Students entering a master's in teaching program may do so for a variety of reasons. Some are former education undergraduates that come from a certified teaching background and wish to expand or enhance their teaching knowledge with a master's degree. Some have undergraduate degrees in other disciplines, but have decided to teach their subjects at the elementary or secondary level. Others wish to teach at a post-secondary level, and may be pursuing another master's in their chosen discipline at the same time. Still others may be interested in administration or curriculum development, and wish to start with a background in teaching.
The coursework for a master's in Teaching often includes more in-depth versions of education classes taken at the undergraduate level and extra field experience in real classrooms. Classes may cover topics such as the philosophy of education, classroom management and assessment, classroom discipline, the teaching of adolescents, teaching methods and student teaching experiences. Graduate students may also learn about technology in education, literacy development, special education, ESL methods and inclusive classroom teaching.
A master's in teaching degree program can improve the teaching profession as a whole. In the program, new and old teachers, administrators and curriculum advisers can learn advanced skills in effective teaching and get acquainted with the most up-to-date methods and new technology. Many school systems offer a pay raise for teachers willing to go back to college for a master's degree and bring their new-found experiences into the schools they work at. Post-secondary teachers with a Master's in another discipline can also benefit from the high-level skills offered in a master's in teaching program.
Students usually finish their master's in teaching at a regular university, but more and more online colleges are offering master's degrees in this area. A student looking to get his master's in teaching through an online program should be very careful about the reputation of the college and find out whether the school systems he wishes to teach in will accept a degree from an online college. The student should also keep in mind that he may be missing out on a great deal of field experience, practice and physical demonstration by avoiding the traditional college classroom.
The master's in teaching program is full-time graduate study, often taking 2 or 3 years to complete and sometimes involving summer semesters. At many colleges, at least half of this time is spent on practical classroom experience. The certification portion may make the program longer by a few semesters so that students can prepare for their Praxis II examinations and pass the state requirements. Some schools do not allow students to finish the program in more than 6 years, so part-time attendance may not always be possible.