Is an education major right for you? What to consider

Published: Sept. 8, 2026

$A female teacher wearing a black shirt and glasses teaches a mathematics lesson about fractions to a group of elementary school students in a classroom at Northwest Missouri State University. She is smiling while pointing to a whiteboard that displays fraction problems and definitions, with another whiteboard visible on the left showing the word "Fractions" at Northwest Missouri State University.$

Maybe you’re a natural at guiding others, slowing down when someone doesn't understand something and trying a different explanation, feeling a sense of meaning when it finally clicks. Maybe you’re inspired by a teacher who helped you overcome an academic or personal challenge. Or perhaps you’ve worked with others as a tutor or volunteer, and you enjoy that work.

If that sounds like you, an education major is worth exploring. In this blog, we’ll share what an education degree entails, common characteristics of education majors and careers after graduation. With a 120-year history rooted in teacher education, Northwest Missouri State University is well equipped to help you navigate your options and find the education major (or other academic program) that fits your interests and career goals. Here’s what you need to know to decide whether education is right for you.

A male instructor in a blue polo shirt and a female student wearing glasses work together at a wooden desk, looking at documents and an open textbook while seated in front of Apple computer monitors in a classroom or lab setting at Northwest Missouri State University

But First, What Is an Education Major?

Broadly speaking, an education major is a college-level program that prepares you to teach in a school setting, work with specific student populations or specialize in a subject area at a particular grade level. Depending on the program you choose, you might focus on early childhood development, middle school instruction, special education or a specific subject like agricultural education, history or Spanish.

At Northwest, each of the education programs leads to a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.). With this credential, you’ll be prepared to apply for teacher licensure in Missouri and enter the classroom after graduation. You can also go on to pursue master’s programs in education for more specialized knowledge, to pursue educational leadership positions, to conduct research or to prepare to teach in university settings.

In a typical education program, you’ll study:

Human development
Communication
History
Psychology
Content in your focus area (such as agricultural science, social studies, Spanish or speech and theatre)

You’ll also learn how to:

Plan lessons
Design curricula
Manage a classroom
Assess student learning
Collaborate with families and colleagues

In education programs like Northwest’s, you’ll develop skills and expertise through a combination of classroom learning and field experiences. Each education program and state has different requirements for student teaching experience, but at Northwest, profession-based learning is baked in from day one, offering opportunities to gain experience in our on-campus lab school, for example.

Common Traits and Interests Among Education Majors

Education majors include people with a variety of interests and backgrounds – there’s no single profile of someone who belongs in education. But students who find the education major rewarding tend to share some common interests and traits.

You might enjoy a career as a teacher if you:

Genuinely enjoy working with kids or teenagers. Not every person who considers teaching has spent a lot of time around younger people, but those who do well in the classroom tend to find that work energizing rather than draining. If you've tutored someone, worked with a youth group or spent time around kids in any capacity and found it rewarding, an education major might be right for you.
Can explain things in more than one way. Teaching the same concept to several different students means finding multiple ways to make it understandable. If you naturally adjust how you explain something or look for an analogy when someone looks confused, that tendency will serve you well as a teacher.
Want a career that involves working with people. Unlike careers where you spend most of your time behind a screen or working independently, teaching puts you in direct contact with people all day, every day. A typical day for a teacher might involve managing a classroom, helping individual students, communicating with families and collaborating with colleagues. If that kind of work sounds appealing, education is worth considering.
Are interested in working with a specific population or have a subject you’re passionate about. Some people come to education with a clear interest in working with young children. Others have a subject like history, agriculture, Spanish or theatre that they want to share with others. An education major lets you build expertise in a content area while also learning how to teach it in a way that resonates with others.
Want your work to have a tangible impact. Teachers see the results of their work in the students they teach, sometimes for years after the fact. If that kind of direct, visible impact is something you're looking for in a career, education can provide it – often on a daily basis.

