What is an M.Ed. Degree?
An M.Ed. degree stands for a Master’s in Education degree. An M.Ed. degree can take around two to three years for completion and focuses on different areas of education such as curriculum, leadership, technology, evidence-based instruction, differentiated instruction, and more.
This degree opens the door for many opportunities in the teaching field and will speed up career advancement. Also, an individual may not want to remain in the general education classroom working with students directly for their entire career.
Therefore, a graduate degree enables an individual to seek employment in other educational environments, including charter schools, non-profit education programs, corporate environments, and even homeschool environments.
How is it Different from Other Master’s Degrees?
The M.Ed. degree is different than the other education master’s that is called the Master’s in the Arts of Teaching (M.A.T.). There are different areas of education that one may wish to pursue.
When you think of a school, it is not limited to teachers in the general education classroom, but there are counselors, principals, special education teachers, reading specialists, and more. There are some differences in the career outline and courses with each of the degrees.
An M.Ed. degree primarily focuses on improving teaching practice rather than the general craft of teaching for classroom teachers. Individuals pursuing this degree often wish to get into a leadership role of some sort within the education system as a whole, in the near future or down the line. Often, a master’s program is laid out so that graduates understand how to teach and what it entails, but also procedures and policies within a school system and how to influence change.
Leadership roles such as principals, curriculum designers, educational specialists, and counselors may have attained an M.Ed. degree. All these roles combined truly make a difference within a school population. Without principals, schools cannot run effectively. Without curriculum designers, curriculum development and change cannot take place.
Without educational specialists and counselors, different needs of students cannot be met, and teachers cannot be advised on their practice. Thus, with these roles, the teaching practice and the school’s overall administration and procedural side are focused on.
An M.A.T. degree primarily focuses on improving an experienced educator’s teaching which encompasses pedagogy and methodology. Therefore, those who have a genuine passion for teaching and wish to stay in the classroom with students directly may benefit from this type of degree.
An individual also has a chance to explore specific subject areas to enhance their level of expertise. Teachers specialize and gauge their students’ age levels when studying and completing coursework. Teachers specializing in early education, special education, middle level education, or secondary education may benefit from this type of degree.
In addition to these differences outlined in the degrees themselves, there are also differences in the coursework, time and commitment of each. Coursework for the M.Ed. includes introductory education courses, and there is usually some summative project for completion with a concentration in mind.
On the other hand, in M.A.T. courses, you focus more on methodology. In addition to student teaching, this is usually a requirement again at this level for degree completion.
Both degrees can usually be completed within two to three years. M.A.T. programs tend to have a higher credit load than the M.Ed., which are usually around 36 credits, while M.A.T. programs go generally into the 40s. Time of completion also varies based on the format of class chosen; it may be different than attending classes in-person if you’re doing an online master’s degree. Most programs seem to be accommodating to individual schedule needs.
What Kind of M.Ed. Degree Programs are Out There?
There are many programs out there. Universities usually have an entire page of programs to select from that may include:
- Curriculum and instruction
- Early education/early childhood supervision/elementary education
- Secondary education
- Educational leadership
- Educational technology
- K-12 principal’s certificate
- Reading and literacy
- Reading Specialist
- Special education
- ESL
You need to select your discipline and then can begin your educational journey at a university.
For example, Point Park University offers some M.Ed. and M.A. programs. Some of the M.Ed. programs include athletic coaching and administration, leadership and administration, Pre-K-4 Education, Secondary Education, and Learning, Design, and Technology. Some of the M.A. programs they offer include curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, special education, and learning, design, and technology.
While all these programs offer different course focuses and areas, they are all a part of the education umbrella and hold their own importance. Schools cannot run effectively without everyone taking part and contributing to the needs of the students for overall academic, social, and emotional growth.
What Kinds of Positions are Available with an M.Ed. Degree?
Some jobs that are available with an M.Ed. degree include special education teachers, principals, school counselors, educational consultants, curriculum developers, instructional designers, educational administrators, and even corporate trainers.
All these jobs take teaching to the next level and are essentially teaching and learning differently than the general education path. In summary, an M.Ed. degree expands career opportunities and to contribute to the performance and well-being of students.
Interested in pursuing an M.Ed. degree? Check out our available programs and enroll today!
