Job Discussion Forums

[Sudz]

I'm interested in changing continents in the next year or two, and have my heart set (somewhat) on south America. I'm single, and am really just looking for a comfortable lifestyle - along with some savings potential to explore the continent.... Ideally!

I've just obtained by MA TESOL, and have about a decade's experience in Japan and Vietnam. A lot of this has been in the context of private schools, with some language center experience. I'm currently working at a junior high school in Japan. I lack university experience, though I have worked with adults.

While I do have the MA - through a legit UK university - I lack a BA. I managed to get into the program with my experience.

I also have a TESOL certificate through Oxford seminars, in case that's of any value.

Besides university work, I'd also be open to other positions - which may value someone of reasonable experience.

Thanks in advance.

[HLJHLJ]

Was the MA at a bricks and mortar university, or by distance? If it was distance, Ecuador is unlikely to be an option for you.

[Sudz]

Thanks for the response. Brick and mortar (Nottingham University). It was blended learning though, which combines both in-class lectures, and online research.

Basically, I`d fly into Kuala Lumpur every three months - attend three days of lectures, fly back to Ho Chi Minh, write a paper based on the lectures, and then repeat. (Kuala Lumpur is home to one of Nottingham`s satellite schools.)

Ecuador certainly interests me.

[HLJHLJ]

Then it's a bit complicated. You may have to provide a letter from Nottingham stating how much of your coursework was completed by distance. They will only accept 20% online coursework.

The regulations actually say that it doesn't apply to universities that are on the list, and Nottingham is. However, I know that in Quito at least, they have refused to register blended degrees, even when the university was on the list. So it doesn't seem to be applied very evenly (which is in no way surprising).

If you can register it, you would be able to find work. If you can't, then with no registered MA and no BA at all, universities won't be particularly interested. Also, with no degree registered, your visa options would be limited.

I'd suggest you contact just_a_mirage and ask her as well. She is a very experienced visa facilitator based in Guayaquil. Things are done slightly differently there, including letting 3rd parties register on your behalf, so she would be able to advise you on that.

It's really impossible to go any further, until you know if they will register it.

The regs are here
http://educaciondecalidad.ec/titulos_extranjeros/reglamento_reconocimiento_titulos.html

The part you want is CAPITULO V

[MotherF]

Not in South America but you might want to consider Mexico. Run a search on university jobs in the Mexico forum to get a general idea of what's available.

[Sudz]

Thanks for all the info.

Ecuador is an option I had considered, and will look further into. Sounds like things might be complicated regarding the registration. I wonder how common it is for them to refuse blended degrees. The fact that I was living in Saigon while completing this degree might set off an alarm bell for them (though who knows). In terms of actual instruction, I suppose I could argue that this was primarily only done in the classroom, while the rest of this course was done through research (both theoretical, as well as field), with the professors only serving as guidance through online correspondence.

Mexico is definitely an option I`m interested in - and I'll have to look more into my specific situation regarding working in unis. Things can become complicated with the whole MA only route.

[wanderingxelmundo]

Oh dear. I have a brick and mortar BA to register for the visa, but I'm currently doing an online MA, that I was hoping to use for a university position. I was only thinking that since the diploma wouldn't say online, and since it's from a "real" university, that would be ok. Does it need to be registered to qualify for university teaching and/or qualify for the higher pay that an MA brings in?

EDIT: Reading capitulo 5 and art 14, it looks like the 80% is referring to similarity with the course of study of an Ecuadorian university. And then the person could take equivalency exams. Whether any of this ever happens in practice is of course another issue altogether, and I'm sure my particular classes wouldn't be 80% similar to a course of study in Ecuador anyway, so hopefully my MA wouldn't need to be registered.

[HLJHLJ]

Universities generally aren't that fussy about your postgrad qualifications being registered with SENESCYT. The problem is that you need to have something registered, in order to be able to use it as the basis for a visa.

It used to be that you had to get equivalency or take the exams in order to register, and the process was almost impossible. But they really relaxed the rules on it a few years ago when they introduced this registration process for overseas degrees.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about, as long as you have something that lets you tick the box for the visa.

[spanglish]

Check out Uni Andes and Universidad de la Sabana in Bogota and Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla. They've all recruited foreign teachers with MAs in TESOL/TEFL.

[wanderingxelmundo]

Ok, thanks, HLJHLJ, I started getting worried about my online degree (not that I have it yet anyway, though ...)

[Sudz]

Hey spanglish,

Think having the MA TESOL without a BA might pose a problem there?

[MotherF]

[Sudz]

Sounds like a positive to me. Thanks for the heads up.

Perhaps they might not even question the missing BA : )

[spanglish]

[Sudz]

Cheers. It's through Nottingham University, which is fairly recognized I believe.

Quite interested in Mexico city. I'll have to look into what's available. Guessing more jobs, but more competition.