Beyond these interests, those drawn to teaching also tend to have qualities like:

Empathy
Patience
Adaptability
Dependability
Curiosity
Organization skills
Open-mindedness

Creativity
Enthusiasm for learning
Strong communication skills
A collaborative nature
Resilience
Cultural responsiveness
Strong listening skills

If these sound like you, you’re likely to find a career in education rewarding. Request information today to learn more about which education major might be a good fit.

A teacher in a dark shirt gestures while speaking to a group of students standing in a classroom with a blackboard and clock visible in the background at Northwest Missouri State University

Careers for Education Majors

If you’re interested in earning an education degree, your career outlook is promising – Missouri has a strong need for educators, particularly in the areas of elementary education, early childhood education, agriculture, social science and special education, in addition to several others, according to Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s 2025 Teacher Workforce Data. Surrounding states, such as Kansas and Nebraska are also experiencing a high need for teachers.

Specific teaching careers vary based on the students you’re interested in teaching and your area of specialization, but common roles include:

Early childhood educator: Work with children from infancy through third grade in schools, preschools and childcare settings.
Elementary school teacher: Teach students in grades 1-6 in all subjects, including reading, math, science and social studies.
Middle school teacher: Specialize in a content area and work with students transitioning from elementary school to high school (ages 11-14).
Special education teacher: Work with students who have learning, developmental or cognitive disabilities, providing individualized instruction and collaborating with their families and other educators.
Agricultural education teacher: Teach students about food systems, natural resources and agricultural careers. Some agricultural education teachers also advise student organizations related to agriculture.
Secondary school teacher: Teach a specific subject such as Spanish, social studies or speech and theatre at the high school level.

Beyond the classroom, jobs for education majors can also include roles in curriculum development, education administration, school counseling (with additional graduate preparation) and educational nonprofit work.

Northwest's School of Education consistently reports a placement rate of nearly 100% for graduates, reflecting genuine employer demand for teachers trained in Northwest's programs.

Which Education Major Is Right for You? Types of Education Degrees

These teaching careers each require unique training, which you can receive in one of the many education programs at Northwest Missouri State University. Northwest offers the following education majors, each leading to a B.S.Ed. and preparing you to earn licensure in a specific area:

Agricultural Education Major

If you have a background or interest in agriculture, this major may be of interest to you. You’ll prepare to teach students about food systems, natural resources and agricultural careers. You’ll gain a combination of general teaching preparation and knowledge specific to agriculture, developing skills in classroom management, instructional strategies and student assessment while studying topics such as animal science, plant science, crop production, ag mechanics and farm management.

Early Childhood Education Major

This program teaches you to work with children from birth through third grade, whether in the classroom, in childcare or other settings. You'll study topics such as early literacy, child development, family engagement and inclusive teaching practices, with coursework covering how young children learn and how to support that learning in any context. The program includes more than 550 hours of clinical practice, giving you extensive time working directly with young children before you graduate.

Elementary Education Major

Choose from two options to work with elementary school students. The first option, the general elementary education B.S.Ed., prepares you to teach students in grades 1-6 with coursework in child development, curriculum design and teaching strategies. The second option is a double major in elementary education and special education with cross-categorical certification, preparing you to teach both elementary and K–12 special education. This program includes more than 500 hours of classroom experience, with opportunities to work with students as early as your first semester.

Middle School Education Major

This program prepares you with the knowledge and experience you need to work with middle school students while deepening your expertise in a chosen content area. Middle school education majors at Northwest can specialize in language arts, mathematics, science, social science, agricultural education, business education or speech and theatre. Coursework includes adolescent development, differentiated instruction and subject-specific teaching methods, alongside extensive practicum and internship experience in middle school classrooms.

Social Studies Education Major: History

If your academic interests include history, government or economics, this program prepares you to teach those subjects at the secondary level. You'll study topics across the social sciences while developing practical teaching skills in lesson planning, classroom management and technology integration. The curriculum includes courses on U.S. and world history, sociology, American government and politics, adolescent psychology and peoples and cultures.

Spanish Education Major

The Spanish education program prepares you to teach Spanish at the K-12 level. You'll build language proficiency and study topics such as Spanish literature and film, international relations, politics, cultural studies and linguistics. You’ll also learn teaching methods, lesson planning, classroom management and language acquisition theory. Field experiences throughout the program prepare you for teacher licensure.

