Bachelor of Arts in Education Sciences

WHY CHOOSE AN ONLINE EDUCATION SCIENCES DEGREE?

CAREERS IN EDUCATION HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON SOCIETY. MAKE YOUR MARK IN THE EDUCATION FIELD THROUGH AN ONLINE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN EDUCATION SCIENCES.

The Education Sciences major in the College of Education at the University of Florida is the only major of its kind in the state of Florida. Students will be exposed to diverse facets of the field of education in this program. This online degree in education sciences is not intended for students seeking teaching certification. Core courses delve into educational technology, education psychology, social foundations of education, and advocacy for access and inclusion of people with disabilities.

After completing core classes, students can choose a specialization or customize their own and participate in an internship/practicum/experiential learning experience tailored toward their relevant interests in education. This ensures that each student’s upper division coursework is aligned with individual career and educational goals.

Students majoring in Educations Sciences can choose from the following specializations:

• Early Childhood Studies -- Provides students an understanding of the transdisciplinary field of early childhood through exploring the intersections among early care and education, health/mental health, and family support systems. Emphasis is placed on practices and policies used within and across systems to support equitable outcomes and thriving children, birth to 5-years old, and their families.
• Education Technology -- Students will gain practical skills and knowledge around designing and developing multimedia projects, working with instructional design, and current trends in an emerging discipline.
• Educational Psychology and Research -- Students will study program evaluation, research methods, and cognition as they pertain to the education field.
• Disabilities in Society -- Students will pursue current thinking in advocating for access and inclusion for people with disabilities.
• Schools, Society and Policy -- Students will develop an understanding about education’s position within our society’s context, in other parts of the world, and how policy effects changes within those landscapes.
• General Studies -- Students also have an opportunity to build their own General Studies track. Rather than pursue 15 credits within any of the defined specializations, students can select their own 15 credits from the College of Education’s upper division courses and customize a course load that is relevant to their interests in the field of education.

Bachelor of Arts in Education Sciences graduates would be well-positioned for entering a career track in either a traditional or non-traditional educational setting, advancing within an existing career, or pursuing an advanced degree related to research, or their area of specialization.

The 2016 Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates favorable job prospects for specialists prepared by the Education Sciences degree. According to the handbook, a 7% increase is expected over the next 10 years in training and development fields related to Education Sciences. In addition, the field of educational technology is rapidly changing to include more employees with only a bachelor’s degree who are skilled in instructional design and in implementing and evaluating web-based learning environments.

Note: Students seeking a program that offers a teaching certification should not complete this program.