Online Master’s Degree in K-12 Education

Most individuals who choose to pursue an online Master’s Degree in K-12 Education do so because they have interest in teaching at the K-12 level. Many are already teachers who choose to pursue an online master’s degree K-12 education to enhance competitiveness or pay scale, and others choose to do so because they wish to advance to some other level of the elementary or secondary education system. Top online masters degree programs in K-12 education will help educators advance in their careers and make a greater impact on their students.

Online Master’s Degrees in K-12 Education Requirements

Students enrolled in K-12 masters programs online will develop skills necessary to help better serve students in a classroom setting and develop curricula and procedures to improve the education process. Mastering skills such as adapting to different types of students and administering effective assessments will be crucial aspects of top online masters programs in K-12 education.

An individual with a bachelor’s degree in virtually any field can go on to earn his or her online master’s degree in K-12 education. However, some of the most common include:

• Education
• Elementary Education
• Special Education
• English
• Math
• History

The majority of those pursuing their online master’s degrees in K-12 education have teaching experience or a strong interest in teaching. They work at all levels of the K-12 system. Some may hold administrative experience at the school or school district level, and wish to improve their knowledge to better improve their career advancement opportunities.

Online K-12 Education Master’s Degree Education

Good online master’s degree programs in K-12 education typically take between 2 to 3 years to complete. The types of K-12 education degrees offered by the best K-12 education master’s programs online include:

• Master of Arts in Education (MS in Education)
• Master of Arts in Secondary Education (MA in Secondary Education)
• Master of Arts in Elementary Education (MA in Elementary Education)

Information on K-12 Education Courses

Top accredited online master degree programs in K-12 education will nearly always require some form of in-classroom internship experience in addition to their regular coursework. Some courses a student pursuing his or her online master’s in K-12 education may include:

• The Art and Science of Teaching
  This course would be an essential part of any good program leading to a K-12 education masters degree online. It would cover diverse but important concepts like the ethics of teaching, legal requirements, teaching philosophies, and changing political trends in education.
• Child and Adolescent Development
  Someone hoping to earn his or her K-12 education master’s degree online would be required to study the psychological development of K-12 aged students. This course would explore the emotional, intellectual, social, and cultural factors influencing the education of children and adolescents.
• Assessment and Evaluation
  As assessment and evaluation are important political focal points in education, anyone hoping to complete top online master’s programs in K-12 education would be expected to cover the various aspects of creating and administering appropriate tests and adequately preparing students for standardized tests.
• Using Computers in Education
  The best online master’s degree programs in K-12 education will require that students complete some course incorporating the teaching of computers. As computers become more integral parts of the school system, it has become more important for teachers in all fields to be proficient enough to help students learn through this medium. A course like this would teach the basics of using computer programs to enhance the learning process.
• Curriculum Constructs
  Those earning their online K-12 education masters degree would likely take courses in curriculum geared toward their particular area of interest. A student planning to teach English, for example, may take a course like this geared toward constructing effective teaching methods for the instruction of reading.

Specializations and Concentrations

Because K-12 education is a broad field, in order to become an expert in a specific niche, some online master’s K-12 education students will pursue specialties or concentrations in areas including:

• Elementary Education
• Secondary Education
• Special Education
• English as a Second Language Education
• Education Administration

Careers in K-12 Education

Individuals who have earned their online K-12 education master’s degree will have significant career prospects open to them in virtually any geographic location they desire. Quality teachers are in particularly high demand, and holding an accredited online master’s K-12 education degree can make an individual particularly desirable to fill these positions. Some careers an individual could consider are:

• School Counselor
  Many schools, especially lucrative or private high schools, hire academic and college/career counselors with online masters degrees in K-12 education to help students secure the best academic options during and after high school. This field is expected to grow faster than the average, and the average salary of individuals in this field is about $57,800.
• District Administrators
  District administrators include those who oversee specific departments- such as math- for all schools in their district, to develop curriculum and assessment methods. Holding a top online masters degree in K-12 education can make an applicant more competitive for these somewhat elite positions. The job prospects for these positions are likely to improve as more administrators retire, and one could expect to make anywhere from $58,940 to $113,860 depending on district and experience.
• School Principal
  School principals are in charge of the administration for their individual school. They supervise budgets, teachers, and counselors, and often oversee school policies. Principals and vice-principals earn between $71,162 and $97,486 per year.
• K-12 Teacher
  Most individuals enrolled in K-12 education master’s programs online are or have a desire to be teachers at the K-12 level, in any subject. These positions are in high demand, especially for math and sciences, and a beginning teachers can expect to earn $47,100 and $51,180 per year. Holding an online masters in K-12 education could help a teacher to earn a higher salary.

A master’s degree in K-12 education from a top online college can be beneficial for any individual interested in working in the K-12 education system, when it comes to both career advancement and offering better services to students.