careers can Education majors pursue?

Education majors go on to pursue a wide range of careers. From administrative positions to a world of teaching options, the degree opens up a number of potential careers. Here are just a few specific careers pursued by Education majors through both campus-based and online degrees:

• Education Administrators
• School Counselors
• Elementary, Middle, and High School Teachers
• School Librarians
• Special Education Teachers
• Instructional Coordinators
• Preschool Administrators

Your specific major and degree help determine your career level. Middle school teachers must generally hold a bachelor's degree plus teaching certification, for example, while education administrators are more likely to hold a master's degree or even a PhD in Education Administration.

4. Which well-known people in the industry have completed Education degree programs before becoming successful?

College presidents, school principles, and industry leaders across the country have completed education degree programs. James Fisher, President Emeritus of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, earned his M.S. in Education in 1957. Reg Weaver, President of the National Education Association, earned his education degree in 1962.

On the celebrity side of the education degree world, country singer Reba McEntire earned her Bachelor's in Elementary Education in 1976. Singer Sheryl Crow earned her music education degree before going on to success as a musician, and actress Kate Capshaw and basketball coach Norm Stewart each were education majors.

The list of famous education grows even stranger with Gene Simmons. The lead singer of the band KISS was an education major, and briefly taught elementary school in New York. Before being known for the 'Scream' series, horror film director Wes Craven was a psychology and education major.

5. How much do Education majors typically earn in the various fields they can pursue?

Education majors can earn a comfortable salary in the careers they desire. In the list below, salary numbers are mean annual wages pulled from a 2008 survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Education Administrators (postsecondary): $92,920
• School Counselors: $53,540
• Elementary, Middle, and High School Teachers: $52,240 (elementary school), $52,570 (middle school), $54,390 (high school)
• School Librarians: $54,700
• Special Education Teachers: $53,540 (middle school)
• Instructional Coordinators: $59,780
• Preschool Administrators: $46,370

No campus-based or online degree or certificate program can guarantee a particular career or salary, and mean annual salaries may change based on your location, experience, and degree.

6. Which part of the country or world do prominent Education communities flourish?

Prominent and healthy education communities come in all forms. According to U.S. News and World Report, the following high schools were ranked the best in America in 2008:

1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria, VA)
2. Oxford Academy (Cypress, CA)
3. Pacific Collegiate Charter (Santa Cruz, CA)
4. High Technology High School (Lincroft, NJ )
5. Design and Architectural Senior High (Miami, FL)

For education administrators aspiring to work at the college level and education majors aiming for careers in higher education, the same publication additionally ranked the top public universities in the country:

1. University of California--Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)
2. University of California--Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
3. University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA)
4. University of Michigan--Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, MI)
5. University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC)

With many schools offering online degrees, it may even be possible to access these communities remotely. Monster.com's teaching Website The Apple ranked the top cities for teachers based on elements like cost of living, commute times, average salaries, job growth rate, and unemployment. Their results:

1. Austin, TX: Home to a robust job growth, low unemployment rates, and the University of Texas.
2. San Antonio, TX: One of the strongest salary-to-cost of living ratios in the country.
3. Salt Lake City, UT: Boasting the lowest unemployment rate on the list.
4. Oklahoma City, OK: Ranked by Forbes magazine as the nation's most recession-proof city in 2008.
5. Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Area, NC: One of the country's top locations for strong job growth.

Strong career opportunities for teachers can be considered a sign of a strong overall educational community. In general, job opportunities and competitive salaries should be best in areas that feature a few of the following characteristics:

• A healthy education presence from universities and community colleges
• Low unemployment rates and solid job growth
• A sizable local budget for local school initiatives

In any discussion of flourishing educational areas, it should be noted that additional financial aid opportunities exist for teachers willing to work in high-need cities and school districts. The federal plan includes loan deferral and forgiveness programs.

7. What type of "real world" experience could you combine with your Education degree program to supplement what the program teaches you?

An education degree can supplement a range of "real world" experiences and strengths. If you're considering the degree but unsure what you have to offer, you may be surprised how your unique background can enrich a degree in education. One positive aspect of an education degree is how much it can truly relate to your interests. Consider the following "real world" experiences that are supplemented with a degree in education:

• Raising children and/or serving as a primary child care provider
• Working in a management position in public or private business
• Volunteering with a literacy or church group as a guide or teacher
• Working with training or technology in the business world
• Serving unofficially as a mediator among family and friends

These "real world" experiences are just a few that can help enrich a degree program in education. Whether you've always worked with children and young adults outside the school, or spent years gaining practical management experience in the office, your knowledge translates to any education degree program.

8. What can an Education degree give you that on-the-job experience may not be able to?

Degree-based certification and licensure is required for many professionals working in the field. However, an education degree offers much more than fulfillment of minimum statutory requirements. Degree programs in education offer a broad base of knowledge, delivered by instructors who serve as leaders in the industry. Additionally, an education degree offers:

• Varied perspectives on pedagogical theory and practice
• Up-to-date instruction on laws and rights related to the field
• Access to education technologies used in real classrooms nationwide
• Exposure to new theories in developmental psychology

In short, a degree program in education takes your existing skills and interests and pushes them a step further. With an undergraduate or graduate degree in education, you reap the benefits of your instructors' knowledge and experience, deepening your own connection to the material. Far from a simple diploma, an education degree offers a new set of perspectives on your chosen subject.