Adult Education Degrees
Adult education refers to a wide range of education for adults including college-level coursework, vocational school training, corporate education, adult literacy and English language programs as well as professional certification programs. Adult education degrees are typically earned by individuals who have expertise in a specific field and the desire to become an educator in that subject matter. A degree in adult education will supplement the subject matter expertise a person already has with teaching skills they need to be an effective instructor.
Adult education is a growing field as working adults look to advance their careers and retirees use their free time to explore subjects they have an interest in. Although a degree in adult education is not required for all adult education jobs, it is a great choice that complements an individual's subject-specific knowledge and opens up a wide array of job opportunities.
Degree Options
- Associate's Degree – Associate's degree programs are uncommon and generally limited to those who want to teach in a vocational setting. These degrees are often followed up with further coursework to earn a Bachelor's degree.
- Bachelor's Degree – A bachelor's degree in adult education in addition to a person's expertise in a particular subject area, will prepare students to become instructors in non-collegiate, adult-education settings.
- Master's Degree – A master's degree or higher is required to teach at the college level and in some other academically-oriented settings.
- Doctoral Degree – Earning a doctoral degree in adult education will prepare individuals to teach adults at the college level and will open opportunities in research, administration and program development.
Schools
Adult Education degree programs are limited in number, but growing. Some universities offer programs, often with distance-learning options and many programs can be found at online schools. These degrees are found with various names such as "Postsecondary and Adult Education", "Adult Education and Distance Learning" or "Adult Education and Human Resource Development".
Coursework
Some examples of courses one might find in an adult education degree program are listed below:
- Strategies for Teaching Adults
- Adult Learning and Development
- Designing the Adult Education Program
- Critical Thinking in Adult Education
- Evaluation of Educational Activities for Adults
- Advising and Counseling Adult Learners
- Administration of Adult Education Programs
- Critical Skills for Facilitating Online Learning
Interests and Aptitudes
Adult educators must have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter they will be teaching in addition to the desire to share this knowledge with other adults. Adult students tend to have more concrete expectations from their classes, so instructors of adults need to be flexible and open-minded, varying course content as needed to ensure relevancy to their student's goals.
Career Options
Below are some careers a person with a degree in adult education may work in:
- Vocational / Career school instructor
- College Instructor
- Adult literacy or English as a Second Language (ESL) Instructor
- Corporate Trainer
- Distance-learning Instructor
- College Dean or Assistant Dean
- Continuing Professional Education Instructor
- Education Advisor
- Adult Education Program Planner
Related Majors
- Secondary School Education
- Education Administration
- Distance Learning
- Educational Research
How To Evaluate Adult Education Degree Programs
When choosing an Adult Education degree program, reviewing the following considerations may be helpful.
- Program Focus – Since there are many variations in adult education careers, prospective students need to pick a program that offers elective courses in the field they plan to work in.
- Convenience - Many students working towards this degree have full-time jobs so finding a program with a flexible schedule and online classes is helpful.
- Accreditation – The school of choice should be accredited by one of the six regional accrediting agencies to ensure a quality education and recognition from future employers.
Resources
American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
University Continuing Education Association
Association for Continuing Higher Education
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