Adult Education

Adult Education Degrees

Adult learners are highly motivated individuals who go to school because they want to, and have clear personal or professional goals. Adult Education degrees prepare you to teach adults in the workplace, community colleges, human services programs, and in professional development venues. You’ll learn about instructional design, distance learning, mentoring, learning technologies, and assessment.

Adult Education degree programs are available at the associate, bachelor, and master’s degree levels. An associate’s degree in adult education will prepare graduates to primarily work in the vocational education industry. Students will study human behavior and adult psychology, and will learn how to use their own work experience to teach others the trade or profession that they specialize in. Associate’s degrees generally require 2 years of study.

A bachelor’s degree in adult education will prepare graduates to work as corporate trainers or to teach adults in a vocational or technical school setting. Bachelor’s degree programs require 4 years of study, and will include courses such as curriculum development, communication, and theories of adult education. Students will also study adult growth, development, and psychology.

A master’s degree in adult education will teach students how to plan and execute adult education programs. Students must have earned a bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling in a master’s degree program. Master’s degrees require 2 years of additional study and will include advanced courses relating to adult education.

Adult Education Job Opportunities

If you love to teach, have excellent communication skills, and enjoy working with diverse populations, a career in adult education could be just what you are looking for. There is a wide range of jobs in adult education. You could do anything from teaching a once-a-week carpentry program through your community’s adult education program, to designing and developing training programs for a big corporation.

The job outlook is favorable for graduates of an Adult Education degree program. As college enrollment increases and corporations emphasize the need for specialized training in the workplace, there will be higher demand for qualified adult educators across the country.

Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition; Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.