| According to the United States Department of | | | | classes around their own schedule. Online |
| Education, 92 million adults took part in some type | | | | education makes it easier for teachers to pursue |
| of formal education to accommodate new job | | | | higher education while keeping their current |
| requirements, earn an advanced degree, keep | | | | positions and maintaining tenure. Thus, attending |
| their skills current or simply to attain a higher | | | | an education specialist degree program online |
| education. The education specialist degree | | | | enables teachers to remain in the classroom with |
| program is intended for teachers, supervisors, | | | | students while they learn how to enhance the |
| administrators and counselors in elementary and | | | | educational experience. Teachers who attain an |
| secondary schools. This degree program offers | | | | education specialist degree are useful in imparting |
| specialization for teachers who have completed | | | | leadership skills to other teachers, administrators, |
| their master's degree, along with in-depth | | | | colleagues and students. Many such teachers |
| opportunities for enhanced professional growth. | | | | implement school improvement plans, developing |
| The minimum educational requirement to pursue | | | | and using unique teaching practices right in their |
| an education specialist degree is 60 hours of | | | | own classroom. |
| graduate credit, which might include a master's | | | | So are the longterm benefits of pursuing an |
| degree. A candidate for the program should have | | | | education specialist degree online worth balancing |
| a minimum 3.0 grade point average on their | | | | time between earning and learning? The U.S. |
| previous graduate work. Furthermore, many | | | | Department of Labor, Career Guide to Industries, |
| educational specialist programs require at least | | | | 2006-07 Edition states that 1 in 4 Americans are |
| three years of successful teaching in the field, | | | | enrolled in educational institutions; this makes the |
| standardized test scores, writing samples and | | | | educational services the second largest industry in |
| recommendations. Since a specialist level teacher | | | | America. About 13 million jobs exist in education |
| is considered an instructional leader, the education | | | | services today and most of them require at least |
| specialist degree program builds upon the | | | | a bachelor's degree. The Guide further offers |
| teacher's prior education and professional | | | | that, "Wage and salary employment growth of 17 |
| experiences to accomplish this. The specialist | | | | percent is expected in the educational services |
| program ensures that a teacher who completes | | | | industry over the 2004-14 period, higher than the |
| the course is particularly knowledgeable about | | | | 14 percent increase projected for all industries |
| current theory and practice in education. | | | | combined. The number of teachers retiring is |
| Specific areas of study can be pursued within the | | | | expected to remain a record high over the |
| education specialist degree program. Such areas | | | | 2004-2014 period, so there may be a lack of |
| of include curriculum and instruction, administration | | | | students graduating with education degrees to |
| and counseling. | | | | meet this growing industry's needs. This makes |
| Curriculum and instruction: Teachers pursuing an | | | | job opportunities for graduates in many education |
| education specialist degree with a concentration in | | | | fields good to excellent." |
| curriculum and instruction are involved with the | | | | Education remains an important part of life and |
| teaching, supervision and curriculum of | | | | school attendance is compulsory the United |
| discipline-centered areas of study. | | | | States, so there are numerous educational |
| Administration: Those educators seeking an | | | | establishments to teach at. As technology |
| education specialist degree with a concentration in | | | | expands and the economy changes, there will be |
| administration can seek licenses for advanced | | | | an increased need for skilled teachers with an |
| administrative positions within public and private | | | | innovative approach to dynamic classroom |
| schools, such as building administrator, | | | | situations. People holding an education specialist |
| administrative specialist, vocational director and | | | | degree will have increased opportunities to |
| district administrator. | | | | advance into positions as administrators, |
| Counseling: Teachers taking the education | | | | specialized counselors or even assist in developing |
| specialist degree program with a concentration in | | | | cutting edge curriculum for students. In a Report |
| counseling have the opportunity for advanced | | | | released in July 2006, The U.S. Department of |
| training and study in specialized areas of interest, | | | | Labor reveals that school districts report |
| such as individual, group or family clinical counseling. | | | | difficulties in recruiting qualified administrators and |
| Specializations within each of the three segments | | | | teachers, especially in urban and rural areas. |
| of the education specialist degree include literature, | | | | According to the Distance Education and Training |
| art, English, foreign language, science, social | | | | Council, over 4 million students are enrolled in |
| education, mathematics and special education. The | | | | online universities and schools and that number is |
| education specialist degree program encompasses | | | | growing by 30 percent each year. The |
| 30 semester hours. | | | | convenience of pursuing an education specialist |
| An education specialist degree is intended to | | | | degree online enables teachers to learn while they |
| develop proficiency and professional among | | | | earn, as well implement the skills they attain in |
| teachers already in service. By earning an | | | | their own classrooms as they go. Thus, education |
| education specialist degree online, working | | | | specialist degree online programs are beneficial to |
| teachers are afforded the flexibility to attend | | | | both teachers and their students. |