Online Secondary Education Degree Programs: Comparing Top Schools
Expertise: ECECriminal JusticeHigher Ed.Explore the best online secondary education degrees available today from top colleges and universities throughout the U.S. Find the right undergraduate or graduate program for you by learning about program content and concentration options, and get answers to your pressing questions.
Are you interested in molding young minds and equipping them to become successful adults? Have you always dreamt of teaching in front of a classroom and sharing your knowledge? If so, a career in secondary education may be a suitable fit for you.
Online secondary education degree programs can help prepare you to teach English, math, science, or social studies to students in grades six through twelve. These programs cover the pedagogical theories that educators need to know when working with this age group, as well as practical methods for applying these concepts in the classroom. Many schools offer distance education opportunities for secondary education degrees, including fully or partially online programs. Read on to learn more about the various types of secondary education degree programs available.
What You Learn in Online Secondary Education Degree Programs
With numerous online secondary education programs available, it can be challenging to determine which one aligns best with your career goals and needs. The content covered in an education program depends on the level of degree pursued, as well as the concentration area in which a student chooses to specialize. Nonetheless, there are general competencies that students can expect to acquire at each degree level, which are outlined in the descriptions below.
Online Associate in Secondary Education
On the associate level, students in secondary education degree programs get the foundation they need to begin an education career, and may study topics such as adolescent development, education trends, and education technology. Some of the competencies students learn include:
Online Bachelor’s in Secondary Education
Bachelor’s in secondary education degrees, which are the minimum degree level required in order to obtain a teaching license, are designed to prepare students for the rigors of the modern classroom through coursework on assessments, literacy, and adolescent psychology. When students complete these degrees, they are able to:
Online Master’s in Secondary Education
A master’s degree in secondary education is a good choice if you want the opportunity to learn advanced skills and gain expertise in teaching a specific subject area—which can go a long way toward commanding higher salaries. These programs help foster the following knowledge and skills:
Online Doctorate in Secondary Education
These degrees are for education professionals who want to conduct research to advance the knowledge base of the field, work as an administrator, or build an educational consulting business. Students who enroll in online doctorate in secondary education programs will gain the following skills:
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Online Secondary Education Concentrations
If you’re interested in expanding your expertise in a specific area of education, you may have the opportunity to enroll in a concentration program that provides you with the knowledge you need to excel in that subfield. Concentrations can help you prepare to teach a specific subject or acquire a particular skill set, making you more attractive to potential employers. This section delves into some of the concentrations available in online secondary education programs.
Subject-based Concentrations
Students who want to teach high school biology can enroll in this concentration to learn how to challenge students in lectures and labs. Topics covered may include biology areas such as ecology, genetics, and anatomy and physiology, as well as teaching skills like lesson planning and being creative in the classroom.
This concentration covers STEM teaching methods that lead to positive student outcomes, as well as subjects such as general chemistry topics, calculus, and laboratory formats and safety procedures.
Those who enroll in the English concentration will learn data-driven methods for successfully teaching topics like world literature, grammar, linguistics, and composition. In addition, people learn how to motivate students in their classroom and foster the critical thinking skills they will need throughout their education.
In the environmental science concentration, teaching students are exposed to classroom methods that help adolescents develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Specific topics may include climate change, environmental biology, and calculus.
Individuals who are passionate about history and want to share their knowledge with others can enroll in a concentration program in order to learn how to effectively teach history topics, including controversial events, to students from diverse populations. The curriculum for such programs may include courses in historian theory and practice, themes in U.S. history, and topics related to war.
Math can be a challenging subject for many students, so those who choose this concentration learn how to help adolescents navigate complex mathematical principles. In order to do this, coursework may cover mathematical modeling, classroom management, geometry, trigonometry, and working with exceptional students.
Aspiring physics teachers can get skills like science instruction methods and being inclusive in the classroom through this concentration. In addition, students may learn how to teach calculus, conceptual physics, magnetism, and electricity.
Social science teachers are required to promote civic competence in the classroom by covering topics like sociology, religion, philosophy, political science, and history. This program helps students cultivate these skills through coursework in curriculum development, strategic development, and ethics in the classroom.
This concentration teaches future visual art teachers how to nurture the technical skills and artistic abilities of high school students. Coursework may include digital art, studio art, drawing, and sculpture, as well as assessment, classroom management, and secondary school teaching strategies.
Skill-based Concentrations
The quality of the classroom instruction students receive is rooted in the quality of the curriculum that educators use. Students who enroll in this concentration learn how to use education theory to create a curriculum, as well as how a curriculum is applied to classroom instruction. Other topics studied may include literacy, educational psychology, and teaching policies.
Those who aspire to take a leadership role in a high school or board of education can enroll in this program to learn how to face the challenges that come with this important position. Coursework may cover instructional design, leadership techniques, and education law.
In order to give students the skills they need to teach reading and writing, this program focuses on how to assess literacy skills, understand the needs of individual students, and select and use texts to help students improve their literacy. Specific topics may include writing theory, the politics of literacy, and developing a second language.
The social studies and social justice concentration is for those who are interested in addressing inequalities that exist in different societal systems, including education. Classes may cover health education, technology in the classroom, and teaching in urban communities.
Special education teachers not only need to have classroom skills, they also need to know the pedagogical principles associated with teaching adolescents with special needs. In order to train people on the challenges of being a special education teacher, this concentration offers coursework in student engagement, transitional services for students with disabilities, and strategies for creating an inclusive classroom.
Those who are interested in focusing their careers on education in a STEM discipline can enroll in this concentration to learn strategies for handling these subject areas in the classroom. Coursework may address how to create a challenging learning environment and perform student assessments.
Students who are navigating a new language and culture need teachers with specialized skills. In order to train ESL teachers, this concentration focuses on sociolinguistics, language development theories, and behavior management in the classroom.
In some cases, schools allow students to combine concentrations, so you can further customize coursework based on your specific career goals.
FAQs for Online Secondary Education Degree Students
Choosing the right degree program is a decision you shouldn’t take lightly, so when researching schools, it’s important to get all of the information you need. In order to help, we provide answers to some of the common questions prospective secondary education students may have below.
No. Even if you successfully complete an online secondary education degree program, you will still be required to pass your state’s certification examination in order to earn your teaching credentials.
Yes, the curriculum of a secondary education degree program is designed to prepare you to pass the licensing examination in your state. In order to ensure that you get this preparation, it’s important to enroll in a program that has been accredited.
Although the specific cost of a secondary education program depends on what school you enroll in, generally schools charge between $24,000 and $70,000 for these degrees. Factors that affect the cost associated with these degrees include the length and level of the program, as well as whether or not you qualify for in-state tuition costs.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual median salary of secondary education teachers is $65,220. The highest ten percent of earners in this job make $106,380, while the lowest ten percent make $48,040 annually.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that demand for secondary education teachers will remain steady, and grow up to 1% between 2022 and 2032, which is slightly slower than average. This means an estimated 11,100 new jobs created during this time period, however, the actual job growth depends on local and state government budgets, as well as birth rate, and other factors.
Best Online Secondary Education Degree Programs
Teaching in secondary education is a fulfilling career path and a significant responsibility that necessitates specialized training from a quality degree program. To assist aspiring educators in narrowing down their choices, we have compiled a list of the best online secondary education degree programs in the nation. We evaluated schools based on essential criteria such as proper accreditation, affordability, availability of student support services, instruction quality, and more. Discover more about each college below and determine which one provides the best online degree in secondary education for you.