Adult Education

Adult education is about more than teaching. It’s about helping adults learn, grow, and reach their goals in the workplace, higher education, community organizations, government, and other settings.

Designed for people who teach, train, lead, and support adult learners, Buffalo State's fully online master's in Adult Education helps turn your experience into your next opportunity.

Choose a fully online two-year program or an accelerated 12-month option designed to fit your career goals and schedule.

Buffalo State's Adult Education program has been 100% online since 2006.

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Programs Offered

Adult Education, M.S. (30 credit hours): Build the knowledge and skills to lead, design, and teach in diverse adult learning environments.

Adult Education, GCP (12 credit hours): Strengthen your expertise and advance your career in the field of adult education, including Human Resource Development (HRD).

Dietetics/Adult Education Undergraduate to Graduate 4+1 Pathway: Provides seamless entry for dietetics and nutrition students into the M.S. in Adult Education.

Health and Wellness/Adult Education Undergraduate to Graduate 4+1 Pathway: Offers qualified health and wellness undergraduates the opportunity to expedite the acquisition of the master’s of science in adult education degree.

Student sitting on the floor, studying on a laptop

Why Choose Buffalo State?

Built around your professional life

Build on the experience you already have
Connect graduate-level learning to the work you've already been doing.
100% online for 20 years
Learn from anywhere without relocating or commuting.
Finish in as little as 12 months
Complete the 30-credit master's in one year with full-time study.
Apply what you learn immediately
Use your coursework to address real challenges in your workplace.
Learn from experienced faculty
Study with faculty who understand adult learning in real-world settings.

“What I took out of the Buffalo State program became immediately applicable to the world of police training. Every portion of what I did on a daily basis—designing, training, learning, analyzing, developing—had been covered in a class.”

Jason Mazeski Chief of Training, New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission

Build On Your Professional Experience

Designed for professionals who...

Train or develop employees
Teach adults in colleges or community programs
Work in human resources
Design learning or professional development programs
Support workforce development
Lead nonprofit or community education programs
Want to move into instructional design or training
Want to advance in their current organization

Training and Development
Design and lead employee training, professional development, and workplace learning.

Human Resources
Support employee development, talent management, and organizational learning.

Higher Education
Teach, advise, develop programs, or support adult learners.

Instructional Design
Create online and in-person learning experiences for adult audiences.

Workforce Development
Help people build skills and connect education with career opportunities.

Community & Nonprofit Education
Develop programs that help adults learn, grow, and achieve their goals.

Gain hands-on experience through a supervised practicum or internship, either in person or virtually.

Adult education students have the option of participating in a supervised teaching practicum and internship, both in face-to-face and virtual platforms. Examples of adult education internships include:

Writing and/or conducting a training program
Counseling adult learners
Conducting a conference

Teaching a community college course
Administering a community education program
Evaluating an adult learning program

Specifically, students have recently interned in Buffalo State’s Professional Development Center and in the annual international Adult Education Research Conference (AERC). Some students elect to complete research projects as part of their internship opportunity or as an independent study course.