by D. Vogt

Created on: March 04, 2010   Last Updated: March 05, 2010

The Masters of Education (M.Ed.) degree is one of the more common professional degrees at the masters degree level, and represents an advanced level of study and achievement in the social science of teaching. Because most people who obtain M.Ed. degrees intend to transition to a career in the education field rather than continue on and do further academic research at the

doctorate level, the specializations usually made available by universities pertain to specific lines of work rather than subjects of advanced research.

- Education Degrees -

Education degrees occupy a separate degree structure compared to the usual university degrees, although they follow the same general procession: students with high grades leaving their bachelor's or college degrees (B.Ed.) can qualify for their masters degree (M.Ed.), and strong masters students can then qualify for their doctoral degree (Ed.D).

As a general rule, the large majority of front-line teachers in a given school district will possess only their bachelor's degree, which is obtained - depending upon the jurisdiction - often after completing a standard three- or four-year college degree with a major in education. Alternatively, in some jurisdictions with more rigorous certification requirements, this degree is awarded after completing a standard college undergraduate degree in a teachable field (such as science, English, or history), followed by an additional one- or two-year program of study specifically in education.

- Rationales for a Master's Degree in Education -

In many cases, teachers can get salary increases for returning to school and completing an M.Ed. Public school teachers in North America, and government-run schools in England, tend to be fully unionized, meaning that pay increases are awarded automatically as a result of credentials and seniority, rather than requiring an individual to renegotiate her or his employment contract.

However, the most common reason that people get their M.Ed. is because, after several years in the classroom, they have decided to switch to a more specialized career. Education careers that typically require a masters degree in addition to the normal teaching qualifications include school administration (principals and vice-principals) and guidance counseling - the two most common specializations that M.Ed. students seek out. However, teachers in particular specialized teaching jobs, such as special education for mentally challenged students, or English as a Second

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