East or West, developed or developing, secular or religious; wherever you go in the world, education is considered to be one of the central roles of society - and teaching, by extension, is considered almost universally to be one of the most noble and respectable professions. Like all such professions, it is a big job, for which practitioners must be trained to a high level using the latest techniques. Whether it’s the all-round skills needed to teach younger children or the subject-specific expertise necessary to train students preparing to enter higher education, it is crucial that teachers get it right. Add on the pressures of dealing with young people facing the challenges of growing up, and you have a profession which is not for the faint-hearted. Ergo, neither are degrees in education. Not all education degrees are of the teacher-training variety however. Many look at the system from the outside, analyzing current and past education systems and debating their strengths and flaws. The goal of these courses is ultimately about improving education, drawing on research looking at everything from the way children learn to the best governmental structure for schools and how to keep the teachers themselves motivated. Aside from the almost universal acknowledgement of its importance, attitudes and approaches to education differ around the world, and accordingly – except in special cases – you need to train where you intend to work.

No matter what the economic climate, teachers will always be in demand. Training as one, therefore, will render you eminently employable. And you can add on to this that, in more than one country in the world, there is a noted shortage of teachers – particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. So if you’re looking to shore-up your career prospects, you could do a lot worse than to enter the teaching profession. The same applies for those working in education but not as teachers. Where there is mass teaching, an infrastructure will be required. Management, governance and administrative positions, as well as advisory roles will need to be filled. If you were truly dedicated to the improvement of teaching techniques, then a research career within the academy is also an option. Understanding the general principles of education can also be useful for those who work in any sort of position which involves working with young people, or generally sharing knowledge (think museum curators, for instance). Management, human resources, and research are also options for an education graduate.