I have a B.S. in Management and a M.Ed w/concentration in Instructional Technlogy. I have been an adjunct for the past three years and I love it. I also have 30 years experience in corporate America. I am currently teaching Microsoft Office and Keyboarding classes online.

My question is in order for me to teach another type of course, I need 18 credit hours in that discipline (i.e. English, History, etc.) I need some direction on the best way for me to get the 18 credit hours to teach that discipline without having to get another B.S. or Masters Degree.

Any suggestions?

dhargrove wrote:
I have a B.S. in Management and a M.Ed w/concentration in Instructional Technlogy. I have been an adjunct for the past three years and I love it. I also have 30 years experience in corporate America. I am currently teaching Microsoft Office and Keyboarding classes online.

My question is in order for me to teach another type of course, I need 18 credit hours in that discipline (i.e. English, History, etc.) I need some direction on the best way for me to get the 18 credit hours to teach that discipline without having to get another B.S. or Masters Degree.

Any suggestions?
-------

Hi D,

Almost every accredited online degree program will let you enroll only for selected courses rather than for the entire degree.

Some questions for you to help me guide your search:

1) What new area do you want to teach in -- that is what area do you seek 18 credits in?
(I ask because there are so MANY choices from science/weather forecasting to english lit!)

2) Where do you live and teach (what state)-- to help you find the best low cost options locally if possible

3) Do your new 18 credits need to be at the graduate or undergraduate level? You did not say if you teach adjunct at the k-12 or the college/adult level and knowing this would be helpful.


All the Best
Vicky Phillips
Founder - GetEducated.com

I live in Alabama. I am currently an online adjunct and teach at the college level. I was interested in perhaps pursuing the 18 credit hours in Gen Ed or Liberal Arts such as Composition, Into to Lit, History, Reading, etc. I do not want to spend a lot of time or money in school since I already have an AA, BS and M.Ed. However I would love to be able to teach in another discipline. I also wonder if it would be worth my time receiving a Graduate Certificate. Do you know if it would meet the requirements of the 18 graduate credit hours to teach a particular subject? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

dhargrove wrote:
I live in Alabama. I am currently an online adjunct and teach at the college level. I was interested in perhaps pursuing the 18 credit hours in Gen Ed or Liberal Arts such as Composition, Into to Lit, History, Reading, etc. I do not want to spend a lot of time or money in school since I already have an AA, BS and M.Ed. However I would love to be able to teach in another discipline. I also wonder if it would be worth my time receiving a Graduate Certificate. Do you know if it would meet the requirements of the 18 graduate credit hours to teach a particular subject? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Hello DHargrove,

Thanks for the clarifications. There appear to be 3 issues for you:
1) where can you get graduate level liberal arts credits;
2) where can you get these at lower cost or on a budget;
3) would a graduate certificate be a good idea?

I'll tell you what I can on all 3 issues and then leave it to others to step in as we do have a lot of online adjuncts hanging out at Get Educated as well as seasoned online students.

First. earning a graduate certificate might be a good idea if you can find one in an area that fits your 18 credit needs. A grad certificate consists usually of 3-7 courses so that would be 9-21 credits.

Get Educated profiles 341 Grad Online Certificate BUT most of these are in business or career areas and it sounds like you'd need one in a liberal arts area.

Once you do a search on all 341 certificates you can order them by COST by hitting th button at the top. You can also use the FILTERS on your left to NARROW the subject you want to study.

Here are some that might interest you:
California State Community College Teaching Certificate Online $1,500

Online Graduate Certificate Ancient History

Actually American Public University has several grad online certificates in History and they are on several of our best buy lists for low cost tuition rates overall.

I decided to go looking for more certificates or grad courses online for you in English Literature or Writing and so here are some ideas.

Since you are in Alabama I went to the southern regional education board online education website. They have a great gateway into online courses and degrees in the south. AND if you are in the south you can often get a low common market e-tuition for all southern states that offer elearning.

I want to the Southern Electronic Campus Online

I searched for online courses in Literature and here is what I got:

American Writers in Perspective
Morehead State University
ENG 624 301 G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Bibliography and Literary Research
Northwestern State University
ENGL 5800 01I G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Chaucer
Morehead State University
ENG 634 301 G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Contemporary Rhetoric
Northwestern State University
ENGL 5270 01I G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Folk and Fairy Tales
Northwestern State University
ENGL 5320 01I G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Forms of Poetry
Northwestern State University
ENGL 6210 01I G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Selected British Writers 1660-1780
Morehead State University
ENG 647 301 G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Studies in American Literature II
Northwestern State University
ENGL 5450 01I G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Studies in the 19th Century
Northwestern State University
ENGL 5300 01I G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E
Thesis
Northwestern State University
ENGL 5980 01I G/3 cred 8/22/2011 E


So, yes, there are graduate courses out there as well as certificates.
If you take individual courses you may have more choice but if you took a certificate that might look better as a credential on your resume.

Hope this is helpful.
Let us know what you decide and if you locate good programs other should know about also or that we can add to our directory for others.

All the Best
Vicky Phillips
Get Educated

dhargrove wrote:
I live in Alabama. I am currently an online adjunct and teach at the college level. I was interested in perhaps pursuing the 18 credit hours in Gen Ed or Liberal Arts such as Composition, Into to Lit, History, Reading, etc. I do not want to spend a lot of time or money in school since I already have an AA, BS and M.Ed. However I would love to be able to teach in another discipline. I also wonder if it would be worth my time receiving a Graduate Certificate. Do you know if it would meet the requirements of the 18 graduate credit hours to teach a particular subject? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Here's an additional tip.

Penn State WorldCampus Online
offers a great online graduate certificate in Children's Literature.

This program is *not* inexpensive but it is a great unique program from a school whose reputation in quality distance learning spans a century.

I'm a big fan of literature and this program is very unique as well as top drawer.
Sticker price is the same, though!

Just a thought about a favorite of mine if I were going to do a grad certificate in literature!

Vicky