What is the Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree?

A Master of Education program is a post-graduate educational master's degree offered by universities in a large amount of countries. This degree is popular for educators who have the desire to move ahead in their field. There are several M.Ed. majors students can choose from such as curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. A great advantage about the M.Ed. degree is that it can be completed in its entirety online. Many educators take advantage of the online Master's in Education programs because of the vast possibilities that open up, such as earning the degree through a school that is located in a different state.

What are the benefits of getting your M.Ed. degree?

The online Master's in Education degree makes an enormous difference for educators, no matter what their area of expertise is in. For teachers in Massachusetts and New York, as well as several other states throughout the U.S., a master's degree is required in order to earn a full professional license. Also, many state education departments require teachers to take additional graduate-level classes for re-certification. Most of the time, those credits, once successfully completed, add up to over half of the credits needed in order to receive the degree. In most states, a master's degree is also the minimum requirement in order to become a school administrator, counselor, subject area specialist, curriculum director, or evaluation director.

The online Master's in Education degree has many professional and personal benefits that make the degree worthwhile. The primary reason people are choosing to do their Master's in Education online is because they can continue to work and go to school at the same time. Also, by completing their M.Ed. online, teachers can enroll in a program that fits their needs both as a student and as an educator and not be hindered by the location of the school. Pursuing a master's degree will also keep educators updated with new trends, technologies and methods.

Also, earning an online Master's in Education places instructors on a higher level on the pay scale rubric and they will earn more over time. In fact, teachers have the potential to see a portion of their pay increase while still earning their degree because a majority of school districts pay supplementary salary for overall course units completed. Teacher who earn their M.Ed. degree online also have the ability to gain tenure faster, and most K-12 positions offer better job security with tenure. Overall, completing an online master's degree illustrates a teacher's dedication as a professional educator.