The Best Master’s in Education Programs

Thinking about pursuing a teaching career? Here is our carefully selected list to help you choose from the best Master’s in Education programs!

The best teachers are the ones who continue to learn, and higher education can be a great place to jumpstart your own career! If you are considering a master’s in teaching or education, think about your search in terms of location, tuition, class size, and the accomplishments of previous graduates. Read more here to learn about the best master’s in education programs around the world.

Earning a master’s in education, or M.Ed., is a crucial step in the development of your teaching career. It is important to decide early on in which area you will specialize, which can be difficult with thousands of advanced degree programs to choose from. Think about the type of setting you can see yourself working in, whether that means large classrooms of students or more individualized care.

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Why Get a Master’s in Education?

For one, it is commonly believed that greater understanding leads to more informed teaching practices. By pursuing higher education, teachers not only get the chance to specialize in their subject of interest, but they also spend time in the classroom, giving them a chance to remember what it feels like to be a student.

By better understanding the psychology of the classroom, educators can set themselves up for more success in the future. Earning a master’s in education is definitely one way to pursue your career goals, including better pay and more opportunities in the areas that interest you. Not to mention, you can earn a great deal of respect by holding a higher education degree.

Some Common Types of Education Master’s Degrees:

1. Master of Education

Earning a Master of Education will give you the opportunity to take your teaching skills outside of the classroom. Aspiring teachers might pursue this degree to gain respect in the teaching community and to create new opportunities. And, for those who are already certified and ambitious to influence policies and procedures within schools, this degree could be a great opportunity.

At University of the People, you can earn your M.Ed tuition-free and completely online, regardless of your current career status. To increase the amount of highly skilled teachers around the world, UoPeople and the International Baccalaureate (IB) designed a graduate-level program that trains students for dynamic careers in education, childcare, and community leadership. Learn more here!

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2. Master of Arts in Teaching

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) generally focuses on hands-on experience intended to advance your teaching career, and the coursework typically includes advanced or specialized courses. This degree puts the teacher back in the classroom, providing the opportunity to practice your learning skills.

Types of Education Specializations

1. Early Childhood Education

Preparing students for teaching positions with children ages 1-8, teachers with this advanced degree may find opportunities in administrative and management positions within preschools and day care centers.

2. Educational Leadership

An M.Ed in educational leadership can lead to opportunities in principal and curriculum coordinator positions, among other high paying roles. It is a great option considering most states in the U.S. require education master degrees for most administrative positions.

3. Math Education

For educators with strong mathematical skills, the M.Ed in Math Education will provide specialized knowledge to advance your career as a teacher whether in elementary, middle, high school, or beyond.

4. School Counseling

This degree sets up individuals for professional opportunities in various counseling roles. School counselors work closely with children, helping them identify and resolve problems, while making recommendations about future treatment.

5. Science Education

A Master’s in Science Education provides students with wider knowledge of subjects like biology, chemistry, and geology, giving them the chance to develop deeper within their area of specialization.

6. Secondary Education

The most common career path for someone with an M.Ed in secondary education is through leadership roles, often within high schools. Principals, assistant principals, and general administrative staff are often required to have some formal education in teaching.

7. School Psychology

Graduate programs in school psychology prepare teachers to work with students, fellow teachers, and parents with a developed sense of professionalism. A BA in psychology is typically a prerequisite, and if you choose to pursue your education through an M.Ed in school psychology, you will gain a range of skills needed to resolve a variety of problems within the education setting.

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You might also consider using your education as a chance to experience life abroad. Of course, the easiest way to do this is by applying to schools in countries that interest you. But you can also learn from just about anywhere by enrolling in an online degree program. Even without the physical presence of the classroom, education students can learn how to set goals and objectives for the classroom, identify instructional needs of individual learners, and implement creative curriculum materials to create an effective learning environment.

