Master Degree: Education Degree and Programs

If any job can be called recession-proof, it's education. The teaching profession as a whole has remained steady with respect to employment for many years now, particularly for candidates with a master's degree in education. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, and secondary school teachers, except special education teachers, held about 4 million jobs in 2006. Employment is projected to increase by 12 percent through 2016; that's about as fast as the national average for all occupations.

Candidates with advanced college degrees should have the edge in hiring. Typical coursework for a master's degree in education includes higher education in the United States, curricula in higher education, research design, and qualitative methods. Popular career tracks for graduates with a master's degree in education include K-12 teacher, special education instructor, department head, administrator, and graduation counselor.