What can I do with a Doctoral Degree in Education? (doctorate, degrees) - Colleges and Universities -Higher education - City-Data Forum

dmarie123 · 01-09-2009, 08:22 AM

Getting ready to start my Masters. Since I'm in the Military I won't need to be moving into the "work force" for 12 more years. I'm considering just tacking on some more work and going all the way for the PhD.
However, what can I do with that degree?

Zig'sbird · 01-09-2009, 11:21 AM

teach in a university or be a school administrator

charz · 01-10-2009, 07:00 PM

Teach in a university but most of them probably require some teaching experience (at least three years at the places I checked). That's what I discovered when I looked into it a few years ago. Most school administrators also have teaching experience, but I don't know if that is a requirement.

truckzter · 01-11-2009, 01:17 AM

My friend is getting an EDD in California, and he can be a principal or admin (like school Superintendent). The downside, according to a local HS principal, is that his EDD will be worthless unless he has a teaching credential (which he doesn't) as EDDs primarily work in primary and secondary education. However, he does have his English MA with teaching experience, so he could go the Admin route.

SunInHair · 01-11-2009, 03:29 PM

Teach/do research. Which area of education? Counselor Ed/School Psych. you can do counseling, too. Are planning to stay in Education for certain after the Master's? Since you're in the military, what about a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology?

North Beach Person · 01-11-2009, 03:42 PM

Do you teach now in the military? If not, why are you getting a Dr. in education?

dmarie123 · 01-12-2009, 07:03 AM

Thanks everyone. I do teach in the military. I've been teaching 40 hours a week for the last three years. What I teach is acredited through the southern association of colleges, and provides my students with transferable college credit.

I'm not sure if I'm going to get my Doctorate or not, I'm just trying to see if it would be smart.

I've only been in the military for 9 years, and I plan on retiring.

I'll have a Masters by 2011... so I'm not quite there yet, just trying to make a long term plan.

I figured I might as well get a doctorates. Education is free for me, so why not?

I would eventually like to teach at the college level. I want to teach sciences. I figured if I get my Doctorate in Education I can go back and get a Masters in one of the sciences afterwards.

I have a BS in managment... general. Very General. I used to be a lab tech, and will stop teaching and return to the lab in two years. I thought about just getting the Master in education and then going back and getting a BS in laboratry technology followed by a Master's in Biology or Chemistry or something like that.

But then I thought it seems like less work to just get a doctorate in Education instead of going back and going through all those science classes.

I just don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

TabulaRasa · 01-12-2009, 07:05 AM

Classroom experience is going to be a big piece of the puzzle for any of the positions that a doctorate in education opens up.

swampwolf · 01-12-2009, 01:18 PM

Except for being what SC calls "education associates" at its state dept of education. 20% of these are being laid off by the way. I would check and see if that is a trend.

If you want to teach a natural science in a university degrees in education generally are irrelevant. You would need a doctoral degree in whatever field you wish to teach. The exception might be in very small community colleges, which might actually be a lot more pleasant. But check the market for such positions.