Online Master’s Degree Programs in Education

Grand Canyon University offers a wide array of master’s-level degrees that feature online study. There are three basic categories of educational master’s programs available from GCU. Programs for educators are designed for current education professionals who seek to expand their knowledge and advance in their careers. GCU’s College of Education offers eight degrees in this category in subjects that include Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Administration, and Instructional Technology. The College of Education also offers 10 master’s programs (five leading to licensure, five non-licensure) for those interested in starting an education career. Fields in this category include Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education. Additionally, various GCU colleges offer education master’s degrees in their respective fields for professionals in those fields who wish to become teachers at the postsecondary level. Subjects include Communications, History, Biology, and Nursing, among others. All GCU education-related master degree programs mentioned here feature online coursework. However, most programs require some in-person component or components, such as internships, practicums, and teaching or observational experiences. Be sure to carefully review the program requirements for any programs under consideration.

Three departments of Texas A&M’s College of Education and Human Development feature online distance learning education master’s programs: Teaching, Learning & Culture (three programs); Educational Psychology (five programs); and Educational Administration & Human Resource Development (MEd in Educational Human Resource Development with Adult Education emphasis). Additionally, online education-related master’s degrees are available from TAMU’s College of Medicine (MS in Education for Healthcare Professionals) and College of Nursing (MS in Nursing Education). Course delivery for most of these programs is online, although the extent of online coursework available varies by specific program. Additionally, programs may include in-person components such as internships, practicums, and field/practice experiences. For example, the MEd in Educational Psychology with School Counseling emphasis includes a field-based course in applied behavior management in the classroom. Individuals are advised to carefully review all degree requirements, including in-person components, prior to enrollment.

There are 10 master’s degrees in the education field available from the University of South Florida that feature primarily online study. Included are Master of Arts degrees in seven specific majors: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Severe Intellectual Disabilities; Career & Technical/Workforce Education; Gifted Education; Music Education; Physical Education; Reading; and Exceptional Student Education. Also available are Master of Education degrees in Instructional Technology and Secondary Education (TESOL emphasis), and a Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology. Coursework for all of the above-discussed programs is presented primarily online. However, programs may include some on-campus courses and/or other in-person components. For example, the MA in Reading requires in-person interaction with a literacy learner (pre-K to adult) in either an in-school or out-of-school setting. Also, the MA in Career & Technical/Workforce Education requires on-campus attendance at Saturday orientation sessions three times a year. And the online MA in Music Education includes a one-week on-campus experience component. Prospective students should carefully review all program requirements, including those involving in-person participation, for any program under consideration.

Western Governors University offers 19 education-related master’s degrees with online study. There are 14 degree programs designed for currently licensed teachers and others interested in expanding their education knowledge base and advancing their careers. Choices include: MA degrees in Mathematics Education, Science Education, and English Language Learning; MS degrees in Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, and Educational Leadership; and MEd degrees in Instructional Design, and Learning and Technology. Additionally, WGU offers five Master of Arts in Teaching degrees for aspiring middle and high school teachers seeking both a degree and teacher certification. Majors in this group include: Elementary Education; English Education (Secondary); Mathematics Education (Middle Schools); Mathematics (Secondary); and Science Education (Secondary). All WGU master’s programs feature fully-online coursework. However, all programs for those seeking teacher certification, and most programs for already-licensed teachers, include an in-classroom experience requirement, typically completed in a school in the student’s local area.

Capella University offers four types of online master’s degrees for educational professionals seeking greater knowledge and skills in their field and advancement in their careers. The Master of Education (MEd) degree is designed to provide educators with advanced classroom practice skills. Students in the MS in Education program gain specialized skills in one of six subject areas such as Early Childhood Education, Special Education Teaching, Reading and Literacy, and Leadership in Educational Administration. Capella’s MS in Education Innovation and Technology degree helps teachers in integrating technology into their course plans. Four specializations are available. The MS in Higher Education (three specializations) focuses on leadership and administrative skills that help educators better meet the needs of adult learners. Capella University’s degree programs feature competency-based curriculums and self-paced, fully-online classes. Most programs also allow transferred in credits for previously-completed coursework. However, most programs also include courses that require in-person participation in a classroom setting.

Nova Southeastern University offers its Master of Science in Education degree with 14 specializations, all of which feature online coursework. Specializations include, among others: Curriculum, Instruction & Technology; Elementary Education; Exceptional Student Education; Management & Administration of Educational Programs; Reading Education; and Spanish Language Education. The Spanish Language Education specialization is taught entirely in Spanish, and three programs (Exceptional Student Education, Mathematics Education, and Science Education) offer Spanish language options. Most NSU degree programs feature coursework that can be completed fully-online. The TESOL program, however, is offered only in a blended online/on-campus coursework format. Some programs additionally include in-person components, such as internships (Educational Leadership Florida State-Approved), teaching experiences (Educational Leadership Nevada State-Approved), or other applied experiences (Elementary Education).

East Carolina University offers a dozen specializations with its online Master of Arts in Education degree. Specializations available include Art Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Elementary Education, Instructional Technology, Middle Grades Education, and Special Education, among others. With the exception of Adult Education, all MA in Education degree programs require students to hold a current North Carolina teaching license to be admitted. All MEd programs culminate in a final project, (thesis or field-based project) that requires presentation to faculty and students. Most online MEd programs additionally include an in-person component such as an internship or other field-based experience. Be sure to check all degree requirements carefully. Education-related master’s programs are also available in Health Education, Music Education, and Nursing Education.

The University of Florida’s College of Education offers seven master’s degrees that feature online study: Curriculum & Instruction with specializations in Education Technology and Teacher Leadership for School Improvement; Educational Leadership; Program Evaluation in Educational Environments; Reading Education; Special Education (Teach Well specialization); and Student Personnel in Higher Education. Coursework for all UF distance education master’s programs is delivered primarily online. However, most programs also require completion of a practicum component, such as an internship or classroom experience, that demonstrates the student’s application of knowledge and skills learned in the course of their degree studies in a practice setting. Programs may include other in-person activities as well. For example, students enrolled in the Educational Leadership program who are seeking Florida Principal Certification must complete a state-required 150-hour field experience in a school setting. Other education-related online master’s degree programs available from UF include a MS in Agriculture Education and Communication, a MA in Art Education, and a MS in Health Education and Behavior.

Master of Education degrees featuring online study are available from the College of Education at Texas Tech University in five majors: Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Instructional Technology; and Special Education. Most didactic coursework for all five degrees is offered fully-online. However, some programs include blended (online/in-person) coursework and/or other in-person components. For example, the MEd in Educational Leadership and Principal Professional Certification Preparation program includes some online courses that require travel to TTU regional sites for cohort meetings or as part of internship requirements. And students enrolled in the online MEd in Higher Education Administration program must complete 150-hours of supervised internship training. In addition to these College of Education degree programs, TTU offers four other education-related online master’s degrees: MA in Art Education; MMEd in Music Education; MS in Agricultural Education; and MS in Family and Consumer Sciences Education.

The University of Utah offers one online education master’s degree program. Utah’s Master of Arts in Teaching with Fine Arts emphasis (MAT-FA) is designed to provide advanced coursework and pedagogy regarding teaching for both licensed and non-licensed teaching artists. This two-year, primarily online program requires completion of a total of 30 credit hours. 18 credit hours are devoted to attendance at two 12-day summer intensive residencies on the school’s main campus in Salt Lake City and associated online work done prior and subsequent to the summer sessions. The other 12 credit hours consist of online work completed during the fall and spring semesters, and focused on arts teaching theory and application through three teaching practicums.