Top Skills You’ll Gain Through an MA in Education Online
Key Insights
- An online MA in Education develops practical, job-ready skills. Students gain curriculum design, teaching, assessment, and leadership skills they can use immediately in real learning environments.
- Arts-based teaching practices improve engagement and understanding. Creative approaches help educators make learning more meaningful, participatory, and relevant.
- Leadership skills gained through an MA in Education apply beyond the classroom. Graduates are prepared to lead programs, support teams, and advance educational initiatives in schools, museums, and community organizations.
A Master of Arts (MA) in Education is a graduate degree focused on strengthening teaching practices, curriculum development, and leadership skills across diverse learning environments.
Maine College of Art & Design’s online MA in Education is designed for educators and creative professionals who want to deepen their practice while maintaining flexibility. Rather than concentrating on theory alone, the program emphasizes skill development you can apply immediately in classrooms, cultural institutions, and community settings.
Below, we break down the core skills students gain through this online MA in Education and why each one matters for long-term professional growth.
Skills You’ll Gain Through an Online MA in Education
Curriculum design and instructional planning
Curriculum design is the foundation of effective teaching. In an MA in Education online program, students learn how to plan learning experiences that are intentional, adaptable, and aligned with real-world goals.
You’ll build skills in:
- Designing curricula that connect objectives, activities, and assessment
- Sequencing instruction to support understanding over time
- Adapting required courses or frameworks to fit your learners and setting
- Translating big ideas into teachable, engaging learning experiences
These curriculum development skills support educators working in formal education, museums, nonprofits, and community programs alike.
Arts-based teaching practices
Arts-based teaching practices help learners explore ideas through making, reflection, and dialogue. In an MA in Education, creative practice is treated as a teaching strategy, not an add-on.
Students strengthen skills related to:
- Integrating contemporary art into teaching and learning
- Using visual, performative, and creative processes to deepen understanding
- Encouraging critical thinking through critique and interpretation
- Connecting learning to lived experience and social context
These teaching practices are especially valuable in learning environments that prioritize engagement, meaning, and participation.
Inclusive learning environment design
Inclusive learning environments are intentionally structured to support learners with varied abilities, identities, and backgrounds. This skill goes beyond accommodations and focuses on proactive design.
You’ll learn how to:
- Create student-centered learning environments grounded in equity and access
- Adapt instruction for diverse learning needs
- Design flexible pathways for participation and expression
- Foster belonging and psychological safety in group settings
These skills prepare graduates to teach and lead in classrooms, museums, and community education spaces.
Social-emotional learning integration
Social-emotional learning (SEL) supports how learners manage emotions, build relationships, and engage with others. In an education degree rooted in the arts, SEL becomes part of daily practice.
Students develop the ability to:
- Embed emotional intelligence into curriculum and instruction
- Use creative processes to support reflection and empathy
- Design learning experiences that encourage resilience and self-awareness
- Model emotionally responsive teaching practices
This skill is especially relevant for educators working with youth, adults, and community-based learners.
Education leadership and advocacy
Leadership skills are essential for educators who want to influence programs, teams, or institutions. An MA in Education helps students step into leadership roles with clarity and confidence.
Key leadership skills include:
- Communicating vision and purpose effectively
- Advocating for arts education and inclusive practices
- Guiding collaborative projects and initiatives
- Navigating organizational structures and change
These educational leadership skills apply across schools, cultural organizations, and nonprofit settings.
Research-informed reflective practice
Reflective practice is the ability to examine your work, ask questions, and improve through evidence and inquiry. In an MA in Education program, research becomes a tool for growth rather than an academic exercise.
Students gain skills in:
- Framing questions rooted in their own teaching or professional context
- Using arts-based and qualitative inquiry methods
- Analyzing practice to inform decision-making
- Connecting reflection to future curriculum and program design
This skill supports continuous improvement throughout an educator’s career.
Assessment and feedback strategies
Effective assessment focuses on learning, not just measurement. Through an MA in Education, students learn to evaluate progress in ways that are meaningful and supportive.
You’ll build skills related to:
- Designing assessments aligned with learning goals
- Using formative feedback to guide instruction
- Encouraging self-assessment and reflection
- Evaluating creative and process-based learning
These strategies are especially useful in arts education and interdisciplinary settings.
Community-based program development
Many graduates of an MA in Education work beyond traditional classrooms. Community-based program development skills support education that responds to real needs.
Students learn how to:
- Design programs rooted in community context
- Collaborate with partners across sectors
- Plan and implement arts-based initiatives
- Evaluate outcomes and impact
These skills prepare graduates for work in museums, nonprofits, and civic organizations.
Professional communication and facilitation
Clear communication is central to teaching and leadership. In an online MA in Education, students strengthen their ability to write, present, and facilitate in digital and in-person spaces.
You’ll develop skills in:
- Professional reading and writing for education contexts
- Leading discussions and critiques
- Facilitating learning in online environments
- Communicating ideas with clarity and purpose
These skills support collaboration, leadership, and career advancement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What skills does an online MA in Education focus on most?
An online MA in Education focuses on curriculum design, teaching practices, inclusive learning environments, leadership skills, and reflective practice. These skills are developed through applied coursework and are intended to be used immediately across a range of education and community settings.
Is an online MA in Education only for classroom teachers?
No, an MA in Education online is not limited to classroom teachers. The degree supports educators, teaching artists, museum professionals, nonprofit staff, and creative professionals working in education-adjacent roles.
How do skills from an MAEd apply outside of schools?
Skills gained in an MAEd apply to museums, nonprofits, community organizations, and cultural institutions. Curriculum development, facilitation, leadership, and program design transfer directly to these learning environments.
Does this MA in Education online lead to certification?
No, this MA in Education online does not lead to teacher certification. The program is designed to strengthen professional practice, leadership, and curriculum development rather than fulfill licensure requirements.
Earn Your MA in Education Online
Looking to expand your teaching practice and strengthen your leadership skills, while earning a degree on your terms?
Maine College of Art & Design’s MA in Education offers a focused, flexible path forward. Designed for working educators and creative professionals, the program blends curriculum development, arts-based teaching, and community engagement into one cohesive education program. You can complete the 30-credit degree fully online, on a schedule that fits your professional and personal commitments.
Learn how our MA in Education can support your next career move today.