Special Education Major

In this program, you’ll learn how to teach and advocate for K-12 students who have learning, developmental or cognitive disabilities. You'll study topics such as assistive technology, behavior support strategies and individualized education program development, while learning how to collaborate with general education teachers, families and support staff to meet each student's needs. Throughout your time in this major, you’ll participate in over 150 hours of clinical placements in both Horace Mann and diverse regional schools.

Speech and Theatre Education Major

If you have a passion for performance, public speaking or theatre arts, the speech and theatre education program helps you build on that interest while preparing to teach it – and serve as a play director or forensics or debate coach. You'll study topics like directing, oral interpretation and communication theory, building a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of theatre. Later in the program, you’ll be able to narrow your focus according to your career goals.

Not Sure Which Education Degree Is for You? Explore the Education Meta Major

If you know teaching interests you but aren't sure which direction to go, Northwest's education meta major gives you a way to start without guessing. Rather than choosing a program upon enrollment, you begin with exploratory coursework that applies across education programs, such as Ecology and Developmental Foundations of Education and Professional Learning Community I.

These courses give you a foundation in the field while you gather information about which specific major fits your interests and goals. The coursework counts toward your degree, so you're making academic progress while you make your decision.

While you take those early courses, you'll also have access to the following support to help you decide between majors:

A dedicated academic advisor who works specifically with undeclared education students. These one-on-one meetings give you space to talk through your interests, compare program requirements, and work toward a decision at your own pace.
Weekly faculty office hours through the School of Education. You can ask questions, hear from faculty working in different teaching fields, and get a clearer picture of what each program actually involves.
Career exploration tools, including TalentDesk, Vault Career Intelligence, and Northwest's "Deciding to Decide" Canvas site, which help you research careers connected to different education majors and reflect on what kind of work appeals to you.
Career events through Northwest's Career Services office, including Career Day, Meet the Pros, and Exploring Majors and Minors, where you can connect your interest in education to the specific careers different programs lead to.

Teacher wearing glasses reading a picture book to a small group of young children in a classroom with a whiteboard behind her displaying story comprehension questions at Northwest Missouri State University

Why Choose Northwest for Your Education Degree?

In addition to the variety of education degrees Northwest offers and its student support, Northwest has a 120-year history of preparing educators for success in the classroom.

Here’s what else sets Northwest apart:

A nationally recognized program with a long track record. Northwest is only the third institution in the country to receive the Christa McAuliffe Excellence in Teacher Education Award twice, in 2006 and again in 2018. The School of Education has been nationally accredited since 1954, most recently by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
An on-campus lab school where you practice teaching from day one. The Horace Mann Laboratory School and Leet Center sits inside the same building as the School of Education. It serves children from infancy through sixth grade, and education students use it as a clinical teaching site throughout their programs. Special education majors alone complete more than 150 hours of clinical placements at Horace Mann and in diverse regional schools. In other words, you’ll be working with students well before student teaching, in a setting where experienced faculty and master teachers work alongside you.
Genuine relationships with faculty. Northwest's School of Education serves students through programs where class sizes allow for close relationships with faculty. You can connect with instructors during weekly office hours, get feedback specific to your goals and build professional connections before you graduate.
Scholarship support that makes your degree in education accessible. Merit-based scholarships are awarded automatically upon admission, with tiers reaching up to $6,000. Out-of-state students may qualify for the Bearcat Advantage scholarship, which brings tuition costs in line with in-state rates.
A placement rate that reflects real outcomes. Northwest's School of Education consistently reports a placement rate nearing 100%. That figure reflects the preparation students receive and the reputation Northwest graduates carry with employers across Missouri and the region.

Whether you're ready to declare a specific program or still weighing your options, Northwest gives you the resources, recognition and profession-based learning experiences to make the most of an education degree.

Ready to Learn More?

If teaching sounds like the kind of work you want to do, explore Northwest’s education majors or apply today.