Online and Distance Learning

This page is about masters in secondary education online and on campus programs and how they prepare students for a most rewarding career.  It provides more detail about the programs and where you can take them.

Why take a masters in secondary education?

If you have obtained a Bachelors degree and passed the required examinations to begin teaching, you may be beginning to explore options for expanding your teaching opportunities and earning a greater income.  Getting a secondary education masters degree can open doors that lead to more challenging educational or administrative positions in the subject area for which you are most passionate.

If your goal is to enter the administrative side of education, a masters in secondary education that focuses on supervisory and administrative tasks in a school will be more beneficial and it will be to your advantage to pursue this specialization in your program. On the other hand, if you want to teach in secondary schools, then you will need to pursue a teaching specialization in your masters program.  It is important to have a clear idea of your ultimate goals and objectives for your career before you commit to a program so that you will be able to take advantage of the opportunities offered upon completion.

These programs are readily available online so they are accessible without leaving employment.  But if you prefer to study a campus-based program, check the information using the navigation links for On Campus Programs and On Campus Universities.

Selected schools with masters in secondary education programs online

Listed below are selected schools that offer a masters degree in secondary education or some variant of that. 

If you don't find the programs or schools you want in this list, please use the search boxes provided on this page.

• University of Phoenix Online
  • Master of Arts in Education/Secondary Teacher Education
  • Master of Arts in Education/Teacher Education Middle Level Science
  • Master of Arts in Education/Teacher Education Secondary Mathematics
  • Master of Arts in Education/Teacher Education Secondary Science

• Walden University
  • M.S. in Education - Adolescent Literacy and Technology (Grades 6-12)
  • M.S. in Education - Middle Level Education (Grades 5-8)
  • M.S. in Education - Mathematics (Grades 6-8)
  • M.S. in Education - Teacher Leadership
  • M.S. in Education - Science (K-8)

• Grand Canyon University
  • Master of Education in Secondary Education (IR)
  • Master of Education in Secondary Education (Non-IR)

• JIU - Jones International University Online - Graduate
  • MEd in K-12 English as a Second Language Education
  • MEd in K-12 English as a Second Language Education: Teacher Licensure
  • MEd in K-12 Instructional Technology
  • MEd in K-12 Instructional Technology: Teacher Licensure
  • MEd in Secondary Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment
  • MEd in Secondary Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment: Teacher Licensure

• California University of Pennsylvania - Online
  • Master of Arts Teaching / Advance Studies in Secondary Education
  • Master of Education / Administrative Program for Principals K-12 Principal
  • Master of Education / Administrative Program K-12 Principal Certification
  • Master of Education-English As A Second Language Track
  • Master of Education-National Board Teacher Certification Track
  • Master of Education-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Education Track
  • Master of Education-Technology Education Track 

• Capella University 
  • MS - K-12 Studies in Education

What do masters in secondary education programs involve?

Requirements For Program Participation:

The requirements to participate in a masters program in teaching are normally more structured than for other degree programs. This is primarily due to the fact that a teacher will usually have a single subject credential when they begin teaching and will normally be inclined to move towards a masters in this subject area. With their masters completed, secondary education teachers are able to teach grades 7 through 12 or qualify for supervisory or administrative positions in education.

It is important to note that these programs are designed with two prongs. One for teachers who want to teach in secondary schools and the other for teachers that want to enter the administrative side of education. Depending on what your ultimate goals are for your career, you will want to discuss how to achieve your objectives with an individual who is knowledgeable about the best route to take to reach your ultimate goal most effectively.

What To Expect From The Program:

The Masters programs are much more intense than the overview or basic courses taken in a bachelors. These programs include critical discussions on readings and applied classroom learning practicum. The program covers classroom management skills and includes extensive reading material. The history and theory of curriculum in K-12 is covered so that you have a complete grasp of learning concepts and teaching modalities for your specialty.

Completing The Program:

After completing the 4-year bachelors program, this program will take an additional 1-2 years. In most cases, individuals getting their degree are working as full-time teachers and take longer to complete the program so that they can accommodate their work schedule. Most of these programs are flexible and take into account the fact that the students participating are working teachers.

The length of time for completion may also vary, depending on the subject area that you have chosen. The program you select will require a lot of field work and analytic study will often require more of an investment of time than one that will be completed through traditional methods of campus study.

What salary can you expect on completion of a masters in secondary education?

The pay scale for completion of a program will vary based on several factors. Some subject areas are in extreme demand and the pay will be in excess of $100,000 per year.  However, in most cases, an individual who completes a program can expect to make a minimum of $40,000 to $63,000 per year.  This amount will vary on the location that you are going to teach and the type of school district your choose to work in.

More about a masters in secondary education

Use this link to find programs and schools near you.

Use the search facility on this site to find more masters in secondary education programs.

Remember to request information about the admission requirements and course content of several schools before you choose a program.

Campus Programs

For those students who feel that online learning and distance education is not for them, the web site also has a section on campus programs. 

You can also search for a secondary education masters program.