Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jodami]

According to some of the "experts" on here, an online degree is not worth the paper it's typed on.

They have suggested, that graduates of prestigious bricks and mortar universities, will qualify with dud qualifications. EVEN WHEN, the on campus and online curriculum, is EXACTLY the same.

A friend has said, eventually - all online degrees WILL NOT be recognized.

Discuss.

[I'm With You]

[Mikejelai]

My online MA has served me very, very well (as has my brick and mortar doctorate). I must admit that the online MA was the more difficult of the two, however, because anyone can sit in a brick and mortar classroom (which has required attendance), take notes from time to time, memorize the info and later regurgitate it during the exam.....

Blended learning and/or time-shifted learning is what the future holds, like it or not. The material is the same, but the delivery method is more convenient.

[Paddycakes]

If you're teaching ESL in your local university language center, in my view an on-line MA versus a campus MA makes no difference since all you are is a glorified hogwan instructor who just happens to work in a uni setting.

Sorry to shatter any delusions of grandeur, but it's true.

Being a native speaker and simply just having patience and caring about your job is WAY more important than any academic qualification. ESL is not 'technical' job.

The scare for on-line MAs is that there are a glut of campus MAs on the market.

In a job interview scenario where all other things are equal, the on-line MA will lose out to the campus MA.

[Mr. BlackCat]

Like just about every other topic on here, it's a bunch of people talking about things they know nothing about. Not only that, it's a lot of people with bones to pick, inferiority complexes and delusions of grandeur talking about things they know nothing about.

Most of these people who talk about online degrees being worthless don't have any MA, never mind an online one. They don't even work in an institution that requires an MA. Yet they are the experts for the topic not only in Korea, but around the world and into the future as well.

I know many people with online degrees that are doing very very well in Korea and abroad. I know several people with MAs that are not doing very much. Personally, since MAs are becoming more common I would choose an in class option just because there is a bias out there against online degrees (which won't stop you from finding a good job, but will put up more barriers). As for online degrees getting rejected in the future, it's actually the opposite. As these programs become better and more well known, they'll be more accepted. And the younger generation actually already knows about them, it's the older generation that has this bias because to them anything online is a Nigerian prince scam.

[Mod Edit]

[RangerMcGreggor]

I think the stigma comes from the rise of "alternative schools" that offer easy MAs that are below standard. Most of my teachers back home go their MAs through some sort of "distance" program (even if not completely online) simply because they worked and those type of MAs are generally geared for those in the field.

Also, I don't think people realize this, but in graduate school being able to "sit in classes" isn't what gets you a job or recognition; it's how good your papers (thesis) are.

[robbie_davies]

Some online qualifications are acceptable MA History - why not? Some online qualifications are not - I wouldn't fly with a pilot who learned online nor have an opertation from a surgeon who got an online medical degree.

MA TEFL is something that can be learned online for sure however - not everyone likes online MA's which includes Saudi Arabia, who are still the highest payers in TEFL.

It all depends, if I was married to a Korean woman and was planning on staying in Korea - I would have done my MA at Ewha, however, I wanted to work in the Middle East so that option was withdrawn for something that would be acceptable to them. It all depends on your final aims and goals.

[young_clinton]

[robbie_davies]

[Mikejelai]

I know people teaching in Saudi with online degrees (USQ)

[robbie_davies]

[Popocatepetl]

[robbie_davies]

[Jodami]

[robbie_davies]