I just mailed off my portfolio today for my MSEd with Walden. Now it's just a waiting game. But while waiting, I get to figure out what to do next. My main debate is going for an MA in History or an MEd in Administration and Supervision. What do you all suggest?
Slow down and stop making the rest of us look bad!!! Seriously, congrats Matt! If it were me, I'd probably hit the History degree due simply to personal preference for the subject. Go celebrate!! Dave
Congratulations! Add another vote for the History degree; you already have (or will soon have) a graduate degree in Education, I think a History Master's will perfectly complement your undergrad degree. Of course, as someone else mentioned, why not a Ph.D./Ed.D.?
I actually did consider an Ed.D. I was looking to get into administration and supervision, and although I could get that by taking about 3 classes and doing an internship, having a doctorate in education would open up so many more doors. William and Mary has very inexpensive on-campus doctoral programs. The Ed.D. is 48 credits, of which 6 are dissertation. I was going to apply, but there deadline was February 1st, and I didn't feel comfortable applying without being done with my MSEd. I know I could have, but I just wanted to be sure I had finished one program before starting another. I could always start taking admin courses and then transfer them into the Ed.D. later, as they accept 12 credits. Of course, this is all assuming I'd get in. It's a very competitive school, and granted I have a 4.0 in my graduate program, as I said, I had a friend with a 4.0 who has gotten rejected from doctoral programs. I would love to go back and study history... I really would. However, with a baby now, I have to look at how to best support my family. I could spend another 10K to get an MA in History, but I wouldn't necessarily increase my salary. However, if I obtained administrative certification, whether through taking additional courses or earning a doctorate, I could DOUBLE my salary. Granted the position would be 12-month versus 10, the increase in salary could do so much for us. The Ed.D. at William and Mary is also about 10K, so I think that would be worth it. I don't know... I really do love history. If I obtained a history PhD, I could teach at the university level and double my salary as well. However, that would be a lot more work than earning an EdD since I already have an MSEd. I'm still open for suggestions though!
Since you put it that way, I think it's a no brainer to go for the Ed.D. at William & Mary....inexpensive program from an outstanding school that will double your salary. Not many negatives there. Once you've established your career path with administrative certification, you can always go back and study history at your leisure (and be able to afford it much easier).
Good job Matt! If money is your passion, then get into administration. But with you already having a history background I could probably guess money is not a central focus. I would have to give my vote for the history degree, but who am I? Just follow your heart. Gavin
Well, money isn't my passion... but supporting my family is. Let's say I go and get that Ed.D. Is it weird to have someone with a doctorate going back and trying to earn a masters degree?
LOL, Supporting my family is also one of my passions too! Here in my hometown there is a college that has a good reputation for turning out teachers. Many I have met have multiple master's and a few even had doctorates in other areas and were working on a masters in another area. I never seen it hurt their careers. I say, GO FOR IT! I dont know of a school system that would not gobble up CV like that! atb, Gavin
Not at all; sometimes I think there's a belief among doctorate holders that they've reached the finish line, when there's so much more to learn.
Matt, I empathise with the baby/education dilemma. We had our boy 1 year into my MBA and it was a real effort to stay focused on the study, the main reason I did was because I felt/feel the study will enhance my career prospects a good deal and as such is worth the sacrifice. I love being able to buy him all the toys I couldn't have, I mean what is the point of working and studying if there is no reward? I guess my point is that you seem to have your priorities as they should be, get the CV as robust as possible to maximise earning ability and then perhaps go back to the hobbyist subjects, if time allows and you even want to! All the best whatever you choose... Peace, Dave
I'll be watching your journey As a high school educator myself...I will be curious which pathway works best for you. I have an MBA and I'm nearly 50% finished with my MEd (chose a curriculum/instruction focus). I have a similar debate about the next step - although I'm a little further down the road in the "make a family" process. I am SERIOUSLY considering either an EdS or EdD next.
I recieved my transcript today from Walden. They said they confer degrees at the conclusion of the term which would have been this month. However, it was actually conferred on the day of my last class. I'm happy with that, as hopefully I'll get back pay for it -Matt
Hey Matt - congrats! I taught in the MS in Technology and MS in Math Education programs at Walden for five years (I still teach at Walden but in another program for the past two years) and those are great programs for teachers. I wanted to ask about your thoughts about getting a history degree? I was wondering if the reason was to teach college classes? I was thinking you could do that while still teaching full time where you are now -- and if you did that online and not have to spend more time away from the family at night. Teaching college history classes would give you some valuable experience that can help a lot later on. You could take 6 grad courses in history and start teaching college history classes this fall or next spring. I've gotten two graduate certificates (6 courses in one subject and 7 courses in another) 6-7 months each by taking 8 wk courses and taking 2 courses at a time. Once I enrolled in the certificate programs, I started sending out apps right away and landed a couple of online teaching jobs before I completed the certificates. There are lots of places where you can get low-cost grad courses online. Once you enroll in a program, you can start applying to teach online college history classes at all the local community colleges (I know there are a bunch in your area of VA and most of them have online programs and courses, too). Just a thought (or two or three!!). By the way, I am in the Williamsburg area so we're sort of neighbors! ~VP~
Yep, that's exactly what I'm planning on doing. The high school I work in offers classes through the community college for our students to take. The big push is that the school division wants employees that are qualified to teach those courses because it says them mucho dinero. If someone from the college itself comes and teaches the class, the school has to pay the regular tuition rate for students, but if someone from our school teaches them, the tuition rate drops to something absurd like $15 per kid per class. Currently in the Social Studies Department we offer Dual Enrollment US History and US Government. Granted I would have to get 18 hours in history AND 18 hours in poli sci, I'm going to work on it. Doing so would open up so many doors for the school, and hopefully help me move up the ladder. I had another post regarding online history courses. I've pretty much settled on APU. I was hoping I could find courses that were offered in smaller sessions rather than 16 week ones, but then again I also want them to be open enrollment and relevant to what I'm teaching. Obviously there aren't that many out there... maybe there will be in a few years, but not now. Perhaps by then I may be teaching at some of them. APU has 3 history classes that are 8 weeks. I have requested syllabi as someone suggested, so now it's a wait and see game. I don't think I could get the 18 credits by the fall, though that would be nice. With a new baby and while trying to sell our house, I will be lucky to get 9 credits in. But it's worth a try, right? -Matt
