Iona College Offers Expedited Master’s in Adolescent Education

According to the American Federation of Teachers, student debt is currently running over $1.5 trillion for more than 45 million students. That, coupled with an anticipated teacher shortage during the next decade, has driven Iona College to come up with a unique solution. It has revamped its Master of Science in Teaching (MST) program so that students and working professionals can save valuable time and money.

“While carefully balancing our core curriculum with the evolving needs of students and demands of the marketplace, an Iona College student can complete an MST in Adolescent Education in less than two years,” said Richard A. McMahon, clinical senior lecturer and coordinator of Graduate Education Programs at Iona College.

Specifically, students now can complete a degree – and student teaching requirements – with 33 credits to 36 credits, down from 45, and save anywhere from $9,000 to $12,000 over the life of the program. Additionally, the College has created specialties for professionals transitioning in five teaching areas of secondary education: biology, social studies, Spanish, English and math.

“The demand for teachers in grades 7 through 12 is great and will only grow in the coming years,” said Professor McMahon. “Our MST in Adolescent Education provides people with the necessary skills and formal training to not only become gainfully employed, but to be leaders in their field.”

The U.S. Department of Labor projects about eight percent growth in the field and a need for nearly 80,000 new teachers through 2026. With an average salary of $88,460 in the New York metropolitan area (NY, NJ, and PA), Professor McMahon noted the return on investment was a good one. “Once their degree requirements and related student teaching are completed, graduates will find a relatively smooth path to the classroom.”

The move follows the College’s recent addition of an online MBA, which is also designed for convenience, flexibility and affordability to meet the needs of working professionals. With the revamped MST, Iona is shortening the time it takes for teachers to earn the necessary teaching certification. Iona’s MST program is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).

Interested students can learn more at www.iona.edu, or call 800-231-IONA.