I want to teach as an adjunct - would you recommend the MBA or MS degree?

I own an independent insurance agency. I'd like to use my Excelsior College degree (BS, summa cum laude, 2004) to enter a master's degree program. My intention is to teach as an adjunct in local community colleges and online.

Would I be better served pursuing the MBA or a Master's in Management (or Marketing, etc.)? What degree, combined with my 20+ years of business experience, would serve me best as an entry to adjunct teaching?

Thanks for any advice. Or brickbats.


Tony

 

If you're looking for a part-time teaching position while retaining full-time self-employment as an insurance agent, I doubt very much that the letters on your nice-looking piece of wall-paper will matter much. Typically, the MBA tends to be a bit broader in scope with fewer classes in the concentration, while an MS in a Business topic has more major courses and fewer general required classes. Supposedly the MBA is looking for preparation as a business professional while the MS in Management is usually looking to go on to a PhD in Business, though I'm sure that distinction so-called is blurring (as are so many other academic nomenclature issues). You might want to take a look at Florida State's (http://online.fsu.edu) DL master's program in insurance. IIRC, Thomas Edison (www.tesc.edu) also offers a DL master's program in insurance.

 

Sometimes I'm accused of oversimplifying. This amuses me as I personally believe that things are generally more complicated than they seem at the outset. In regards to your question, I think the answer is probably rather simple:
You own an insurance agency
You'd like to teach
You're not likely to sell everything and move in order to teach
You have a list of the potential schools at which you might teach
You can look at the faculty listings of these schools
You can examine their credentials
You can replicate their credentials
Problem solved
I know I've been brusque. It was not my intention to offend.
Jack

 

Since most or all colleges require 18 credits in a field to teach, the MS would serve you better. The MBA knowledge is broad

 

You might be able to get started teaching community college with just your experience as an insurance agent/broker. Of course, you would still want to get your master's degree - in order to move up the pay scale.

 

Short. Concise. Accurate.

No offense taken.

I have researched local schools. I'd welcome more information about what colleges are looking for in hiring their online faculty.

Thanks,


Tony

 

Thanks, Randell

I'm glad I asked and glad you responded - I had not considered that difference.

Regards,


Tony

 

Short & Sweet - Get the MBA.

 

Most schools don't care one or another. Although the community college requires only an MBA, there are far more applicants to teach at this level than the university level. So my advice is the get a DBA or PhD from any RA school if your goal is teaching as this would maximize your chances.

 

OK. I thought I had seen another MBA or MS thread recently.

http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19838

 

They have the distinctions(like summa cum laude) now on the diploma or transcripts? When I did USNY Regents they did not have such back in those days, at least my diploma or transcript does not show anything like it. Did it change when Regents changed to Excelsior?

Bing

 

I have a MSc in chemistry from the early 80's, a MBA from 2000, and the CPCU, ARM and CPHRM insurance designations. I have been working in the area of healthcare risk management and malpractice claims defense for 21 years.

I have on occasion taught at both the local community colleges and at the UW with those credentials, primarily in the business program setting. I also do a lot of lecturing on malpractice at the medical, dental and nursing school. Somewhere in my files, I have a letter from the UW designating me as a Clinical Instructor at the medical school. I think that means they don't pay me!