Online Adult Education Degree

Top Rated Programs:

  1. Pennsylvania State University World Campus - M.Ed. in Adult Education (1 reviews)

  2. University of Phoenix - Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum and Instruction-Adult Education (1 reviews)

  3. Capella University - Ph.D. in Education in Postsecondary and Adult Ed. (5 reviews)

  4. Grand Canyon University - ED in TESOL (24 reviews)

  5. Argosy University - DBA (8 reviews)

  6. Ashworth College - High school diploma (7 reviews)

A degree in the field of adult education is the choice of those individuals who prefer to work with adults rather than adolescents or children. This type of degree develops skills such as problem solving, leadership, training, technology and information management. The main elements of an online adult education degree will focus on adult learning, theory and practice. Not only will you learn how adults absorb information and solve problems but you'll also learn how to train and educate adults.

Adult education has seen a massive surge due in part to mass layoffs and high unemployment figures during the economic downturn with many people going back to school for job re-training. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that there is likely to be a shortage of people to teach adults within the next decade as more people change their career paths. Accordingly more people are taking action and studying for a Masters Degree in Adult Education.

Reasons to choose distance study

Studying online offers flexibility for those people who don't want to compromise their current employment. It gives the opportunity to study in their own time and at their own pace. It is also a more affordable solution than a standard degree. This type of degree is also suited to individuals who need to hone their skills and brush up on the latest teaching techniques and technologies, since times are constantly changing, and managerial and supervisory roles require people to be up to date.

Choice of degree

Students can choose to study for a Certificate, Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate so there are many possibilities available to everyone. With the Certificate or Bachelor level a person could work with adult training programs or a community literacy center. If you were to study for a Masters or Doctorate then you could run training programs, become a professor in a learning institution, or travel the world as a consultant.

The Certificate is the minimal qualification accepted by community projects and in higher paid jobs employers would expect at the least, a degree. In order to work at a university or head up projects all over the world, a Masters or Doctorate is the minimum qualification accepted.

Type of person who would enjoy a Masters degree in adult education

The type of person who is likely to enjoy and be successful in this type of degree would probably have good leadership skills, a thorough knowledge of their particular field, and an enthusiastic, likeable personality. Many students enrolling for the Masters will already have several years of experience in the area in which they want to teach, although this is not a requirement. Students are also likely to hold a Bachelors in any of the following areas:

Most online master's degrees in adult education have a duration of two years although this varies according to a student's efforts. A student working full time, for example, could probably complete it in a year. The Masters degree programs offer several different types of degrees including

What subjects are studied?

Most online adult education degrees study the psychology of teaching adults. Many adults have a dislike of learning new things and the course focusses on techniques to overcome this problem. The classes also concentrate on motivation and leadership. Some of the most popular degree programs include topics such as Program Planning, Research and Evaluation, Teaching Adults Responsibly, and Distance Education.

The degrees also offer specialist areas which students may wish to enter after graduation, including:

Career opportunities

Popular career choices for graduates with a Masters in Adult Education include:

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in adult education is expected to increase steadily until at least 2016.

The great thing about an adult education degree is it's unlimited mobility. A graduate in could stay in their community, move to another State or even work abroad. Wherever you choose to go there is a demand for adult education.

Review these adult education Degrees online; orgainized by university, degree, major and degree level.