While this answer used to be four years, this was when most students attended their classes on-campus. Now, students have some additional choices, including the online option. Depending on how an individual university has this structured, an undergraduate student who takes at least 15 credit hours each semester can earn their degree in close to four years. However, most students decide to take only the minimum 12 credit hours per semester. This makes their program run close to five or even six years. Depending upon how flexible the university is with courses being offered (and how long a term or semester runs), students can anticipate graduating in five years, on average.
An undergraduate degree in education costs $28,750 for one academic year (fall and spring). For an out-of-state student, the academic year costs can run up to $53,504, and for an international student, $59,312.
In another state where costs are higher, one academic year for an in-state student runs $55,320. This estimate is for 12 to 18 credit hours per semester.
Just over two years ago, 41% of undergraduate students graduated within the four-year time frame. The remainder either graduate five or six years after starting school; others leave school and don’t return.
One-quarter of students drop out after the four-year mark. Most students do so because of the lack of funds. For those students who take five or six years to graduate, bank accounts can run low, especially if the student attended a private institution.
Universities should be accredited institutionally by a regional accreditation commission. Accreditation informs students, parents and employers that the university’s faculty members are all of high quality, and that the material they teach is of equally high quality.
A school or college of education should be accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
(CAEP is the consolidation of TEAC and NCATE.) CAEP’s accreditation is highly regarded in this profession because of its high standards that all accredited schools are supposed to satisfy.
In areas where teacher shortages are the norm, you want to have solid proof that your teacher preparation program was accredited. If so, you will be highly sought-after. Your starting salary will range from $31,000 up to about $52,000, depending on the area where you are going to work.
If you’re not sure why accreditation is important, you need to remember that employers check for this piece of information. If the school’s accreditation status is unclear or even shaky, you may not receive the job offer you want; or salary offers may be significantly lower than you anticipated. When you are in school and considering a transfer to an accredited program in another college, that second program won’t accept transfer credits from your current university.
Ratings also matter. Students from colleges and universities that have received high rankings will receive higher wage offers. Ranking publications look at:
You can’t afford to take time to redraft your resume, write attention-grabbing cover letters, schedule job interviews, practice your interview skills, or parry salary offers. Not when you’re student-teaching and getting ready to graduate.
That is why most universities and colleges have offices where career and placement service professionals can help you with all of the above. If your resume needs to be updated or even totally rewritten, they will help you. If you need to brush up on your interview skills, they will assist you.
Some campuses even hold professional development workshops. These may include networking skills, resume writing, and interviewing skills.
In most cases, an associate degree in education can be completed in two years. However, there are cases where it might take longer. For example, for students who are going to school part-time, it could take an extra year or more. Most schools require that a two-year degree be completed within four years of starting the program. Although it is possible for it to take less than two years to complete a program, this doesn’t happen often, especially if there is an observation and student teaching requirement.
Although a traditional teaching job is generally not attainable with an associate degree in education, there are still job options available to those with a two-year degree. Some of them even allow workers to teach in a certain capacity.
Below are some of the jobs someone with an associate degree in education is qualified to hold:
Quite simply, an unaccredited education program or university means that you won’t be able to access federal financial aid (that FAFSA application) or receive higher salary offers. Depending on your state, you may not even have the option to take the necessary exams to receive a teaching license unless you attend an accredited program.
As you check various universities and colleges out, make sure that you dig deeply to verify whether the university or education program is accredited or not. Accreditation is a voluntary step. Not every program will be accredited.
This lack of accreditation means that you, your parents, financial aid organizations and employers wouldn’t be sure of the quality of your education. Without accreditation, they won’t know whether your professors were of the best quality.
A top-notch College of Education should have an accreditation from an education-based accrediting organization as well, or a state-approved teacher preparation program. In addition, if it has accreditations from other agencies, to cover special education, mental health, athletics, speech and hearing, school psychology, and a state education department, then you will know the program is definitely of the highest quality.
