Whether you teach young children, adolescents, or teens, a career in education is one with a lot of opportunity for growth. Whether you’re newly qualified as a teacher, have a little experience, or have been teaching for years, there are several education-based graduate degree options to choose from that can help you take your career to the next level. And with online study now widely available, improving your teaching resume by studying for a graduate qualification while working as a teacher has never been more accessible. Here are some potential career paths you could consider with an education graduate degree.

Head Teacher or Principal

If you are a natural leader and want to work your way to the top in your career, a graduate degree in education will provide you with a solid foundation for a career at the helm of a school. Many headteacher or principal roles will require you to have at least a master’s education alongside several years of experience in a teaching role. You can get started with a master’s in education or related subject from the Bank Street Graduate School of Education.

Head of Department

If you’re interested in managing other teachers, coordinating schedules, and being the first point of contact for any issues that arise within your department, a graduate degree in education can help you land the head of the department role. In this role, you’ll still be teaching but you’ll also take on further leadership and management responsibilities, making it an ideal option for anybody who is a natural leader and enjoys motivating others.

Educational Psychologist

The ultimate goal of an educational psychologist is to develop the capacity of individuals, groups, and institutions. If you have an interest in psychology and want to work in a role where you can help students develop their learning skills and achieve their goals, this could be an ideal option for you. To become an educational psychologist, you will typically need to have a background in either education or psychology – although this may not always be necessary. You will need to complete a master’s degree in educational psychology or similar.

School Counselor

If the best part of your job as a teacher is getting to know your students and providing them with guidance for the present and future situations that they find themselves in, you may want to consider studying at the graduate level to move into the role of a school counselor. School counselors are there to help students with every aspect of their lives whether they need help with considering applying to college or require support with difficult familial situations. School counselors need to be highly empathic and compassionate towards their students as they are often one of the first professionals to deal with a student who is having a crisis of any sort.

If you’re currently working in teaching and want to expand or progress your career, getting a graduate degree in the field of education has never been easier than it is today.