Job Discussion Forums

Canuck1 · Joined: 01 May 2003 Posts: 4 Location: Doha, Qatar

I am a relatively new teacher with only a year experience post CELTA. I am under contract in the Middle East. My question is this: How important is a university degree in getting a teaching job? Also, is an online degree given the same clout as a traditional degree? Lastly, does an online TOEFL certificate help a teacher get a posting teaching TOEFL? Thank you.

R · Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 277 Location: United Kingdom

Pretty useful. It depends where you want to work. Many countries, eg Japan require you to have a degree before they'll give you a work visa. It's possible to pick and choose the countries that don't, but if you can get a degree it will open a lot more doors. I don't have a degree myself but after research into the opportunities available without one, it's back to school for me!

Rob.

bnix · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 645

Yes,you will just not get very far without a degree in the TESOL business(or most other businesses ,for that matter).R. is right.There is a lot of competition in the TESOL field,like most other fields.If you do not have a degree,you are going to more or less be left on the sidelines....picking up the sorry,dubious,scuzzy jobs that no one else wants...because you cannot really compete with other people without that degree.Also,in many countries,you need a degree to get the work permit...to teach LEGALLY.

Occasionally,someone posts on Dave's trying to get a TESOL job without the degree(the ones that amuse me are the ones that start out with something like "I Have No Degree...But I WANT to Teach in Japan!(or wherever))...so what?...people in Hell want icewater,too.

Well,get that degree.It might only be a piece of paper,but without it,you are probably going to encounter difficulties.R.is right.

R · Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 277 Location: United Kingdom

It may be possible for you to do a degree with an open university part-time if you don't want to completely stop teaching for three or four years. Obviously this would take longer and you would need to make sure that it was a properly accredited degree, but it should be worth it in the long run. It depends how long you plan to be 'in the game' for. In the middle east there's the Arab Open University, which should be good as it's a partner of the British one. They do a BA in English Language & Literature. The website is: http://www.arabou.org/

That said, I've not taken this route myself (although I plan to, in Europe) so you may want to talk to somebody with some experience of this. Anyway, it's a thought. You obviously wouldn't experience the benefit of the degree until you'd finished it though.

Rob.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Seems you have your acronyms mixed up. TEFL is not the same as TOEFL. A bit of accuracy in what you are aiming at might help you to hit the target.

Grouchily yours
Scot47, scourge of the Backpacker

sojourner · Posted: Sun May 11, 2003 2:31 am Post subject:

Canuck 1,

If you are contemplating doing an on-line degree make sure that it is through a "proper" university,ie one that is recognised by the relevant govt body as a university AND which has been in existance for many years and has its own campus with students ! It appears that there are a number of outfits "out there" that call themselves "universities", that although they have registered their business names (with "university" in the title) with the relevant govt office,are actually nothing more than PO Box numbers or www addresses.So,be careful !

I'm currently enrolled in an online MA(Applied Linguistics) programme through an Australian institution,viz the University of New England (UNE).UNE is a proper university,with a good name,that has been existence for a number of years.About 40% of its student population are "internals",ie to say,they attend lectures,etc,on the actual physical campus.For those who are interested,this programme is much cheaper than those that are offered by US and UK unis.For non-Australians,I believe that the total cost of the programme is about $A10,500 (roughly $US 6000).Check out the website: www.une.edu.au

I noticed that you are currently teaching in Qatar.Were you doing ESL teaching prior to commencing your CELTA training ?I would like to teach in ME/Gulf States,but have been led to believe that they often require one to have tought for several years - esp for KSA jobs.I am currently teaching in PRC - when my contract ends in Jan 2004,I would have only had 1 year's experience - but at the same time,would have just about completed the MA(AL) programme.So,could I land a reasonably "lucrative" position in Qatar (or somewhere else) in the region with just 1 year's experience,a CELTA,MA(AL),a "normal" MA (in History), a B.Ed and a partially-completed M.Econ.Or are they v.strict re umpteen years of ESL experience ? Also,do they discriminate on age ? (I'm in my 50s).

Regards,

Peter