Adult Education degrees focus on learning and development for adults who bring about transformative changes in organizations. These degrees prepare future educational leaders and help them create ties to strengthen organizational, civic, and national output. Columbia University, Michigan State University, and the University of California-Berkeley are some of the best universities that offer degrees in Adult Education. Both, Columbia University and Michigan State University offer several degrees in this subject at master and doctoral levels.
What Is Adult Education?
Adult education is commonly known as continuing education. It is catered for individuals who are older than standard high school or above the college-age. It is also seen as Training and Development for adults who want to improve their skills or knowledge in a particular area. It is different from a typical vocational education, and non-formal adult education.
What Can You Do with an Adult Education Degree?
A degree in Adult Education can help you land a job in various settings such as educational institutions, businesses, non-profit or government institutions, healthcare, and community settings, etc. Here are some of the jobs you can work in and the salary details of these careers were reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Postsecondary Teachers-Postsecondary Education Teachers
People with a doctoral degree in Adult Education can work as Postsecondary Education Teachers. Their duties include teaching courses in adult education, curriculum development, training and development, and so on. They are usually engaged in both teaching and research.
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $65,510 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | 11% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $74,560 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | New York | 6,210 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | Alaska | $106,280 |
Training and Development Specialists
If you possess a bachelor’s degree in Adult Education, you are eligible to be employed as Training and Development Specialists. Their job requires them to develop training and development programs after analyzing the training needs of their organization. They conduct such programs to improve individual and organizational performance.
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $61,210 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | 9% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $65,640 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | California | 29,600 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | District of Columbia | $80,570 |
Adult Literacy and High School Equivalency Diploma Teachers
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $54,350 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | -10% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $58,980 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | California | 8,670 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | California | $85,600 |
What to Expect from an Adult Education Degree?
While choosing a degree, you should always take a look at its curriculum to see if it fits with your career goals. The curriculum will also give you an insight into what expertise you will get with the degree and how would it fare in the real world. For example, the curriculum of Master of Education offered by Columbia University has courses like,
- Adult Development
- Adult Learning Theory and Applications
- Program Development and Evaluation
- Systems Learning
- Leadership
- Strategy and management, etc.
For details on the curriculum of a degree, please visit the official website of the desired university.
How to Choose an Adult Education Degree?
There are many things to consider while selecting a degree or university. For instance,
- Degree accreditation
- University ranking
- Curriculum’s relevance with future career
- Delivery mode (online/on-campus)
- Requirements of admission/graduation etc.
The requirements for graduation vary from one degree and institute to another. For instance, the Online Master of Arts in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education offered by the College of Education at Michigan State University requires its students to complete 30 credit hours to graduate.
Adult Education Degree Admission Requirements
The admission requirements usually vary for each degree and institution. For example, if you want to apply for the Online Master of Arts in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education offered by the College of Education at the Michigan State University, you will need to submit an online application with;
- Official transcripts from previous institutions
- Letters of recommendation
- Resume
- Personal Statement
For specific details on a degree, please see the official website of the selected university.