A Master’s degree in Education Administration equips an individual to hold management and administrative roles in educational institutions. Teachers and professors in institutes looking for further advancement in their current professions usually pursue it. After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Education Administration, you can go for a Master’s degree in Education Administration. The courses and the content studied varies in every state, as these states issue licenses to education administrators. So make sure to enroll yourself in a college in the same state where you intend to pursue your career.
Those who are already teaching, or are a part of the education system, enroll themselves in specialized programs in educational administration, depending on the level where they are and which direction they want their career to go in. For example, if a teacher wants a promotion to a Principal position, the job title may require a master’s degree in education administration.
According to Burning Glass, those with a graduate degree in higher education administration in the US earn $22,000 more than Bachelor’s degree holders.
Reasons For Pursuing A Master’s Degree In Education Administration
There could be many different reasons to pursue a graduate degree in educational administration. There are numerous online courses that you can go for while continuing with your current job. Let us look at how this degree can help advance your career or help you choose a path in education.
School Principal
Principals of elementary, primary, and high schools usually require a master’s degree in education. Often, the selection committee promotes someone from the school’s teaching staff. Principals, like teachers, also require a license by the state and a few years of teaching experience at the same level. Principals are often responsible for managing the entire staff, budgeting, planning and coordinating school activities, maintaining discipline, delegating responsibilities, and keeping a close check on the quality of academics and students’ performance. These duties come with many responsibilities and accountability to the community and students’ parents. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2018, elementary and secondary school principals’ average salary is 95,310 USD a year, with an annual growth rate of 4%.
Dean of Academics
Dean of academics is typically a post at the university level or a local community college. A master’s degree in education is necessary, with a preferred degree in the doctorate in education. The selection committee selects a suitable candidate for promotion to Dean from within the ranks of a particular department. College professors or capable education administrators rise to the rank of Dean in the same college or university. The duties and responsibilities of a Dean include improving academic quality, revising the core syllabus content according to the standards, upgrading it according to set requirements by the college or national or international standards, and managing the budgets and affairs within their academic fields. According to BLS 2018, the yearly average income of a college or university Dean amounts to $94,000, with a 7% annual growth rate.
Course Coordinator
Course coordinators work with the academic team of teachers or professors, the school Principal, the Dean, and the college registrar to formulate and coordinate the courses taught in the school or college. Course coordinators require a master’s degree in education administration to hold the position and a few years of teaching experience. Their job is to make sure uniformity of lessons is maintained across the school and that they are going at the same pace and not lagging. If a class in a particular course is behind or not performing well in test scores, then the course coordinator must set any additional hours or make the necessary changes. A course coordinator at the college level often coordinates directly with the students and can get immediate feedback required to make any necessary changes or resolve any academic issues they may be facing. They also have to align tasks and get progress reports from teachers regularly.
Assistant Registrar at a University
Assistant registrars or university registrars do not require any teaching experience, unlike academics-related positions. However, university registrars do need some entry-level or mid-level experience working in a secondary school registrar’s office and a master’s degree in education administration since it is an administrative position. The registrar’s job is to maintain student records guide the students through the registration process, and create transcripts while ensuring students meet their graduation requirements. They’re also involved with issuing graduation certificates by getting the required registrations done, clearing out tuition fee dues from the accounts’ office, and getting all the required documents to issue a final transcript and graduation certification. They are also responsible for maintaining course schedules.
Director of Admissions
The director of admissions is responsible for maintaining a guideline and setting a standard for admission into the institution. They are also responsible for projecting and maintaining a certain talent pool into the institution. They cannot do that without a master’s degree in education administration since this is a high-level administrative role. The director of admissions is responsible for ensuring that the admission process runs smoothly and rectifying any problem area in admissions.
Closing Thoughts
To pursue an administrative position in educational institutions, a master’s in education administration is the basic requirement, with some relevant experience. If you want a career progression in education, a graduate degree is sure to help you climb the administrative ladder. An MEd degree is ideal for someone passionate about education and who wants to improve the education system in their community.
If you are thinking of starting a graduate program while working in your current job, intending to climb through the ranks, then pursuing the degree via an online program is your best option. Make sure that you enroll in an institution in the same state where you want to run your career since the educational administrators need a license from the State.
According to noodle.com, the MEd is between the best quality and recognized degree for policymakers, curriculum designers, and of course, education administrators since it offers specialization with a wide range of courses designed to help you progress through your educational career. Different educational institutions may approach teacher educational degrees differently, so the only way to conclude the support offered by each program is always a good idea to read the program guide.
In the US, the basic requirement for teaching at any level is a Bachelor’s degree in education. This program could be a great start to your career. After gaining a few years of experience, you may pursue a degree in MAT, MST, or MEd to advance your career in education. Although some states also issue an education license based only on experience and performance, not on a degree. Moreover, some states do require a master’s degree for holding the position of a school Principal, but not necessarily in education. Therefore, how quickly you climb through the ranks in an education career depends on the state you acquire your experience.
