Penn State’s master of education (M.Ed.) degree program in adult education is intended for professionals who work with adults in a variety of fields, including distance education, continuing professional education, adult and family literacy, corporate training, and education technology.
The curriculum for this 33-credit program allows students from different backgrounds and experiences to come together and enhance their understanding of the unique needs of today’s adult learners and how adult students learn best. As a result, you can gain the tools to make an immediate positive impact on your professional career.
Choose the program that is right for you
Penn State offers an online M.Ed. degree program in adult education and a graduate certificate program in distance education. Choose the one that’s best for you and make your interest in adult education the focus of your professional development plan.
- The M.Ed. in adult education can provide students with well-rounded, practical instruction in adult education. Students can gain skills in course design, research, evaluation, technology, and many more relevant topics, and choose electives tailored to their preferred field of study in adult literacy, distance education, and education technology.
- The graduate-level online certificate in distance education addresses the constantly evolving field of distance education. All 18 credits earned in this certificate can be applied toward the M.Ed. degree program in adult education, upon a student’s admission to the master’s program.
Recognized, Accredited, and Approved
Penn State's College of Education is regularly ranked among the nation's best graduate schools by U.S. News & World Report, and the online master's program in adult education is taught by the same nationally recognized faculty.
Penn State is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). In addition, the M.Ed. in adult education carries the Pennsylvania State Education Association's (PSEA) Seal of Recognition, the highest level of endorsement that the association awards to graduate and professional development programs.
Penn State is an Act 48-approved provider for Pennsylvania educators, so the courses for the master's degree in adult education count toward professional development hours.
Learn alongside Other Adult Educators
You'll interact with dedicated, goal-oriented peers, in an atmosphere of high expectations and great cooperation. As you communicate daily with other adult education professionals, you'll gain insights that you can apply to your job immediately.
Michael Archer