35 Best Online Secondary Education Degrees

Many schools and institutions offer online secondary education degree at all levels. There is a lot of information to consider and many questions to ask before enrolling in a program.

Choosing an Online Secondary Education Program: Things to Take into Account

When selecting a secondary education program, it’s necessary to take a close look at some of the practical factors, just like you would with any other type of college program. Examining factors like program length, real-world experience, online preparation, and other crucial components of secondary school programs would be helpful.

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What is Secondary Education?

Depending on the state, secondary education is typically classified as grades 6 through 12 or 7 through 12, with teachers specializing in particular subject areas. on addition to their academic field of choice, their college education includes numerous courses on teaching at the secondary school level.

How Long Does a Secondary Education Program Take to Complete?

A bachelor’s degree is typically the minimal requirement to work as a middle or high school teacher. Typically, bachelor’s degrees require four years to complete. It can be completed online in as short as 12 months for those pursuing a graduate certificate or degree in secondary education, but most people need about 2 years to finish.

Practical Experience Needed to Finish a Secondary Education Program

The majority of students who enroll in secondary education programs will frequently observe seasoned educators. Additionally, they will “student teach,” which is often finished near the end of the program and pairs the student with an experienced teacher who will assist them develop their public speaking abilities and practice lesson planning and delivery. The student-teacher will take part in all of the duties that teachers perform, including marking papers, going to meetings, and other office work.

Additional Questions:

Here are some queries you might want to consider before selecting an online program.

• Do I have the necessary gear and software? – There are minimal technical requirements for online learning. For instance, students need a computer with sufficient specs to support the software and streaming needs, as well as dependable Internet access.
• Does the coursework at the school meet my needs? Due to the slightly more specialized nature of secondary education, states frequently include additional exams for teachers who will be instructing in fields like math, social studies, or technology. Make certain that the topics included in your school’s curriculum will appear on your state’s tests.
• Have I have enough time to complete online courses? – Reading, writing, and studying typically require 9 to 12 hours a week for online courses. It’s critical to be aware of how much time you can squeeze into your career and family commitments.
• Are the courses entirely online, blended, or a combination of both? – While blended courses use online enrichment materials to enhance the curriculum, hybrid courses allow students to observe a portion of what is typically taught in a physical classroom online. Courses that are hybrid or blended may occasionally meet in conventional classrooms but also include online components.

What kinds of Secondary Education Degrees are Offered Online?

All post-secondary levels provide online secondary education degrees. The ‘core’ subjects of mathematics, science, and English can be specialized in, as well as more ‘niche’ courses like foreign languages, industrial education, and physical education. Graduate-level specializations sometimes include secondary education leadership or management tracks.

Which Subjects Are Typically Taught in Online Secondary Education Programs?

Numerous basic courses that are directly related to the art of teaching are required of students in secondary education programs. The following list includes some of the most popular courses:

• Leadership: Leadership in the classroom, department, and school is a major focus of many graduate programs in secondary education. These programs aid in preparing teachers for the difficulties of contemporary education.
• Supervision: Courses on supervision often concentrate on the classroom. They assist students in honing their classroom management and behavior control techniques.
• Legal and Ethical Issues: Today’s educators must deal with a wide range of legal and ethical challenges. These classes teach them how to identify problems as they occur and how to resolve them.
• Assessment: Through these courses, teachers can learn a variety of techniques for gauging their students’ progress. This in turn aids teachers in creating lesson plans.
• Curriculum development: While some teachers are given curricula that have already been created by a team inside the school or by a third party, many teachers add to the existing curricula. These courses assist the educator in comprehending the design, creation, and delivery of curricula.

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Secondary Education Online Graduates Career Options

A secondary education degree may be useful or necessary for a variety of occupations. Let’s look at a couple of them.

• Secondary Education Teacher – The median annual wage for secondary school teachers is $61,660, per the May 2019 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Educators are responsible for a variety of duties in addition to instructing pupils in a classroom. Lesson planning, grading student work, and taking care of numerous administrative tasks are a few of those obligations.
• Secondary Education Principals – As of 2019, the typical annual compensation for secondary school principals was $96,400. In their schools, principals are in charge of all administrative and educational tasks. To fill this role, typically, extra supervisory qualification or licensure is required.
• Instructional Coordinator – The main duties of an instructional coordinator are to supervise the creation, planning, and delivery of curriculum. The median salary for this position in 2019 was $66,290.
• Human Resource Manager – Education-related experience may be a suitable fit for the position of human resource manager. The position’s median pay for this position was $116,720. Once more, the abilities acquired during secondary education are a tremendous asset in this position.
• Training and Development – The average income for training and development managers is $113,350. Specialists in training and development received $61,210, These roles require knowledge of the abilities acquired in secondary school courses on curriculum development, assessment, classroom management, and other topics.

