Georgia Southern University has been ranked No. 14 on the “30 Best Online Master’s in K-12 Education” list by TheBestSchools.org. The organization specifically review programs in elementary, middle and secondary grades for this ranking.

“Our M.Ed. programs in elementary, middle and secondary grades provide advancement to classroom teachers and are offered fully online to ease the hardship of working while pursuing a graduate degree,” said Tracy Linderholm, Ph.D., professor and associate dean of graduate education and research for the College of Education. “M.Ed. programs are a crucial stepping stone to teachers in the classroom to enrich their practical theory and knowledge in preparing challenging and diversified learning opportunities to their students.”

According to TheBestSchools.org, national rankings are determined based on six informational categories: academic excellence, strength of faculty scholarship, reputation, financial aid, range of degree programs and strength of online instruction methodology.

The three master’s programs reviewed for this ranking, M.Ed. in Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education and Secondary Education, all require 36 credit hours completed fully online in 18 to 24 months.

Master of Education programs offer certificate upgrades to teachers who currently hold a level four Georgia certificate or equivalent. Georgia Southern M.Ed. programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) and meet the GaPSC’s certificate upgrade requirements.

“Our M.Ed. programs provide students and teachers with opportunities to critically examine their classroom practice, deepen their knowledge of research-based instructional strategies and develop leadership skills essential to school renewal,” said Michelle Reidel, Ph.D., program director of the M.Ed. middle grades and secondary education programs.