Across more than 40 online degree programs — from Special Education to Instructional Technology to Educational Psychology — students aren’t just absorbing curriculum; they’re building futures. Many come back for additional credentials. Some shift from teaching into leadership. Others return to familiar classrooms, bringing new insight and experience to the work they have been doing all along.
Savannah Fisher, a fifth grade teacher, used her graduate experience to move into her dream role. “I knew continuing my education and acquiring specializations in science and social studies would help prove to my administrators that I was qualified for the position,” she says. “With this degree, I gained exposure to more knowledge, research and trends uniquely enhanced by the network of professors and classmates I collaborated with.”
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Why Working Educators Choose UA Online for Graduate Degrees and Certificates
The Best Value in Alabama Education: Affordable Tuition With No Hidden Fees
By Monica Vanover on September 10, 2025
You don’t have to wait for permission to give yourself a raise. At The University of Alabama Online, the next step is clear, affordable and entirely yours, no matter where you’re starting from.
For working teachers and career changers alike, UA Online makes it easy to invest in your future with a graduate program, without stepping away from your current job or personal commitments. Tuition is transparent, with no hidden fees or out-of-state markups — just one straightforward rate for all students.
Most graduate students in the College of Education aren’t coming straight from undergraduate programs. They’re coming from careers in education, from caregiving roles, from leadership positions that they’re ready to expand. They are parents. Professionals. People with lives. And that’s exactly who these programs were built for.
Earning a master’s degree in Educational Psychology had long been a goal for Casey Evans. But it always felt out of reach until the right opportunity came along. “I received an email that said I could register for classes without having to take an exam, and there was no application fee. I thought, ‘I’m going to do this!’” Casey says. “The coursework was clear, and I knew what was expected of me, which made it manageable.”
At UA Online, tuition is exactly what it says it is — clear, consistent and easy to understand. The College of Education offers the same tuition rate for any state. Students can take advantage of exclusive scholarships and Free Application Week (October 6-10), as well as the tuition grants that make getting started even more accessible.
Chelsea Fancher was pursuing her Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration (Executive Cohort) and managing a lot besides — work and family in addition to her graduate studies. When scholarships came through, even the small ones meant more than she expected: “Those little bits along the way have really made a difference for the financial commitment our family had to make,” she says. At a time when many institutions bury costs behind fine print, The University of Alabama Online doesn’t play hide-and-seek with tuition, making sure the real value of a degree is felt from day one.
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“We’ve intentionally designed flexible, accessible programs that meet working professionals where they are... our programs provide the academic rigor students expect, paired with the adaptability they need.”
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QUICK FACTS
Built for the Way You Already Work
Approximately two-thirds of UA’s College of Education graduate students complete their degrees online — a reflection of how the program structures accommodate professionals balancing complex work and personal commitments.
This is what drew Nathan McDonald to the Secondary Education program. “The convenience of an online program was too appealing to pass up,” he says. “Committing to in-person can be difficult, even with the university nearby. The flexible coursework, especially with self-paced modules, makes it much easier.”
That’s by design. “We’ve intentionally designed flexible, accessible programs that meet working professionals where they are,” says Dr. Joyce Alexander, dean of the College of Education. “Whether through fully online or hybrid courses, our programs provide the academic rigor students expect, paired with the adaptability they need.”
Support That Stays With You
For all The University of Alabama students, including those pursuing a degree through UA Online, support is not just a page on the website. It is a dedicated team that stays with you, from the first email to the final capstone. Behind every course is a constellation of advisors, faculty and student success coaches working in sync to keep students on the right path.
When Demetrius Barksdale, a first-generation student, was pursuing his doctorate, the steady support of his dissertation advisor, Dr. Joy Burnham, became one of the most defining parts of his experience. “Advocacy has become the theme of my life,” he says. “It’s imperative to have someone advocate for you. I believe I ended up at UA for a reason, and that [she] was placed in my life for a reason. Now, I’m able to advocate for others, too.”
Many UA professors have walked the same hallways as their students, leading P-12 classrooms before becoming Education faculty. They have juggled curriculum requirements, balanced lesson planning with life and stood at the front of the very same systems they now help students navigate. That shared experience fuels a deeper kind of mentorship. Faculty do not just advise; they invest.
Alabama’s Flagship.
Serving Every Classroom.
UA Online offers more than 100 programs, including the 40-plus options offered within the College of Education. Through these programs, The University of Alabama plays a vital role in preparing the state’s educators, counselors, psychologists, specialists and school leaders. Though many students earn their degrees without ever visiting campus, all distance learners are invited to celebrate alongside their main campus peers at commencement. UA Online offers the same degree, earned through a more flexible avenue, and the impact ripples through classrooms across Alabama and many other states. These programs are built to align with statewide certification requirements and expand the pipeline of qualified, committed educators.
At every level, UA’s College of Education is grounded in purpose. It is a community of faculty, staff and students committed to service — driven by research, sustained by growth and united in their effort to elevate education.
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“Our graduate programs are grounded in a deep commitment to innovation, real-world application and impact,” says Dr. Alexander. “Our faculty are nationally recognized scholars and practitioners who bring both research excellence and lived experience into the classroom.”
McKinsey Threlkeld, who completed her program while caring for her mother, says the support she received from faculty made all the difference. “It was so personally challenging to keep it all going,” she recalls. “But I’m so grateful to my professors for understanding.” For students like McKinsey, support isn’t just academic — it’s personal, too.
Even online, the College of Education builds community. Some students find lifelong friends; others, a mentor who shifts their entire path. Many find both.
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Wherever You're Going,
UA Moves With You
You don’t have to pause on your life to take the next step. At The University of Alabama Online, your degree moves with you — on your schedule, within your budget and alongside people who believe in your goals.
Whether you’re stepping into leadership, shifting course, or doubling down on the work you love, you’ll find more than just a program. You’ll find a clear path forward, a community that stays with you and a university that recognizes where you’ve been and where you’re headed next.
“We don’t just prepare educators,” says Dr. Alexander. “We prepare changemakers.”
Flexible. Affordable. Legendary.
This is what education looks like when it’s built for real life. That’s the difference at The University of Alabama.
Start strong — with exclusive scholarships, tuition grants and built-in support.
Find your path at online.ua.edu.
Learn how to get your first class free
