? about Education Master degrees

[PatsGirl1]

I would like some assistance with the two degree options I am looking at for a Master’s in Education/Teaching.

I am a semester away from completing my B.A. in English and I am looking to get certification to teach High School English and Earth Science in either Michigan or Florida.
My major is English so I have completed the required amount of major credits for teaching that subject according to the MI DOE. I still am finishing up the additional credits I need for Earth Science. I would like to start the program in Summer 2009.

I have located two programs that would provide me with certification to teach Secondary Ed as well as a Master’s degree.
One: U. of Michigan Dearborn- local school, nights and weekends, leads to an M.A. in Teaching degree and includes a semester of student teaching. It’s endorsed by the MDOE as one of the best teaching schools in the state and has a good reputation here for academic rigor (although the Engineering programs are what it’s primarily known for). Down side is cost- best I can figure (because UMD has a complicated way of doing tuition and their website is no help) it’s about $16,000 + books for me to finish the MAT/cert. Time to complete: about 18 months or so, puts me past hiring cycle for 2010 school year so would be looking at 2011 school year.

Two: U of West Florida- completely online, offers a TeacherReady cert program first, you can use some of those credits toward their M.Ed. programs. Would provide certification and instruction, as well as has a student teaching component. Cost (since I would be eligible for the online only out of state tuition waiver) would roughly be $10,600 + books, plus driving to Florida 2x to take their cert. tests. Plus side: Can finish the UWF cert program (9 mos. Program) in time for hiring cycle for 2010 school year, then work on Master’s while making money.

I have been toying around with everything in my head and what it basically boils down to is a couple of different factors- 1) Would I prefer online or traditional classes? 2) Is $5,000 more in tuition worth more of a “name”? 3) Does the name recognition mean anything when you’re going into education (i.e. an RA degree is an RA degree and it depends on experience for pay)? 3) Is it better to finish an MAT, then work, or get into the field and work on the M.Ed.?

My answers so far- I like online classes much more than physical classes. However, I may need networking to secure a job in MI as it’s hard to do right now. $5,000 is not that much in the scheme of things, but as I will mostly be a self-pay student, then it does matter.

Does UWF have a decent reputation in Florida? What would you do in my situation? Can anyone input their $0.02? I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Heather