Online Masters in Education Administration

An online Master’s Degree in Education Administration is typically an option selected by those who wish to pursue a career as an administrator in a K-12 school setting. Top online master’s programs in education administration can also serve to advance the careers of those who strive to obtain positions in college and university level administration positions. Individuals with an online master’s degree in education administration work as school principals, vice-principals, school district representatives and administrators, and academic deans at primary schools, secondary schools, and colleges.

Online Master’s Degree in Education Administration Requirements

The best online master’s degree programs in education administration focus on leadership qualities and experience in an educational setting. Students taking online education administration masters programs will study a variety of necessary elements of administration, including law, finance, supervision, community relations, and principal roles and responsibilities of educators.

Most students enrolled in online education administration masters degree programs have prior experience in an educational setting, usually as teachers. As such, applicants may have bachelor’s degrees in any number of fields, corresponding to whichever subject they teach in. However, many of those holding an online education administration master’s degree have more specified bachelor’s degrees in the field of education, including:

• Public Administration
• Early Childhood Education
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Education Administration
• Secondary Education
• Special Education

Most candidates applying to top online masters degree programs in education administration are teachers from a variety of grade and age levels, but others may have prior experience in school counseling, college admissions and guidance, or at the school district level.

Online Education Administration Master’s Degree Education

Good online master’s degree programs in education administration typically take between 2 to 3 years to complete. The types of education administration degrees offered by the best education administration master’s programs online include:

• Master of Science in Education Administration (MS in Education Administration)
• Master of Arts in Education Administration (MA in Education Administration)

Information on Education Administration Courses

The best online masters degree programs in education administration require a combination of traditional coursework, hands-on internship, and research internship. Those working towards an online master’s degree in education administration take courses designed to develop knowledge and skills that are critical to school leadership and supervision. Some courses that students enrolled in good online master degree programs in education administration are:

• Professional Administration
  Critical thinking and professional communication are major focuses for those students working toward their online master’s degrees in education administration, and this course would foster development of these indispensable leadership skills.
• Education Finance and Budgeting
  Those holding an online master’s in education administration often find jobs as principals or at the school district level, both of which require fiscal planning and budgeting. This course and courses similar to it study of taxation and legislative issues, risk management, and school development.
• School Law for Educators
  Programs for the education administration masters degree online will require students to study educational legal and legislative issues and court systems through courses focusing on law.
• Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction
  As guiding and evaluating teachers’ applications of curriculum is a primary responsibility of school administrators, students attempting to earn their online masters degrees in education administration will study the development and implementation of academic programs, with a special focus on practical evaluation.
• Administrative Internship
  Good online masters programs in education administration will require field-based training to gain the experience necessary to be an effective administrator. Students working toward their education administration master’s degree online will have the opportunity to gain practical experience in personnel and program evaluation, community relations, problem solving, and planning.

Specializations and Concentrations

Because education administration is a broad field, in order to become an expert in a specific niche, some online master’s education administration students will pursue specialties or concentrations in areas including:

• English as a Second Language Education
• Elementary Teacher Education
• Mathematics Education

Careers in Education Administration

Those with an online master’s in education administration can perform a variety of tasks in the field of education. An education administration masters degree online will appeal to employers at all levels of education, from elementary schools to world class universities. Online master’s degree programs in education administration can help to prepare students for careers ranging from a university dean to a math department leader. Students who complete online master degree programs in education administration can compete for jobs including:

• School Principal
  A common career path chosen by students from an accredited online master programs in education administration is a principal in an elementary, middle school, or high school setting. Principals typically serve as the community relations representative for their school, the primary financial planner, and lobbyist in relation to the school board, and the leader of curriculum planning. Individuals who hold an online master’s in education administration and seek this career path can expect to make an average of $85,220 per year.
• College Admissions Dean
  Community colleges and universities will seek those who have completed an online master’s degree in education administration to lead their admissions department, determining the criteria that will be used to judge who is admitted to their school. The median income for an individual in this position is around $82,800. As more and more students apply to college, the need for positions like these will continue to increase.
• Curriculum Coordinator
  Those who have completed an online education administration master’s program will have studied the development and practice of educational curriculum, and may be considered more competitively for a position as a curriculum coordinator. An online masters degree education administration will help curriculum coordinators create the most effective teaching methods in their respective academic department. Depending on geographical location and academic level (public school, private school, school district, or post-secondary), a person in this occupation may earn around $88,000 per year. As the education reform movement grows, the demand for these lucrative positions will likely continue to increase.
• Departmental Director
  Online masters education administration studies can help prepare individuals with a specialization in a specific field of study, such as history or mathematics. They will work to develop educational programs and support and train teachers in the implementation of these programs. Often employed on the school board level, directors may earn around $80,000 per year, and the demand for their skills will likely continue to grow.
• Director of Schools
  Individuals with an online master’s education administration may seek lucrative education jobs at the school district level. A director of schools may oversee other administrators, including principals and departmental directors, as well as coordinate community relations and legislative lobbying. Because they are so lucrative, there are relatively few positions of this nature, but earning an online master in education administration will make a candidate more desirable and may earn over $90,000 annually.

An online masters degree program in education administration will often help take an educator’s career in secondary and post-secondary schools to a higher level, where they can exercise more control over educational procedures and obtain higher salaries. An excellent start to this career path is to earn a master’s degree in education administration from an online school.