How to Become a Doctor of Education and its Costs
Pursuing a career in education can be a worthwhile endeavor. However, you need not pursue a career as a teacher in order to make a difference. A career as a school administrator can make as much of a difference in children's lives by overseeing school budgets and its curriculum. Becoming a school administrator usually requires the completion of a doctor of education degree. Costs associated with pursuing doctoral degrees can vary greatly by institution and location.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Earn a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree in education is one path that can lead to a doctorate in education. While you do not have to have an undergraduate education degree to pursue an Ed.D, most school administrators begin their careers as teachers before moving on to an administrator's position.
-
2
Research graduate schools and costs. To enter an Ed.D program, you will a master's degree in education. A master's degree in education takes approximately one to two years to complete. While there are no hard numbers that provide an accurate estimate of the average cost of a master's degree, for most schools the tuition costs for graduate students will be close to those incurred by undergraduate students. A perusal of the graduate programs listed in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings reveals that the cost of a graduate school program at a public university or college can be around $10,000, while the cost of a private school education can be as high as $40,000 per year, as of the 2010-2011 academic school year.
-
-
3
Obtain experience working as an assistant administrator. Most principals and high level administrators also gain additional experience by working as an assistant principal or in some other administrative capacity before moving on to a principal position. Assistant principals and principals in public schools usually have a master's degree, whereas it is possible to work in this capacity with only a bachelor's degree in a private school.
-
4
Apply to several different doctoral programs. Applying to more than one school will help assure that you get into a program. Many school administrators continue working while going to school, so you may wish to apply to a program within commuting distance. There are many reputable schools that offer the Ed.D online. However, the state where you work may have certain requirements for school administrators that can only be met by schools in your state of residence. The cost of a doctoral program will fall into the same range for annual tuition costs as a master's degree. A doctoral degree can take anywhere from two to five years to complete.
-
5
Finish your final project or dissertation and graduate. Most doctoral programs in education require some type of dissertation or capstone project. Continuing to work as an assistant administrator while working on this project may give you the opportunity to conduct research that will affect your school.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