For each of the aforementioned vocations, salary and job prospects are provided in the table below.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Does Accreditation Matter?

Accreditation is necessary! A school is unable to provide federal financial help to its students without accreditation from a body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Additionally, accreditation is a seal of approval that demonstrates the institution has undergone an evaluation by an independent body and demonstrated its capacity to uphold strict criteria.

Which Financial Aid Options Are Available to Students Enrolled in Secondary Education Programs?

The most typical forms of financial aid offered to prospective college students are loans, scholarships, and grants. The federal government, federal agencies, and individual states all offer financial assistance.

• Loans – Loans must be repaid over time, whether they are obtained from the federal government or a private lender. The federal government’s loan repayment period begins six months after a student graduates. The loan agreements detail how private loans must be repaid.
• Grants – As long as the grant’s conditions are met, grants are not subject to repayment. The Pell Grant and the FSEO Grant are the most popular grants. Prospective teachers may also be eligible for TEACH grants if they agree to enroll in specific courses, teach in subject areas with a high need, and accept positions in low-income communities; however, if they fail to adhere to the terms of the grant, it will turn into a loan and must be repaid.
• Scholarships – Students who are willing to apply can choose from a wide variety of scholarships. They may be of a general or program-specific character. Scholarships are not repaid, but they may be revoked if the recipient doesn’t keep up with the conditions.
  Fellowships and assistantships are two additional forms of financial aid accessible to graduate students.
• Assistantships – Graduate students who have been given assistantships are frequently found teaching introductory courses in their areas of specialization. Assistantships are often paid positions, and some even include lodging.
• Fellowships – Fellowships are typically created to assist graduate students in actively practicing in their preferred profession while enhancing their leadership abilities. While some fellowships may last for years, the majority are very temporary. Fellowships frequently come with a salary, grant, or stipend attached.

Alternative Online Teaching Degrees: Do They Exist?

As was already noted in this article, several universities provide alternate paths that enable students to teach while pursuing their degrees. These programs are frequently created for those who are switching careers or who are currently employed in education but want to transition into the classroom. If a person already holds an associate’s degree, there may be degree-completion programs that can put them on the path to a teaching bachelor’s degree. For those with a bachelor’s degree in education or another field, there may be further options. It is crucial to inquire about alternative programs and certification or licensure requirements with the state department of education in the location where you will be teaching.

The top 35 online secondary education degree programs are listed below. We selected them based on pricing, teacher quality, flexibility, and the number of programs that might lead to secondary education employment that were offered. Let’s examine the first five in greater detail.

Best Online Secondary Education Degrees

1. Auburn University

• LOCATION Auburn, AL
• TUITION & FEES $11,276
• % RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID: 75%

Three hybrid online degree programs in elementary and secondary school administration are offered by Auburn University: a Master of Education, an Education Specialist, and a Doctor of Philosophy. All of these programs train participants to assume leadership positions in K–12 educational institutions’ administrative and instructional departments. Through the Miller Writing Center, students in these online graduate-level programs have access to one-on-one assistance.

2. University of Maine

Three online degrees in this area are available from the University of Maine: an Education Specialist in Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction (Elementary and Secondary Education), a Master of Education in Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction (Elementary and Secondary Education), and a Master of Arts in Teaching. A hybrid program, the Master of Arts in Teaching includes both traditional classroom instruction and online components. Both the Education Specialist in Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction degree and the Master of Education program are offered entirely online.

3. Mississippi University for Women

Students can choose a different route to licensure as a secondary education teacher with the Master of Arts in Teaching. Students can pick from 17 certification categories, including courses like English, chemistry, biology, social studies, and Spanish. The program is entirely online. The opportunity to take part in a paid internship is available to students in this program. Students pay $3,712.50 every semester for up to 13 credits in this type of program, which is quite reasonable.

4. University of Southern Mississippi

Students can teach while pursuing their master’s degrees and licensing at the University of Southern Mississippi thanks to the Master of Arts in Teaching program, which serves as an alternative path to certification as a secondary education teacher. Physical education, mathematics, home economics, and library media are among the 14 specializations for which certification is available.

5. Chaminade University of Honolulu

Chaminade University of Honolulu offers online degrees in education, including a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, a Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education (6-12), and a Doctorate of Education. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 120 credit hours for the bachelor’s degree, and they can choose from the specialties in science, social studies, English, or mathematics. The PhD focuses on indigenous leadership, organizational development, or educational leadership, whereas the master’s degree focuses on leadership, whether it be teacher, instructional, or educational.

The World Scholarship Vault school ranking technique classifies and evaluates data from institutions and other trustworthy sources, such the U.S. Department of Education, and analyzes the data based on quality, cost, value, and other aspects that are important for students’ academic decisions.

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