Why should you be considering an online degree in education? There are actually many reasons, not the least of which is the outstanding career outlook for this exciting field. Education is a broad and often lucrative field with plenty of career options, by studying online, as opposed to in a classroom, you can earn this degree at your own pace, from the comfort of your home and without having to leave your present job. Additionally, with an online degree in education you’ll be able to pass on your gift of knowledge to the next generation of learners, and receive the satisfaction that comes from knowing you’ve actually made a difference in someone’s life. If this sounds appealing to you, the following information may prove to be very useful. Here we will discuss some of the more popular online education programs available and the requirements or qualifications for each type of program.
Online Degree Education: Programs Available and Qualifications
Online degree education programs can basically be classified into one of two categories: traditional degree programs and specialized degree programs. Here we will look at some of the more popular programs in each category and the qualifications you must possess to be eligible and successful in each.
Online Degree Education: Traditional Degree Programs:
There are three types of traditional online degree programs in education: Bachelor Degree in Education, Masters Degree in Education and Doctorate Degree in Education.
�Bachelor Degree in Education. A bachelor degree in education will prepare you to teach at the K-12 level in a variety of disciplines and subjects. Most students pursuing a bachelor degree in education will typically declare whether they are pursuing a multiple subject track�”needed for primary education�”or a single subject track�”for teaching at the secondary level. Qualified candidates must have the high school and/or community college grades necessary to be admitted to the University and show a willingness to complete all required coursework.
�Masters Degree in Education. A masters degree in education is designed for those students who want to advance their K-12 career, pursue a position as an education administrator, become a corporate educator or instruct at the community college level. Generally, qualified students must possess at least a 3.0 GPA in undergraduate work and pass an entrance exam to be admitted to these online degree education programs.
�Doctorate in Education. Doctoral candidates are those students who plan to instruct at the university level or who wish to be involved in educational research. This is a very demanding program and students will require excellent undergraduate and graduate school grades in order to be considered.
Online Degree Education: Specialized Degree Programs
As mentioned above, education is a very broad field with many specialized degree and certificate programs. Some of these include:
�Instructional Technology. Instructional technology is an online degree program usually offered at the graduate level, with the same undergraduate requirements of the master degree in education. This program prepares students to integrate the various educational media and technologies into the classroom to maximize learning.
�Early Childhood Education. Studies in early childhood education can lead to an associate, bachelor or masters degree. Students in these programs will learn the basics about teaching and caring for younger children at the pre-school level. Qualifications for this program usually include a basic proficiency examination and a high school diploma or equivalency certificate.
�Educational Administration. Educational administration is a graduate level course that prepares students to work as administrators at the primary, middle school and high school level. Students must possess a bachelor degree in education and a valid teaching credential to qualify for this program.
�Special Education. Here students will learn specialized techniques for teaching students with a range of physical and learning disabilities. This is also a graduate level program requiring a bachelor degree and an entrance exam.
With an online degree-education students will have the opportunity to pursue a number of different specialized fields during the course of their career. These types of programs�”and there are many to choose from�”are now widely available thanks to the popularity of the Internet�”and because most schools offer at least some form of financial aid you may just be surprised by how little it costs to get started.
