Why Study and Work in Education?

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” said Nelson Mandela. Indeed, when it comes to having a hand in shaping the world, there may be no more powerful opportunity to do so than in the educational sector. If you’re thinking of pursuing a career in teaching, curriculum design, or an alternate education-related field, you may be wondering if you’re up for the challenging task at hand. Read on for a roundup of three compelling reasons to study and work in education, along with one program which can help you reach your goals.

1. Teachers inspire future generations -- and makes the world a better place in doing so

“Any genuine teaching will result, if successful, in someone’s knowing how to bring about a better condition of things than existed earlier,” said American philosopher and educator John Dewey. Indeed, it’s not for nothing that teaching is so often hailed as a “noble profession.” Whether you work directly with students in the classroom or in administration, you’ll have the opportunity to change lives.

Talk to any educator, and he’ll have a story to share about a breakthrough moment with a student. Take teacher John Troy, for example, who wrote of his experiences working at an afterschool program in New York City with a 12-year-old boy named Jose. Upon their meeting, Jose -- who showed tremendous aptitude and potential -- dreamed of being a taxi driver because that was all he knew.

That one encounter led Troy to realize the huge role the right opportunities could make in the lives of Jose and countless others. “When we effectively educate a child, not only does it profoundly impact that child’s life, but it impacts their future, their family, and their community at large. A great education will not eliminate the challenges stacked against those living in poverty, but it absolutely makes those challenges easier to address, overcome, and eventually, solve,” he concluded.

These same kinds of realizations take place in classrooms all over the world every day, with teachers uniquely qualified to bridge the gap between students and bigger dreams. When multiplied across millions of classrooms all over the world, teachers can and do have an impact of epic proportions -- even if they can’t always see first-hand the fruit of their labor.

Think of it this way: On the surface, John M. Keynes, Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, Desmond Tutu, Albert Schweitzer, Stephen Hawking, and Golda Meir may not seem like they have that much in common. In reality, they all share at least one thing: they had teachers who inspired them along the way to greatness.

2. Education is constantly evolving

When we think about thrilling careers, professions like international spy, war correspondent, professional athlete and adventure filmmaker may first come to mind. However, these jobs have nothing on education. Many people assume that year after year of seeing students come and go, teaching gets boring. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

For starters, kids say the darndest things -- so much so that there’s an entire American television show dedicated to capturing their musings. You never know what a student in your class will say or do, which makes it hard to be bored as a teacher.

And then there’s the fact that educational theory and practice is constantly evolving. Teachers are on the frontlines of implementing these changes in order to improve and enhance the educational experience. Project-based learning, collaborative learning, digital literacy, and app innovation and gamification are just a few of the emerging trends shaking up the 21st-century educational sector. And just as the classrooms and curricula of yesteryear look very different than the classrooms and curricula of today, so will the classrooms and curricula of yesterday be equally different. People working in the educational sphere are at the forefront of navigating the way to the future.

3. There are plenty of career opportunities within education

The career opportunities are almost endless for those who pursue a degree in education. Teachers comprise a large portion of the education sector. And there’s plenty of job security here: the world will always need teachers. However, if you’re not interested in being in the classroom or if you think you might someday want to switch from teaching to something else, there are many options for you in education.

To name but a few of the non-teaching alternatives in education there’s education administration, curriculum design, student counseling, recreation and student life, education policy and research, educational management, childcare, writing/publishing, and adult education and mentoring.

Help shape the world with a master of science in education

So, there are many compelling reasons to go into the field of teaching, but how can you position yourself to achieve your full potential? The University of Glasgow’s online Master of Science in Education offers ideal training for aspiring leaders in education looking to get ahead.

In addition to building on their professional experiences and deepening their understanding of education through core coursework including the analysis and discussion of leading research, relevant policies and current practices, the program allows participants to follow their unique interests by choosing between four specialized pathways: psychological and international perspectives in adult education; curriculum, assessment and pedagogy; inclusive and special education; and museum education.

When it comes to education, the University of Glasgow is world-renowned. Not only is it in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings for 2019, but it’s also the prestigious Russell Group’s highest-ranked university for teaching while its School of Education has also been ranked first in the UK by the Times Good University Guide.

“Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and important members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth,” wrote Australian doctor, author and citizen advocate Helen Caldicott. If you’re thinking of joining their ranks, or of working in the education sector in an alternate capacity, there’s no better way to amplify your impact than with the Master of Science in Education at the University of Glasgow.

Article written in association with the University of Glasgow.