Bachelor Degree Program in Education
Higher Education Articles April 4, 2013Most individuals who want to pursue a career in teaching students from pre-k up to 12th grade have to earn a Bachelor Degree in Education. However, aspiring teachers may equip themselves with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue an academic administrator career or work in a position, which requires teaching abilities with the Bachelor Degree in Education. Candidates who are interested in these career options may want to earn an undergraduate degree in education; so they will be able to learn the techniques and tools of this rewarding and steady field.
Education Prerequisites
A majority of colleges and universities require incoming students to have an associate degree, general educational development (GED) certificate, or high school diploma in order to enroll into a bachelor degree program in education. Students may obtain their undergraduate degree at a traditional brick-and-mortar university or college or via online degree program. There will be individual admission requirements for each of these routes, such as recommendations, transcripts, ACT or SAT test scores, and application fees.
Career Options for Individuals with an Undergraduate Degree in Education
Students who have earned an undergraduate degree in education will be prepared for various careers, with a majority of individuals pursuing the degree in order to become a teacher. Graduates will be informed about basic teaching techniques or have the option to specialize in a particular subject or teach a certain age group, such as high school or elementary school students with a degree in education. Along with an undergraduate degree, aspiring teachers are required to obtain their teaching certificates that have various requirements depending on the state in which an individual wants to work.
Several bachelor degree programs in education offer opportunities to concentrate on particular areas such as ESL (English as a second language) or special education. As defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a special education teacher is an instructor who works with students who have minimal to severe disabilities. Teachers may find themselves teaching communication techniques, general living skills, or academic subjects. ESL teachers work with students of all age groups that speak other languages besides English.
Students who have graduated from a bachelor degree program in education will be given the tools needed to pursue a career as a teaching administrator. Individuals who are interested in pursuing the fields of school administration usually take several courses, which relate to educational organization, sociology, policies, and psychology. A majority of these roles require students to obtain more advanced degree such as Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Masters. This means an undergraduate degree in education will serve as a strong foundation.
Graduates who have earned this degree will be prepared to work in other fields that can require employees to have teaching skills, which will enable them to develop curriculum or train clients or co-workers.
Things to Consider when Pursuing an Undergraduate Degree in Education
High school teachers earned an average annual salary of $53,230, middle school teachers earned an average annual salary of $51,960, and elementary school and kindergarten teachers receive an annual average salary of $51,380, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS – www.bls.gov).
There will be employment growth for teachers in all of those age groups, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS projected an employment growth of seven percent for high school teachers, while kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school teachers’ job employment is projected to grow at a higher rate of seventeen percent.
Special education teachers receive an annual average salary of $53,220 and have similar projected job growth as kindergarten, elementary and middle school teachers at seventeen percent. The rates usually vary by specialty and region, so aspiring teachers should look at job opportunities and reports in their individual areas.
An undergraduate degree in education will be a step towards earning a graduate degree, a doctor of education degree, or doctor of philosophy degree in the field that may lead to academic administrative jobs, such as principals and school counselors. The average annual salary of a principal is $86,970 and average annual salary of a school counselor is $53,380, with each of these professions projected to show average job growth.
Earning an undergraduate degree in education may provide a number of options for professional who are looking to work in non-traditional or traditional teaching roles, prepare for an instructional position in any fields, or set the mandatory academic foundation for a teaching administrator career.
