Online schools are no different from traditional schools in the fact that they want their teachers to have certain education credentials, normally a master’s degree, in their field of instruction. I only know of a few schools that allow teachers to have a bachelor’s degree and I have seen them steer away from those practices as they move toward the future. In the past, as long as you had a master’s degree, you could teach any subject. With my masters in criminal justice, I could teach math! That does not make any sense to me, because I know how bad I am at math! The good thing is that most, if not all, schools now require that you have a master’s degree or higher in your field of study. I am sorry to all of those up and coming math students that missed out on me teaching them the quadratic equation. Of course, it is more conducive to have someone who has studied in a relevant field teaching students.
Now you may be asking, “What is the difference in having a master’s or PhD?” The first thing is pay. Traditionally, teachers with PhDs get paid more. For example, I work for a school where I make $1,700 per class. However, if I had a PhD, I would make $1,900. Next, is that matter of full-time positions. When it comes to hiring “full-time” faculty members, schools normally turn to people with PhDs. When I say full time, I mean someone who is hired as faculty member, working a 40-hour week at a single school. A full-time faculty member will get first pick of the classes and does not normally run the risk of not getting work. I have seen a few rare occasions where full-time positions are offered to master level faculty members, but such opportunities only come after years of working as an adjunct performing at a high level. Finally, some schools only hire teachers that have their PhD. While this may close a few doors, do not let it discourage you. I can assure you, there are plenty of schools that allow you to teach with a master’s degree. I have made a comfortable living and I do not have my PhD. We will get into the difference between working full time with schools and just being a part-time adjunct in upcoming chapters.
Not only are you required to have a degree in your field, but many schools also want you to have professional experience. This makes total sense, as they want you to give your students that real-world experience. As we all know that what we learn in a book is often very different from what we do in the real world. Some schools require that you are currently active in your field, while others simply require that you remain current in your field and keep up with your professional development by partaking in specified number of hours of education during the year. This can be done by attending conferences and seminars in your field. What I want you to understand now is that you need the combination of education and professional experience to make yourself marketable to the schools.