Online Secondary Education Degree Programs: Comparing Top Schools

Students who want to teach high school biology can enroll in this concentration to learn how to challenge students in lectures and labs. Topics covered may include biology areas such as ecology, genetics, and anatomy and physiology, as well as teaching skills like lesson planning and being creative in the classroom.

This concentration covers STEM teaching methods that lead to positive student outcomes, as well as subjects such as general chemistry topics, calculus, and laboratory formats and safety procedures.

Those who enroll in the English concentration will learn data-driven methods for successfully teaching topics like world literature, grammar, linguistics, and composition. In addition, people learn how to motivate students in their classroom and foster the critical thinking skills they will need throughout their education.

In the environmental science concentration, teaching students are exposed to classroom methods that help adolescents develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Specific topics may include climate change, environmental biology, and calculus.

Individuals who are passionate about history and want to share their knowledge with others can enroll in a concentration program in order to learn how to effectively teach history topics, including controversial events, to students from diverse populations. The curriculum for such programs may include courses in historian theory and practice, themes in U.S. history, and topics related to war.

Math can be a challenging subject for many students, so those who choose this concentration learn how to help adolescents navigate complex mathematical principles. In order to do this, coursework may cover mathematical modeling, classroom management, geometry, trigonometry, and working with exceptional students.

Aspiring physics teachers can get skills like science instruction methods and being inclusive in the classroom through this concentration. In addition, students may learn how to teach calculus, conceptual physics, magnetism, and electricity.

Social science teachers are required to promote civic competence in the classroom by covering topics like sociology, religion, philosophy, political science, and history. This program helps students cultivate these skills through coursework in curriculum development, strategic development, and ethics in the classroom.

This concentration teaches future visual art teachers how to nurture the technical skills and artistic abilities of high school students. Coursework may include digital art, studio art, drawing, and sculpture, as well as assessment, classroom management, and secondary school teaching strategies.

The quality of the classroom instruction students receive is rooted in the quality of the curriculum that educators use. Students who enroll in this concentration learn how to use education theory to create a curriculum, as well as how a curriculum is applied to classroom instruction. Other topics studied may include literacy, educational psychology, and teaching policies.

Those who aspire to take a leadership role in a high school or board of education can enroll in this program to learn how to face the challenges that come with this important position. Coursework may cover instructional design, leadership techniques, and education law.

In order to give students the skills they need to teach reading and writing, this program focuses on how to assess literacy skills, understand the needs of individual students, and select and use texts to help students improve their literacy. Specific topics may include writing theory, the politics of literacy, and developing a second language.

The social studies and social justice concentration is for those who are interested in addressing inequalities that exist in different societal systems, including education. Classes may cover health education, technology in the classroom, and teaching in urban communities.

Special education teachers not only need to have classroom skills, they also need to know the pedagogical principles associated with teaching adolescents with special needs. In order to train people on the challenges of being a special education teacher, this concentration offers coursework in student engagement, transitional services for students with disabilities, and strategies for creating an inclusive classroom.

Those who are interested in focusing their careers on education in a STEM discipline can enroll in this concentration to learn strategies for handling these subject areas in the classroom. Coursework may address how to create a challenging learning environment and perform student assessments.

Students who are navigating a new language and culture need teachers with specialized skills. In order to train ESL teachers, this concentration focuses on sociolinguistics, language development theories, and behavior management in the classroom.