For some, the preferred route might be a full-time graduate program, as they often take less time to complete. To help make the search a bit easier, the U.S. News & World Report collected data from 267 graduate education programs between 2017 and 2018, measured through quality assessments, acceptance rates, faculty resources, research activity, and more. In line with their research, the top 10 best education schools included the following universities.

Best Master’s in Education Programs

University of California – Los Angeles

• Application Fee: $110
• Specializations: Educational Leadership, Student Affairs, Teacher Education
• Application Deadline: February 8

Harvard University

• Application Fee: $85
• Specializations: Mind, Brain & Education, International Education Policy
• Application Deadline: December 1

University of Wisconsin – Madison

• Application Fee: $75
• Specializations: Counseling Psychology, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Policy Studies
• Application Deadline: December 15

Stanford University

• Application Fee: $125
• Specializations: Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education, Developmental and Psychological Sciences
• Application Deadline: December 3

University of Pennsylvania

• Application Fee: $0
• Specializations: Master of Science in Education, Master of Philosophy in Education, Educational Linguistics
• Application Deadline: Rolling

New York University

• Application Fee: $75
• Specializations: Education and Social Policy, English Education, Early Childhood Education
• Application Deadline: Rolling

Teachers College, Columbia University

• Application Fee: $65
• Specializations: Communication and Education, Economics and Education
• Application Deadline: Rolling

Vanderbilt University

• Application Fee: $0
• Specializations: Researchers in Education, Human Development, Organizational Development
• Application Deadline: December 31

University of Washington

• Application Fee: $85
• Specializations: Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership, Experimental Education
• Application Deadline: January 5

Northwestern University

• Application Fee: $95
• Specializations: Education and Social Policy, Connected Learning, Public Interest
• Application Deadline: December 4

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Best International Master’s In Education Programs

If you are interested in pursuing your education outside of the United States, consider these master’s in education programs:

University of Oulu, Finland

• Master in Education and Globalization
• Full-time, two-year international MA
• Specializations: Ethics, Policy, Planning, Curriculum, Evaluation and Comparative Research in Education

Instituto Franklin – Universidad Alcalá De Henares, Madrid, Spain

• Master in International Education
• Part-time, one-year Master, recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Education
• Specializations: Curriculum Design Models, Teaching Methods, Learning Theories, Global English in an Intercultural Context

Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Moscow

• Management of International Education
• Full-time, two-year Master’s degree
• Specializations: International Negotiations, Education Systems of Foreign Countries, International Education Law, Competitiveness of the Russian Higher Education

Saint Mary’s University, Canada

• International Master of Teaching English as a Second Language
• Full-time, 16-month degree program
• Specializations: Methods for Language Learning, Language, Culture, and Education, Technologies in Teaching English

University of Essex Online, United Kingdom, UK Online

• Master of Education
• Part-time, two-year online M.Ed.
• Specializations: Introduction to Educational Assessment, Using Technology in Teaching, Learning and Assessment, Philosophy of Education and Theories of Learning & Teaching

University of Stirling, United Kingdom

• MRes in Educational Research
• Full-time or Part-time, 12-27 months
• Specializations: Educational Research, learned through six core modules and a dissertation of 15,000 words

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What Can You Do with a Master’s in Education?

Don’t be held back by the notion that M.Ed’s are only for teachers. For those who earn this degree, even without first earning a bachelor’s degree in education, a huge variety of new opportunities can arise. Many graduates find work as school administrators, for example, or as liaisons between government institutions with which schools often collaborate.

And, of course, for teachers looking for new career opportunities, the possibilities are endless. Earning your MA in Education will not only increase your earning potential, but you will be able to find more respect in your community and a better understanding of your students’ needs. Often, teachers will choose to earn a second degree in order to specialize in a certain area of education, creating new opportunity to progress in their careers.

If you have already established your career and are looking to enhance your skills or create new opportunities, consider earning your Education Master’s online. At University of the People, you can earn a US-accredited, tuition-free M.Ed from the comfort of your own home or office. Read more about how we are developing new generations of globally-skilled educators with vast knowledge of the best practices in education!