Secondary Education Major for Military and Veterans

Secondary Education Degree Major

A Secondary Education Degree allows students to teach grades 6 through 12 or middle school through high school. According to Drury University, at the secondary level, “Teachers are able to impact the academic experience of multiple rotating groups of high school students. They work throughout the day and focus on a single subject or content area. Working as an educator at this level requires passion, patience and a desire to shape adolescent minds.”

Secondary teachers , Drury U says, help students achieve their classroom potential. "They also guide them on their futures after high school. Their career paths can also be more flexible, allowing them to work in administrative and counseling roles.”

All states require a teaching certificate or license endorsing them as a secondary school teacher. Requirements vary from state to state and from school system to school system—what a public school requires, a private school may not.

Using the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance for a Secondary Education Degree

Are you interested in pursuing a Secondary Education Degree? The GI Bill, a military education benefit for service members in the Air Force, Space Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, and Coast Guard, covers tuition and fees, provides a monthly housing allowance for qualifying applicants, and offers additional money for books and supplies.

Learn more about the GI Bill.

Using Spouse Tuition Assistance (STAP) and MyCAA for a Secondary Education Degree

Spouse Tuition Assistance

When seeking a Secondary Education Degree, military spouse tuition assistance programs help military spouses (and sometimes dependent children) pay for their education, whether in the U.S. or elsewhere in the world.

All military branches once offered programs following Spouse Tuition Assistance (STAP) guidelines or created something similar. Today, individuals and organizations use STAP interchangeably to describe various offerings by military relief organizations, but the programs can differ.

STAP now refers to the education benefits offered by military aid societies, many of which the U.S. military branches and the federal government do not run.  Instead, they are private, nonprofit organizations, and what they provide varies.

These organizations include:

• Army Emergency Relief
• Air Force Aid Society
• Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society
• Coast Guard Foundation

MyCAA

The workforce development program MyCAA, formally known as the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship, provides financial assistance of up to $4,000 ($2,000 over two years) to eligible military spouses pursuing or maintaining a Science Teacher Degree, certification, or license.

As long as an individual meets the requirements, MyCAA will pay for spouses pursuing any occupation or career.

Careers With a Secondary Education Major

Once students earn a secondary education degree and license or certification to teach, they can attain many roles. They can teach in a public school, private school and teach any of the following subjects:

• Math
• History/Social Studies
• Science
• Art
• Theater
• Psychology
• Economics
• English,
• Foreign languages
• Physical education

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average national annual salary for high school teachers is $65,220. Secondary education majors will need a Master’s Degree to move into other areas, including counseling, administration, and special education.

What To Expect From a Military-Friendly Secondary Education Degree Program

A Bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement to become a licensed teacher in the U.S. Students with this degree can teach general courses or specialize in subjects such as English, history, special education, or science.

They may also observe teachers as they work or assist them in an internship. Depending on the state’s licensing or certification program requirements, they may also engage in student teaching.

Select Yellow Ribbon Colleges with Secondary Education Degree Programs

• Arizona State University: Arizona State University offers a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and Teaching.
• Upper Iowa University: Upper Iowa University offers a Master’s Degree in Education/Teaching of Individuals in Secondary Special Education Programs.
•  Fort Hays State University: Fort Hays State University offers a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and Teaching.

Select Military-Friendly Colleges with Secondary Education Degree Programs

• Le Moyne College: Le Moyne College offers Master’s degrees in Education/Teaching of Individuals in Junior High/Middle School Special Education In-Person, and a certificate and Master’s Degree and Certificate in Secondary Education and Teaching.
• Canisius College: Canisius College offers a certificate, Bachelor’s, and Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and Teaching.
• Marist College: Marist College offers a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Secondary Education and Teaching.
• Tiffin University: Tiffin University offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching.

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