Job Discussion Forums

[ajarn]

I am contemplating a M.A in TESOL or Applied Linguistics via distance education. I am concerned as to how such degrees are perceived by Japanese Unversities when hiring? Is an M.A via distance education viewed as inferior to one studied full-time? Are Japanese Universities likely to toss a resume aside on that basis or is it not as important as relevant teaching experience and publications?

Any comments are appreciated, especially by those currently working in Japanese Universities.

[PAULH]

[PAULH]

Aside from some of my caustic remarks here, I would like to focus on the positive and perhaps ominous side of being a recipient of dozens of resumes. Specifically, while there were a considerable number of CVs that did not make the grade, an even greater number of good quality applications were received. Rather frighteningly, several of these were excellent. An increasing number of applicants either have attained or will soon achieve doctoral qualifications. Based on the candidates' timelines in their resumes, it appeared that most had achieved these degrees by distance while working full-time. In addition, whereas a few years ago, most of the well-qualified applicants had few, if any publications, this recruitment exercise revealed that many now have publications, some of which are refereed, and these are coming from younger candidates as well. Indeed, the successful candidate in the present recruitment has both a doctorate and internationally refereed papers.


My overwhelming impressions upon completing the selection of a new candidate are not focused on the image problem that teaching English in Japanese universities seems to have. Rather, my sentiments are directed towards the rapidly increasing competitiveness of securing an English teaching job at a Japanese university, as well as the shift towards requiring doctoral-level qualifications in alignment with universities in Western countries. With many of these schools swelling their graduate school enrolments, the direction of recruitment appears clear: successful candidates will be increasingly drawn from a pool of applicants holding doctoral qualifications with refereed publications.

[Gordon]

I've never seen an ad for a Japanese uni where they say "no distance degrees". As Paul also stated, most distance degrees don't say DISTANCE on it. Heck, I could be doing mine during some of my 4.5 months off/year holidays.

[PAULH]

I did my Masters at the branch campus of an American university which is not even recognised as a fully fledged university in Japan (Temple University which is based in Philadelphia) and my degree was accepted by my employer, a national university. The job application went all the way up to the Monbusho. If I can get my American-degree-done-in-Japan accepted by the Japanese government, getting a distance degree from an offshore university is the least of your worries. The degree will simply say Masters degree, Nottingham/Birmingham/MacQuarie University. No questions asked.

[zoubaidah]

One application form for a university position (I think it was one you sent me, Paul) had a question asking how the degrees were obtained - including online or distance. So for whatever reason, the question is being asked.

[bearcat]

The only country I know that will not accept degrees earned at a distance in EFL/ESL is Saudia Arabia.

[PAULH]

[PAULH]

[zoubaidah]

I agree with you Paul, and if I was an employer I'd have more faith in a distance degree from Massey, Monash or Birmingham than from some of the campus based degrees I know of.

[PAULH]

[sidjameson]

Shouldn't that be studying "with" Birmingham Paul?

[bearcat]

[PAULH]

[PAULH]

Not sure if you are American, but don't you say:

"He's a student at Harvard, not a student with Harvard?

What might the difference be, I wonder?