Job Discussion Forums

[TesolTime]

Possibly thinking about going to Saudi to teach. However, I read a job posting on Dave's that said the gov. there does not accept online degrees. Is this true? I've searched through the forum and I didn't see anything on this topic, so that's why I'm asking here.

Thank you.

[nomad soul]

That's correct: no online anything for KSA (and Qatar as well).

The Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission, which authenticates degrees, requires a sealed letter from the applicant's university stating the method of instruction for coursework completed toward the degree---all course credits earned online must be indicated. (Do an Internet search on sacm saudi degree authentication application for a pdf of the SACM's application requirements and instructions for Americans.)

Threads with this topic:

"New Requirement for Anyone Seeking a Saudi Visa" (http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=103292)
"Distance MA TESOLs being refused in the Middle East" (http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=100919)

[TesolTime]

Why would any uni agree to this BIZARRE demand? Online degrees are a great source of income to to schools nowadays. By submitting this information, they would be allowing KSA to discriminate against their programs and students, and then loose lots of money from nervous students who wouldn't want to take their online courses.

Oh well. Saudi Arabia sucks anyways from what everyone tells me. Why bother with that place?

[nomad soul]

Seriously, no university or college is going to lose potential students solely because another country way across the world decides not to accept job applicants who'd received their degrees online via those schools. Nothing bizarre about it; it just is what it is.

[sicklyman]

I have a distance learning Master's in Applied Linguistics/TESOL and got a job with it in Saudi. THere was no face to face component but I worked my rear end off doing research for three straight years so it put me through my paces.

Three things may have made me an exception:
I got it in 2002 when online learning was not really in full swing so it was more like a correspondence course and not typically online as nowadays.
My cert says nothing about the medium or duration of the course.
I have a DELTA which means that, unlike others with MAs with no face to face component, I've proved that I can actually teach.

oh and I'm also a Brit. At no time did any Saudi official require anything like what VS describes. They just want to see the cert in our case. Easy peasy.

So, it's possible to get a decent job here with a non-taught MA.

[veiledsentiments]

[Sheik Yerbuti]

"Saudi Arabia sucks." I guess that is the level of articulation an
on line M.A. engenders in 2014.

[TesolTime]

To everyone else besides Sheik, thank you for your helpful comments.

[D. Merit]

[johnslat]

Waiter - another order of sour grapes, please.

Regards,
John

[lcanupp1964]

How about those who get an on-line degree in a non-related area like philosophy, or art history and want to teach over here?

Philosophy is one of those degrees that people do when they’re not quite sure what vocation they want to follow. It’s a fun-time at university - open to stoners, egocentrics and those that love the sound of their own voice. Why didn't I major in that? Each will finish the course even more confused at what they want to do in life and will probably end up working at a convenience store while working on a TESOL/CELTA (on-line, or course) in order to be "100% ready" to start teaching ESL.

[sicklyman]

[nomad soul]

[sicklyman]

[The Angry Brit]