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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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 Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 2:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Scotty79 wrote: |
Thanks all. I haven't received the definitive answer I was looking for, but it appears that a definitive answer doesn't exist! 
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The definitive answer to your question has been answered: The Saudi government does not accept online degrees, and that applies to everyone. If you need specifics, then contact the SACB, and hopefully, they'll respond back. But for now, you haven't even completed your degree, so maybe the situation will have changed by the time you graduate... or not. |
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TheFellow
Joined: 31 Oct 2012
Posts: 34
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:05 am Post subject: |
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Going by the rules - nomad soul is correct.
At Aramco the educational requirements are B.A. and CELTA/TEFL/TESL/TESOL. So, as long as your bachelor's degree has been completed face to face, you could be considered for interview.
The above qualifications (along with the requisite number of years experience) are certainly enough to get the appropriate Saudi visa to work there.
I'll be starting my own MEd shortly, which will entail flying to the UK to take intensive face to face summer classes (and again next year).
Personally, it will cost me a lot more money having to fly to the UK, take extended time off of work and rent nice family accommodation, but for long term peace of mind, I'm glad I decided to take this option.
Each to their own though. 
Last edited by TheFellow on Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:54 pm; edited 6 times in total |
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The Fifth Column
Joined: 11 Jun 2014
Posts: 331
Location: His habitude with lexical items protrudes not unlike a damaged pollex!!!
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| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:49 am Post subject: |
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| ...which will entail flying to the UK to take intensive face to face summer classes... |
Wow, from intensive to intensive...and, back to intensive...BURNOUT ALERT!!  |
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ahmedkhan00
Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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| As far as I know, online or distance learning degrees do not state the mode of study on the certificate. So how does SACM find out that the degree was completed online? |
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MuscatGary
Joined: 03 Jun 2013
Posts: 1364
Location: Flying around the ME...
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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| ahmedkhan00 wrote: |
| As far as I know, online or distance learning degrees do not state the mode of study on the certificate. So how does SACM find out that the degree was completed online? |
Maybe from the transcripts or maybe they ask the university or maybe because of the time taken to complete? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 6:13 pm Post subject: |
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| ahmedkhan00 wrote: |
| As far as I know, online or distance learning degrees do not state the mode of study on the certificate. So how does SACM find out that the degree was completed online? |
If you're referring to the SACM in the US, they require a statement from the applicant's university registrar indicating how many credits, if any, were completed via online/distance learning. (See www.sacm.org/pdf/Applicationauthentication.pdf.) |
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ahmedkhan00
Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| If you're referring to the SACM in the US, they require a statement from the applicant's university registrar indicating how many credits, if any, were completed via online/distance learning. (See www.sacm.org/pdf/Applicationauthentication.pdf.) |
What about the UK? Is it the same for them? |
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LPKSA
Joined: 02 Mar 2014
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 3:13 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| ahmedkhan00 wrote: |
| As far as I know, online or distance learning degrees do not state the mode of study on the certificate. So how does SACM find out that the degree was completed online? |
If you're referring to the SACM in the US, they require a statement from the applicant's university registrar indicating how many credits, if any, were completed via online/distance learning. (See www.sacm.org/pdf/Applicationauthentication.pdf.) |
Write to your University and ask them to write a letter stating that you completed the coursework in class. Your transcripts will most likely NOT indicate that your classes were online. They are already essentially hiding the truth. So send a letter indicating that it was in class (they might understand the predicament you are in) and do it. The Saudis who check the degrees, I hate to say, are idiots. They hardly bother to do their job anyway. The whole reason that online degrees in KSA are considered taboo is because SO MANY SAUDIS WHO 'STUDIED' IN THE USA PAID US citizens to DO THEIR ONLINE DEGREES FOR THEM.
By that logic then, everyone who does an online degree is actually paying someone else to do it. Shows how centrally thinking they are. If our citizens do it, then it must also apply to the rest of the world. We are the center of the world. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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| LPKSA wrote: |
| Write to your University and ask them to write a letter stating that you completed the coursework in class. Your transcripts will most likely NOT indicate that your classes were online. They are already essentially hiding the truth. So send a letter indicating that it was in class (they might understand the predicament you are in) and do it. |
Although there's essentially no difference between a course taken on-campus versus online in terms of the learning objectives and outcomes, texts and materials, requisite assignments, student discussion/participation, quizzes, weighting of grades, etc., an ethical university registrar would refuse to sign, much less write, such a letter. It would potentially damage the university's reputation and professional relationship with the SACM and other similar agencies that facilitate/administer the academic needs of foreign nationals studying in the US.
| and wrote: |
| The Saudis who check the degrees, I hate to say, are idiots. They hardly bother to do their job anyway. |
Be aware the SACM employs US citizens and not all of them are of Saudi or even Arab origin. |
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Scotty79
Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 2:39 am Post subject: |
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A lot here is being said about the SACM, but I definitely get the impression that the SACB operates under different procedures.
The fact that Aramco only requires a BA and Celta was mentioned. Does this mean any unrelated BA? |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 6:50 am Post subject: |
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| ahmedkhan00 wrote: |
| As far as I know, online or distance learning degrees do not state the mode of study on the certificate. So how does SACM find out that the degree was completed online? |
I believe the university has to send the SACM a document stating which courses were taken online and which were not. The SACM as far as I know is the only organization with the nerve to call universities up and insist on that. In a perfect world a university could just send the ridiculous document and have it list none of the courses as being online. My university had never heard of any request like the SACM request and wondered why I was even going to work at the place. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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| Scotty79 wrote: |
| The fact that Aramco only requires a BA and Celta was mentioned. Does this mean any unrelated BA? |
Do an Internet search on aramco english teaching jobs to see the latest job requirements/qualifications. |
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The Fifth Column
Joined: 11 Jun 2014
Posts: 331
Location: His habitude with lexical items protrudes not unlike a damaged pollex!!!
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| Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Scotty79 wrote: |
| The fact that Aramco only requires a BA and Celta was mentioned. Does this mean any unrelated BA? |
Aramco are happy to entertain unrelated BAs for jobs unrelated to English teaching. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2014 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Scotty79 wrote: |
| The fact that Aramco only requires a BA and Celta was mentioned. Does this mean any unrelated BA? |
Was mentioned where? Sorry if I've missed the reference from earlier in the thread.
Yes, Aramco will take BA + CELTA but you should have several years post CELTA experience and preferably a US passport to stand the best chance without an MA. An unrelated BA will not help your chances.
The majority of teachers at Aramco have Master's degrees in something TEFL related. Some even have PhDs. |
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Scotty79
Joined: 17 Jun 2014
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 4:53 am Post subject: |
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TheFellow states Aramco's requirements near the top of this page.
To summarise, when I apply in the spring, I will have:
BA (hons) Marketing (studied for in person in the UK).
MA TESOL (studied for online with Universtity of Sunderland, UK)
CELTA 120 hours
7 years EFL teaching experience, incl. 2 years post CELTA with adults (all in Korea).
I'm hoping that the MA might get me a job at somewhere like Aramco, while the BA + CELTA will be enough to get a visa while they're not accepting online degrees (which might be forever!).
If you think I'm being overly optimistic and I haven't much chance then please do say so and I'll have to go back to the drawing board for my next move. |
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