Job Discussion Forums

[Brett]

I got questions about the American University in Cairo. I am transferring schools in America and have the option to get my bachelors degree online or at the school. I've got about a year to finish the bachelors. I was wondering if anyone knows if a bachelors degree from a regionally accredited university online would be accepted into AUC's TEFL master's program? Also is teaching experience required to get the fellowship or is it just a plus?

Another question not to do with AUC. I know distance masters degrees are frowned upon in the ME, but what about a distance bachelors degree and an in person masters degree? Would the masters "override" the bachelors degree? Thanks in advance for any help.

[veiledsentiments]

Definitely the MA is the controlling degree for employment in the Middle East, and an MA at AUC gets "extra credit" there because if you are a Fellow, you have had experience teaching Arabic speakers.

The big problem is that experience is required to get into the program. I was the least experienced teacher in the program when I did the Fellowship. My BSc was in secondary ed, so I had student taught the last semester... many years before. All I had in addition to that was a couple of years of volunteering in Adult Education in the US. Most of the other Fellows in my group had 5-10 years of full-time overseas teaching experience.

To be honest, age is also a factor. They overlooked my lack of classroom experience because I was in my late 30s.

That said... as they told me when I talked to the NYC office of AUC and told them that I had no full-time ESL experience... you lose nothing by applying and with the variance in their applicants, you might luck out. I would try to get some ESL experience while you finish your BA. Volunteer in your local Adult Education program. It is great fun!!

VS

[Brett]

Thanks. I'll apply after my bachelors and if they say no I'll get a celta and go to Korea for a year or two and apply. If still no then I'll probably go to Saudi or somewhere then apply again. Finding a volunteer english teaching program around here, on the Kentucky/West Virginia border is very hard because we have almost no immigrants. I'll take a look again anyways and thanks again.

[veiledsentiments]

Perfect plan! Another option to get experience might be Turkey. A few of the Fellows that I have met had Turkish experience.

VS