Graduate Programs in Education in California

What are Graduate Programs in Education?

Education graduate programs help future and current teachers and educational administrators develop advanced skills and strategies, study education research, and build a solid foundation for a new or expanded career.

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Graduate programs in Education are available in a wide range of topics, such as Curriculum and Instruction, Higher Education, TESL/ESL, K-12 Education, Special Education and more. What unites them is a commitment to preparing educators to better serve students and build a stronger, more effective educational system.

Graduate Programs in Education: Subject Areas & Concentrations

Education graduate programs are often designed to focus on a specific area in the vast education field. This may allow teachers to concentrate on concepts and methods that more closely align with the types of students they wish to serve. Graduate programs in education may also be designed around a specific function or career.

Popular Schools with Graduate Programs in Education in California

While not every education grad school may offer programs in all these subjects, below are a few common areas of study to consider.

• Adult Education – Learn about needs of adult learners, and prepare to help adults achieve educational goals like language acquisition, earning a GED, developing career skills, and more.
• Curriculum & Instruction – Develop your skills in curriculum and instructional design, to prepare for roles in and out of the classroom and help educational communities become more effective.
• Early Childhood Education – Study the unique needs of children ranging from infancy to third grade, including topics like developmental psychology, social and emotional, development, motor skills, reading, etc.
• Education Leadership & Administration – Develop skills to support your current or potential future leadership positions within a school community, or district, educational policy, and other related roles and responsibilities.
• Education Technology & Online Learning – Learn about how to use technology in educational contexts, to support student engagement, curriculum design and differentiation in the classroom or in online school contexts at a variety of grade and university levels.
• Environmental Education – Prepare yourself for a unique career educating your community about environmental conservation and change, both in and out of the classroom. This might include topics like ecology, earth science, and sustainability.
• Educational & School Psychology – Prepare to conduct psychology research and apply research findings at the institutional level as an educational psychologist or to work with students directly in a school counseling or school psychologist role.
• ESL/TESOL – Learn about strategies to encourage English language acquisition for primary speakers of other languages, at a variety of grade and age levels. Programs may focus on several educational contexts, or even teaching abroad.
• General Education – Develop your general teaching and education skills to support a variety of roles, both in the classroom and in administrative contexts.
• Higher Education – Prepare yourself to help students succeed in post-secondary contexts such as colleges and universities, to be a more effective university professor or assist students in non-teaching roles.
• International Education – Learn more about teaching in an international context. Study topics like multicultural education, educational policy, communication skills, community development, study abroad programs, and more.
• K-12 Education – Study in a program related to your current or future certification level, looking at the needs of certain grade levels, or at subject areas like teaching reading, mathematics, science, technology, foreign languages, etc.
• Special & Gifted Education – Study to better serve students with unique needs, such as those with learning disabilities, communication disorders, behavioral or emotional disorders, gifted students, or members of underserved populations.
• Teacher Education – Develop your skills as a classroom teacher. Explore instructional strategies, classroom management, strategies for differentiation, unique learning styles, subject and grade or age-specific programs, and more.

Earning Master’s Degrees in Education

Education master’s programs are typically two year programs which explore advanced concepts in a specific area of education. Some Masters in Education programs may also be designed to prepare teachers for additional credentials or certification exams.

Most programs include core and elective coursework, a practicum and a final project or thesis. Within their masters of education program, students may also be able to choose a specific concentration or specialty area. Concentrations may focus on teaching a specific topic, like Math or English, or on teaching in a particular setting.

Types of Masters in Education Programs in California

Master's in Education programs might include: Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Master’s of Education (M.Ed.), and Master of Science in Education programs, among others. You might also consider degree types specific to certain specialties, such as Master of Psychology in Educational & School Psychology programs.

If you're new to education altogether, you may want to look for Masters of Education programs that include some or all of the requirements for certification in your state. These are created for students with little to no professional experience and may not require a bachelor's degree in education or a related subject area.

Other education masters programs are designed for experienced teachers and may require a teaching license. They may help teachers prepare to earn additional credentials, explore new subject areas or further develop skills to enhance their teaching practice.

Experienced teachers may also wish to pursue an additional higher distinction on top of a masters degree, such as the Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) or Psychology Specialist (Psy.S.) credential. These types of master's degrees in education are sometimes seen as being a step between the master’s and doctoral program levels.

Doctorate in Education Programs & Schools

Similar to education master’s programs, education doctoral programs might include a few different degree types, such as Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Ph.D. in education programs, or even Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) programs, depending on your concentration area. The specific differences between each might vary depending on the school in question and the subject area. They may also be designed to prepare graduates for different roles such as education research, teaching at the university level, or administration and leadership. However all of these education graduate degrees are considered terminal degrees, meaning they are the highest level of study in the field. They also often include a research component and may require a dissertation. Read program listings for doctorate in education programs or inquire with your preferred school for more details.

Education Graduate Certificates

Graduate certificate programs in education are typically shorter programs, and may focus on a narrow topic within your preferred subject area. They may be available at the master’s or post-master’s level, and provide a brief introduction to a subject area or focus on one specific topic in depth. Some certificate graduate programs in education may also be designed to help finish requirements for teaching licenses or certifications. However these vary by state or institution to it's best to research each program carefully.

Education Graduate Degree Program Formats

Whatever your preferred subject area or program level may be, education graduate programs might be available in several different formats such as online, on campus, and hybrid or flexible programs. That means that you might be able to choose a program whose schedule and design works with your learning style and preferences, and with your life.

DID YOU KNOW? In May 2023, the median annual wage earned by professionals in the Educational Instruction and Library group was $59,940, which is considerably higher than the median annual wage of $48,060 earned by individuals in all other occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

GradSchools.com offers 78 Graduate Schools with Graduate Programs in Education in California