M.A. in Education or Teaching?

M.A. in Education or Teaching?

Become a Leader in Education with WJU

You are passionate about education and motivated to make a measurable difference in your world. At Jessup, we believe Educators are Leaders. We offer Master’s Degree programs in both Education and Teaching because we believe that individuals like you have the power to exhibit transformational leadership. Join us at one of our beautiful Northern California campuses to learn how you can become a leader in education, and affect real change in your community.
The demand for educational leaders is growing regionally, nationally and globally, and Jessup is dedicated to keeping up with that demand, creating programs that equip generations to answer that call. Jessup offers a Master’s in Education and a Master’s in Teaching, both catering to individuals who are highly motivated, passionate about education, and motivated to become leaders in the field of academia.

The Master’s of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) program is offered year-round as a 20-month program with accessible classes that meet only one night a week. At Jessup, the M.A.Ed. program aims to create self-motivated leaders who can communicate effectively, work collaboratively, and affect change within the broadest context of a transformative higher education community. The objective of the program is to produce graduates who know how to effectively lead change in their chosen field and understand how to conduct and connect educational research to practice.


Learning outcomes include the ability to:

• Make information comprehensible to others

• Assess learning

• Engage and support others in the learning process

• Plan and design learning experiences

• Create and maintain effective learning environments

• Serve as a scholar-practitioner

• Serve as a leader educator with character

The M.A.Ed. program at Jessup can be completed in as few as 20 months! Classes are offered year-round, and take place one night a week. The total required 32 units can be completed in as few as 5 semesters. Jessup’s professional and experienced faculty are invested in students’ success, challenging and supporting students each step of the way. Courses focus on the foundations of education, academically, culturally, and psychologically; the development of curriculum; instructional leadership; and being a leader-educator in the global community. Research methods, data analysis and statistics are also covered. The program culminates in the Thesis course, an opportunity for students to bring together everything they have learned in the course of the program.

The M.A.Ed. program cultivates individuals to be leaders in education, serving in academic institutions such as schools and universities, but also in the organizations, associations, foundations, corporations, and government agencies that constitute the broader education landscape. Some graduates of the M.A.Ed. continue into Doctoral programs, while others enter into careers in Educational Administration, Curriculum and Education Policy Development, Corporate Training and Consulting, Career Counseling, and Research and Development. Many graduates of Jessup’s M.A.Ed. program continue on into leadership roles in elementary, middle, high school, and post-secondary education.

If you aspire to become a leader in education, but desire to work directly with others as an instructor, a Master’s of Arts in Teaching could be the right fit for you. At Jessup, the M.A.T. program develops educational leaders who teach with excellence, reach with compassion, and learn for lifelong impact. The M.A.T. program at Jessup can be completed in as few as 20 months, and students can become credentialed teachers in as few as 16 months! Students who complete the first 34 units of the M.A.T. program will earn a multiple-subject or single-subject (English or Math) teaching credential, meeting the criteria of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Students who earn their teaching credentials at Jessup go on to successful, rewarding careers as elementary, middle and high school teachers in both public and private schools.

For students who want to pursue the Master’s of Arts degree in Teaching, the 42 units needed for this prestigious degree can be completed in an additional 4 months. Built around a cohort model, intended to create a close, collaborative community, all courses are taught by scholar-practitioners who possess both academic and practical experience. The knowledgeable and dedicated faculty and staff are committed to student’s success and will partner with you from your initial questions to program completion and beyond. The M.A.T. program includes purposeful coursework, fieldwork, and character development that culminates in a thesis at the end of the program. The M.A.T. is designed to produce effective teachers who understand how to utilize research and are able to reflect on the preparation and instruction given with the goal of improving student learning.


Learning outcomes include the ability to:

• Make subject matter comprehensible to students.

• Assess student learning.

• Engage and support student learning.

• Plan instruction and design learning experiences for students.

• Create and maintain effective environments for student learning.

• Develop as a scholar-practitioner.

With a Master’s of Arts in Teaching degree, the opportunities are limitless. Graduates will have their California Teaching Credential to immediately begin instruction in public and private schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Other career options include working as a Corporate Trainer or entering into Professional Development. With a M.A.T. you can explore the world and teach abroad! For those students who want to further their education, you are thoroughly prepared to enter into a doctoral program.


Whether you are more interested in becoming an administrator or a teacher, the world of education is yours to transform. At Jessup, students become leaders in their chosen fields. The world is waiting for leaders like you! Visit www.jessup.edu, call (855) WJU-GRAD, or email gradadmissions@jessup.edu to find out how you can earn your Master’s Degree and begin a career as a Leader in Education.