Teachers are expected to possess either a Master’s in Education or a Master of Arts in Teaching. Both have their advantages, but there’s a distinct set of reasons to choose an MEd.
1. Sets you up to work outside the classroom
One of the biggest benefits of an MEd over other teaching degrees is that it makes you well placed to take a job outside the confines of the classroom. An MEd in Middle School Education at Merrimack College sets teachers up to take a role in the wider education system, giving them the chance to influence policy-making and educational infrastructure.
While many degree holders continue to work in the classroom, still more choose to broaden their horizons and have a say in how education works. These degrees are fantastic for people who want to shape the future of the education sector, even from within the government.
2. Wide range of specializations
As you might expect from a degree with such scope, the range of specializations on offer is wide. Many of these are focused on intrinsic parts of the education system, including curriculum building and community education.
Social justice is a big area of concern, and you’ll learn how to inspire action to build a fairer system. The end goal of these degrees is to enable you to drive real change.
By changing how the system is structured, you’ll be able to develop a more equitable world for students, their families and entire communities.
3. Career flexibility
Although MEds are geared towards administrative roles, they don’t preclude you from teaching in the classroom. That makes them highly flexible. Since you can also choose your area of speciality, the degree gives participants unprecedented levels of choice.
While you might be firmly set on a career path now, there’s nothing to say that you won’t want to change in a few years as your circumstances and goals alter. An MEd future-proofs your career in a way that other degrees don’t.
You won’t need to return to college for further qualifications, and you’re set up for nearly any job within the educational sector.
4. Better salary
With additional qualifications come better salaries. That’s especially true with an MEd, which allows teachers to pursue higher-paid administrative roles outside the classroom.
Few teachers enter the profession purely for financial gain, but the ability to earn extra money doing the job you love is certainly attractive.
MEd holders are more likely to be considered for promotion, too, expanding your job prospects exponentially.
5. You’ll learn educational theory
Alongside the administrative parts of the degree, you’ll also learn a great deal about teaching theories, the psychology of learning and educational strategy. These topics ensure that you come away from the degree fully equipped for nearly any role within the sector.
In the classroom, you’ll benefit from a greater understanding of how students process information, and the advantages for a more administrative role are just as profound.
The strategies and theories learned in this degree will help you shape education for the better.
