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Advancement options

 
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abdi181



Joined: 04 Oct 2012
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:58 pm    Post subject: Advancement options Reply with quote

Hello all

I plan on making some decisions about continuing education. I would like to know if anyone has any experience with Western Governors University, is it recognized in the ME...I have a BA and a Celta but I would like to pursue a teacher licensure post bachelor at WGU

Also are post bach certificates acknowledged in the region as more qualification. Does anyone have experience of getting more pay or seeing the PB as an advantage...


Please do go ranting about online degrees and what you think, I hope people speak from experience rather than what they heard.. Which is typical on this forum.


Thanks
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't seen anyone here "ranting" about the pros and cons of online degrees, but there is the detail that not every country yet recognizes them. Saudi employers often don't... nor does the Ministry of Education in the UAE (although the Ministry of Higher Education does)

You might want to give a hint what country that university is from... never heard of it myself... sounds Australian to me. Since there are no readily available lists of what universities are recognized in what countries, assurance about an obscure university may not be available.

Basically what is recognized in the Gulf are related BAs, CELTA (and other certs with 120 hours and supervised teaching), and related MAs. Extra certs may help get you hired, but won't get you more money.

A teaching certificate/license from your home country will get you into a better job at K-12 teaching, but is not helpful at university level.

VS
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Dedicated



Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 972
Location: UK

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

VS,

Western Governors University is an accredited US on-line university offering online bachelor's and master's degree programs. It is based in Salt Lake City and is a private, non-profit university charging $ 5.780 per year. It only accepts students living in the US.

It is doubtful whether a degree from here would be recognised in certain places in the ME.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 12:11 am    Post subject: Re: Advancement options Reply with quote

abdi181 wrote:
I plan on making some decisions about continuing education. I would like to know if anyone has any experience with Western Governors University, is it recognized in the ME...I have a BA and a Celta but I would like to pursue a teacher licensure post bachelor at WGU

Also are post bach certificates acknowledged in the region as more qualification. Does anyone have experience of getting more pay or seeing the PB as an advantage...

I agree with VS. International schools (k-12) in the region generally require a minimum BA + a teaching license from your home country + whatever relevant experience you bring. They won't have much interest in the grad cert program you completed; the license will carry more weight. However, if you expect to eventually teach at the university level, then yes, the degree (masters, not a grad cert), its relevance to whatever it is you plan to teach, the mode of instruction, and accreditation do matter.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 8:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My experience is that NO EMPLOYER in KSA will recognise an online degree.
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We have had posters who did get hired with an online degree, but it was from a recognized brick and mortar institution who didn't mention that the degree was done online on its cert. But, apparently this is one of those new, only online universities, which will likely not pass inspection by the Saudi Ministry.

VS
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desert



Joined: 24 Nov 2011
Posts: 41

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

'Basically what is recognized in the Gulf are related BAs, CELTA (and other certs with 120 hours and supervised teaching), and related MAs.'

Is an MA in Linguistics considered related? Doing an onsite MA in TESOL will cost a lot, so I am considering:

1.) MA in Linguistics (I can get a teaching assistantship that will make it free)

2.) Online MA in TESOL or Applied Linguistics (much cheaper because I can do it at my parent's house)

3.) Celta

Which of these three be the most helpful for me? I currently have a BA in Linguistics, a 130-Hour TEFL certificate and a little less than a year's experience.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

desert wrote:
Which of these three be the most helpful for me? I currently have a BA in Linguistics, a 130-Hour TEFL certificate and a little less than a year's experience.

Depends on what teaching situation you're interested in and where you want to teach.
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desert



Joined: 24 Nov 2011
Posts: 41

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I want to eventually teach in Kuwait in a language institute or university.
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Ixchel



Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Posts: 156
Location: The 7th level of hell

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 4:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Advancement options Reply with quote

abdi181 wrote:
Hello all

I plan on making some decisions about continuing education. I would like to know if anyone has any experience with Western Governors University, is it recognized in the ME...I have a BA and a Celta but I would like to pursue a teacher licensure post bachelor at WGU

Also are post bach certificates acknowledged in the region as more qualification. Does anyone have experience of getting more pay or seeing the PB as an advantage...


Please do go ranting about online degrees and what you think, I hope people speak from experience rather than what they heard.. Which is typical on this forum.


Thanks

Since all my local public universities are going more and more online or mixed in person and online courses for the same degree, I've taken an interest in this. The most important accreditation in the US for public and private schools is regional and there are 6 regions.

Western Governors University is accredited by one of those 6, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (the Northwest is the only region in the country that has a separate accreditation for primary/secondary and college/university) so I think this is the future of education in the United States. San Jose State University MA in Library Science is entirely online now. USC now has many online MA programs etc.

In California teaching credentials which must be renewed every 5 years are no longer issued in paper form. They are listed under the teacher's name on the Calif. Comm. on Tchr Cred. website.
This was a big problem when I applied to some countries who wanted to see paper copies of my certs.

Anyway, your MA would be completely valid and acceptable in the US because it was issued by an accredited institution but overseas they may not accept it.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Advancement ? In EFL ? In the Middle East ?

Come on, get real.
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