Considering an adult education Master's degree program? Want to comment on this list of the "best 30" ?

Interesting list, David.

I notice when you go to their website, their default position is that non-profit colleges are better. Whatever we may think about that premise, it does automatically exclude a large number of institutions. But let's agree as a starting point that most of us in Adult Education aren't pulling down 6 or 7 figure salaries, so affordability is a factor.

I was surprised not to see Colorado State University, where I recently completed my AE master's, on this list. I chose it because after extensive research, it met all of my criteria.  It's affordable, 100% online (with some synchronous and experiential based opportunities that one can take advantage of), rigorous, focused on the field of adult education, did not require entrance exams (e.g., GREs), and was flexible in terms of scheduling.

One step in my decision-making process was to call the colleges and speak with a representative from the department. I was impressed by CSU's responsiveness and flexibility (characteristics that I continued to find throughout my journey). All these factors influenced my decision to attend, and once enrolled, I was especially impressed by my professors' willingness to adapt assignments and coursework to my current work so that the learning was immediately relevant and applicable (sound familiar?). 

Upon further research, I did find CSU on Intelligent's list of most affordable master's programs (#41), but they show a credit cost of $835 and a required 37.5 credits to graduate. However, an online Master's in Human Resources, Adult Education in Training, costs $635 per credit with just 30 credits to graduate. (one deciding factor for me was that they do not charge out-of-state tuition for online students.)

Having this list is a helpful starting point, but nowhere could I find the full list of all the institutions they surveyed or how they selected them. So, my suggestion is that folks decide first and foremost what's most important to them, and then do their own research to narrow the field. An online master's is not for the faint of heart but it is worth the effort. In order to persist, it was critical that my choice met my criteria and provided what I needed. To figure it out takes time, effort, and thoughtfulness. If only it were as easy as relying on a list.

Luanne

David:

Thank you for posting this list, but I see that Rutgers University's  100% online EdM in Adult and Continuing Education was left off.  Our program is relatively new (it began in 2015), so it may not have made the list due to limited data.  Our 30 credit degree program has 7 required courses and 3 electives which can be taken in any of our 4 areas of specialization:  adult ESL and literacy education, higher education teaching, educational technology, and human resources development.

Our students love our program for (at least) three reasons:  practical relevant content that they can apply to their practice immediately, deeply engaged and responsive faculty who come from the field and are informed by the every day challenges and rewards of being adult educators, and our use of technology to support interactive learning.  Although our students never meet face-to-face, course activities are arranged so that students truly get to know each other, learn from each other, and support each other.

The program can be completed in as few as 5 continuous semesters (including summer) and admits students every semester.  Here is a link to the program:  https://gse.rutgers.edu/content/adult-and-continuing-education I hope you'll check it out!

Thanks for posting this David!  Lists of this type are always interesting food for thought and some excellent adult education programs are represented here.  

I'm wondering if it is truly possible to create an unbiased list and what the "best" really means.  In the past, lists of this type have been attacked.  The US News and World Report list of best colleges is always criticized: "To some, the entire idea of rankings is flaw­ed. Critics claim that rankings are an oversimplification of a school's worth -- they give the impression that only a select group of schools matter. "  (How College Rankings Work, Silverman).  What criteria are used and what weight is given to each criteria matter hugely.   

Luanne Teller's post provides an excellent framework for potential ways to evaluate programs.  When I was selecting a program to pursue my Ed.S., I used similar criteria with the main one being affordability and convenient location. With the proliferation of online programs, it is even easier to find convenient choices.  I would look for a program that understands adult basic education well and the unique challenges we face in our field.  

Thanks for providing this list, David!