The education industry employs approximately 13.5 million workers and is expected to increase by 12.5 percent over the next eight years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Students who are interested in becoming teachers could consider obtaining a bachelor's degree. In fact, some schools are increasing their offerings to add programs that are designed for specific subjects in this field.
For instance, Dixie State College recently (DSC) announced that it will provide several new degrees in education, according to the Dixie Sun. Students who wish to enroll in one of these programs will be able to choose from concentrations in math, music and physical science composite teaching.
These types of degrees may help future educators receive the training they will need to land a job. According to the BLS, professionals who teach at the secondary level in public schools are usually required to complete a bachelor's before passing a licensure exam.
Each of the degrees will allow graduates to become educators at the high school level. Louise Excell, accreditation liaison for DSC, told the newspaper that the college develops new programs based on the future employment needs of companies and industries in the area. In that vein, the new offerings are intended to help fill a demand for workers in the education sector as well as meet students' needs.
Those who wish to obtain the physical science composite teaching degree will study various topics, including geology, astronomy, biology, mathematics and physics. Meanwhile, the music education program was added in conjunction with DSC's bachelor's of music that was implemented into the course offerings last year, school officials told the news provider.
Potential teachers may also choose to enroll in the bachelor's in mathematics education program. Scott Mortensen, chair of the department of mathematics, told the newspaper that while many individuals may not like this subject, "there are students who do enjoy math." He added that "this just gives them another opportunity" to become educators.
Students who graduate with similar degrees will discover that there are expected to be many available jobs at this level of teaching. According to the BLS, there are currently 1.1 million positions held by high school educators, and that number will increase by nearly 9 percent over the next decade.
Graduates may also find that they have the potential to earn a decent salary. The BLS reports that the highest paid secondary school teachers make more than $80,000 per year.
