Master of Education - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Master of Education (M.Ed., MEd, Ed.M., M.A.Ed., M.S.Ed. or M.Ed.L) is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in their field. For classroom teachers in some of the states of the USA, including Massachusetts and New York, a master's degree is required to earn a professional license. In most states a master's degree or higher is required for a principalship or school counseling position.

Curriculum and Instruction/Curriculum and Teaching

This is typically the area to advance knowledge of, and professional practice in, teaching and learning. Coursework in this field generally focuses on teaching, public service, and scholarship. Often at the master's level, curriculum and instruction majors (or curriculum and teaching at some schools) participate in educational research. This major is designed often for preparation to enter educational careers in schools, including classroom teaching.

Counselor Education

This is typically the area where students study to become mental health professionals and work toward state licensure in mental health counseling. Typically state licensure requires 90 credit hours on a quarter system.

School Counseling

Candidates in school counseling typically study psychology, sociology, or social work as undergraduates. The Master's degree, in addition to advanced courses of study, certifies an individual for employment as a school counselor.

Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Degree in Education

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

is notable for having an interdisciplinary neuroscience master's degree given as an M.Ed. The degree may have little instruction in teaching, with education referring to the learning process in humans versus the profession or institution of education.

Academic Enrichment

This is typically the area where teachers are increasing their knowledge in their specific field or branching to another area within teaching. Examples are subject related, such as mathematics, social studies, or science, or tiers of school, such as elementary

Elementary school

An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...

or high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

. These teachers may be maintaining their certification or moving into a more marketable bracket.

Higher Education and Student Affairs

Coursework in this area is aimed at the study of colleges and universities (higher education) or the administrative operations of higher education (student affairs) in specific programmatic elements. Ordinarily, the only requirement for admission to this type of program is an undergraduate degree.

Adult Education

Typically serves individuals 18 years or older. Some classes, such as adult literacy, high school diploma programs, English as a second language, parent education, and some job training classes are sponsored by the government. Others, such as art and dance classes are fee-based. A B.Ed. degree or teacher's certificate is not usually a requirement for admission to an adult education program.

Prep for Ed.D., or Ph.D.

This is typically the area where teachers study for continuing work into the doctoral programs. Candidates in this area would study specific educational issues and often get into educational research in preparation for doctoral work. This is the broadest area of master's work for education.

Use in North America

Most states and provinces require a master's-level degree and the certificate that goes with that work to be hired for educational administration (principal, assistant or vice-principal

Vice-principal

In larger school systems, a principal is often assisted by someone known as a vice-principal or assistant principal. Unlike the principal, the vice-principal does not have quite the decision-making authority that the principal carries...

, dean, consultant, etc.) or for licensure as a Professional Counselor (i.e., caseworker, therapist, community counselor

Community counselor

Community counselors provide counselling for traumatized communities in the aftermath of large-scale natural disasters. They are trained in basic psychological techniques but are not necessarily professional psychologists. While the concept of lay community counselors is not new, the most commonly...

, rehabilitation counselor). For licensure

Licensure

Licensure refers to the granting of a license, which gives a "permission to practice." Such licenses are usually issued in order to regulate some activity that is deemed to be dangerous or a threat to the person or the public or which involves a high level of specialized skill...

as a Professional Counselor, one needs a M.Ed., in counseling and an approved internship in which half the time of the internship must be in direct service to the client. For the superintendent level in educational administration, typically that requires doctoral

Doctorate

A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...

-level work to be completed. Another issue is that most states require continuing course work in order for counselors (especially since new CACREP requirements were implemented) to maintain their licensure. Admission into a Master's-level program typically requires a bachelors degree (BS

Bachelor of Science

A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...

, BA

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

, or B.Ed.) in Education or in the specific field in which the teacher would be teaching, and several years' experience in an educational or mental health setting. Education programs tend to have strict standards to stay in the program and often take more time to complete than other programs.