What to Expect

Since many education administration students are teachers before they enter the program, they're usually pretty sure that this is the field for them.

Vicki Edwards took a master's degree in education administration at Michigan State University. She came to administration through teaching. "I left education after about four years of being frustrated with the lack of jobs in the area," she says.

In the meantime, one of Edwards' children was having attendance and other problems at school. "As a result, I was spending too much time in school and my passion for high-risk issues and education bit me again."

After working on many volunteer projects, substituting for teachers in every subject from science to choir, Edwards decided it was time to head back to school herself.

"I had a passion for blending the expertise that exists all around us, to connect the classroom with administrative and policy issues," she says.

Edwards found her courses exciting and informative. "I have learned more about the value of inquiry and reflection in [this program] than I did in a lifetime," she says.

Completing a master's degree takes many hours of homework and a lot of determination. "I'm sure that I put more time in than the average student, but I invested 20 to 25 hours per week," she says.