Learn to Teach Adults in TROY's Adult Education Programs
Teaching adult learners is a fulfilling experience, whether it's in a college classroom
or a workplace training program. Adult learners have a wealth of knowledge, experience
and insights to share with others, which creates an engaging learning environment
for both students and educators. If you want to help adults achieve their academic
and professional goals, TROY's adult education programs can help you focus your career
in that direction.
“Troy University's Adult Education Program benefits anyone who intends to work with
the adult population, whether in an educational setting, human resource environment,
or even general training contexts. This program helped me understand different aspects
of what makes adult learners unique and how to tailor my teaching strategy and leadership
style to ensure adults can meet their potential. The program changed my perspectives
towards adult learners in ways I did not expect, but it will significantly assist
me in a career where I work with adult learners daily. I would highly recommend this
program!”
Tori Spry | M.S. Adult Education, Instructional Technology
Adult Education Degrees That Fit Your Goals
Earn a versatile graduate degree that allows you to work with adult learners in higher
education, the workforce and beyond. With two tracks and thesis and non-thesis options,
our master's in adult education programs allow you to tailor your education to your
career goals and interests. Choose the Curriculum Design and Instructional Technologies
track if you want to work closely with adult learners in instructional roles, design
educational materials, manage educational technologies or work in colleges and universities.
Or, choose the Leadership in Workforce Development track to teach adults in workplace
settings to develop leadership skills, understand organizational behavior and more.
Earn Your Master's in Adult Education Online in as Little as a Year
Learn adult education theory and practices in a flexible format designed for working
professionals. Our adult education programs can be completed from anywhere and according
to the schedule that works for you. Offered in 9-week sessions over five academic
terms, the adult education master's programs position you to complete your degree
in a year, if desired. You may also pause coursework and resume the following term
if you need time away for family, work or other commitments.
While specific courses may vary from year to year and depending on your chosen
concentration, coursework for the master's degree in adult education includes:
Get the flexibility you need by earning your master's in adult education online. For
more information about program availability and delivery options, call 1-800-414-5756.
If you already hold a master's degree in adult education or a related field, you
can pursue a post-master's certificate in a specialization that fits your interests.
Whether you want to use innovative technologies to teach adult learners, design and
evaluate adult learning programs or learn how to work with organizations, TROY offers
several ways to help you reach your goals.
Certificates in adult education can include coursework in curriculum and instruction,
leadership, organizational development, instructional technology and workforce development.
Like our master's in adult education students, you'll have access to dedicated faculty,
project-based learning experiences and courses designed for working professionals.
Adult Education Careers
TROY's adult education programs qualify you for fulfilling careers in higher education,
curriculum design, corporate settings and many others. Our graduates have gone on
to work in higher education, nonprofit organizations, military environments, healthcare
organizations, corporate consulting and many others.
Faculty Profiles
Dr. Joe Reynolds
Dr. Joe Reynolds is the Program Coordinator for Adult Education and has expertise
in professional military instruction, curriculum design and workforce development.
He earned his Ed.S. from TROY and his Ed.D. from Auburn University.
Choose from two master's degree programs and four post-master's certificates in adult
education to broaden your career options.
M.S. in Adult Education: Curriculum Design and Instructional Technology
Develop your ability to design, implement and evaluate adult education programs for
a wide range of learning environments. You'll learn instructional design processes,
teaching strategies, and evaluation methods that prepare you to work in community,
post-secondary, workplace or government settings. Coursework includes instructional
technologies, eLearning design and development, strategies for teaching adults, educational
evaluation and more.
M.S. in Adult Education: Leadership in Workforce Development
Become a globally minded leader who can apply knowledge from real-world situations
to adult learning environments. This concentration is designed for professionals who
want to develop leadership competencies that can be applied in a variety of settings
and situations, including private, nonprofit, public, military and healthcare industries.
In this concentration, you'll study workforce management, organizational development,
training, workforce development, personnel planning and organizational change.
Adult Education Certificate: Curriculum and Instructional Design
This certificate in adult education focuses on the unique aspects of adult learning
and how they impact curriculum and instructional design for adult learners. Once you've
earned your certificate, you'll also be able to identify methods of evaluating adult
education programs. Coursework includes adult learning and development, curriculum
development and instructional design.
This certificate focuses on the distinctive aspects of adult education, including
development, learning theory and historical foundations. You'll also learn to use
state-of-the-art technologies and innovative strategies in adult education curricula.
Once you've completed this certificate program, you'll know how to develop curricula
to create effective, efficient, and engaging instruction in any content area and with
any medium, including live instruction.
This certificate in adult education teaches you how to develop and implement an organizational
vision and short, long, emergency and strategic plans. With this certificate, you'll
gain an understanding of how organizations function and be able to use this knowledge
with a wide variety of stakeholders. You'll also come away with innovative ideas to
support organizational change and progress.
Adult Education Certificate: Workforce Development
Gain an understanding of workforce development policies and systems in the United
States and develop your skills in the design, management and evaluation of adult education
programs. Upon receiving this certificate, you'll understand business models and concepts,
along with the needs, characteristics and learning styles of the U.S. labor force.
You'll also be able to collect, analyze and interpret labor market data and trends.
If you served in the United States military and want to pursue an adult education
master's degree, you may qualify for TROY's Military and Family scholarship. Designed
to make college more affordable for military students and their families, the scholarship
reduces tuition to $250 per credit hour. We are excited to honor our U.S. military
personnel for their service.
Learn more about the field of adult education and our program options.
What is adult education?
Adult education involves teaching adult learners so they can build skills, knowledge
and experience for personal or professional growth. It can refer to training programs,
college degree programs, literacy programs or continuing education.
What can you do with a master's in adult education?
A master's in adult education allows you to work in higher education, corporate settings,
the nonprofit sector and numerous other contexts. Adult educators can work in colleges
and universities, government agencies, community organizations, private businesses
and the military. Specific job titles include college instructor, military instructor,
literacy instructor, instructional designer, product training manager and workforce
development specialist.
Not all learning takes place in a classroom. Practical experience learned in
the workplace can be just as valuable as more traditional educational qualifications.
As the workforce ages, skilled workers must pass their knowledge and experience on
to the next generation to ensure business continuity. This creates opportunities for
people with practical skills to fill a range of jobs in education. However, knowing
how to do a specific task is very different from being able to teach someone else
how to do it.
