|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
hentaigaijin
Joined: 05 Oct 2006
Posts: 104
|
 Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:13 pm Post subject: University Jobs: which Masters? |
 |
|
I have heard that university teaching jobs are awfully hard to come by. I am intending to do a Masters in Japanese Studies next year and was thinking of trying to get into university teaching for a few years after that.
I have heard that employers want either MA Applied Linguistics or MA TESOL; however, I did come across one example of a chap teaching in university with the MA Japanese Studies. What's the score? Anyone care to enlighten me...
By the way, I'll be 32 in March. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 1:47 pm Post subject: |
|
|
If you want to teach English, then doesn't it make sense to do something related to teaching language or English?
There will always be the odd person who doesn't have related qualification, or else has only tenuously related qualifications, but unless you want to pin your career on being that odd guy out, then it would probably make sense to major in the area in which you want to work. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
|
| Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 3:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Look at this article.
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2004/10/stapleton
One quote I will cut from it reads as follows. It was describing the hiring process at just one university:
| Quote: |
| In total, we received 72 applications, 62 of which were in electronic form. The male-female ratio was 10:1. In the initial screening of resumes, I checked to see whether candidates met the minimum educational requirements of a master's degree in applied linguistics or a related field. This, in itself, was a revealing exercise. Roughly 40% of all the applicants did not have the minimum requirements as listed in the job announcement. Shortcomings came in two areas: either the applicants did not have a masters or doctorate, or their graduate qualifications were in a field too distant from that required. Among those whose degree-level was sufficient, but whose area of specialty was not close enough to applied linguistics, a wide range of majors were received. Some specialties such as Chinese and Japanese literature appeared borderline, while many others were, shall we say, overly optimistic, e.g., a lawyer whose specialty was property rights on the moon. |
While this does not answer your question as directly as Gambatte wrote, it says something.
Here are some additional articles that provide good information about university jobs and the hiring process.
1. The University Hiring Process: An Overview (Joe Tomei)
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/1999/03/working
2. Job Hunting in Japan: Qualifications and Information (Ken Dillon & Craig Sower, 1996)
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/files/96/oct/job.html
3. Job Hunting in Japan: The Resume and the Interview (Wayne K. Johnson & Ken Dillon, 1996)
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/files/96/nov/employment.html
4. Considerations for Securing an English Teaching Position at a Japanese University. Part 1 (Christopher Glick, 2002)
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2002/08/glick
5. Considerations for Securing an English Teaching Position at a Japanese University. Part 2 (Christopher Glick, 2002)
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2002/09/glick
6. Why English Teachers in Japan Need to Learn Japanese (David Barker, 2003)
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2003/02/barker
7. Recruiting a University English Teacher: Raising the Standard (Paul Stapleton, 2004)
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2004/10/stapleton
8. The Person, the Package, the Presentation: Lessons From a Recent Job Hunt (Philip McCasland & Brent Poole, 2004)
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2004/10/mccasland |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Alberta605
Joined: 23 Dec 2006
Posts: 94
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
What a fabulously indepth, and at times humorous response!
Many thanks Glen.
I would add that a 'good' university job is the incumbents to lose. Not many who hold such positions leave them to pursue home-sickness as a gainful opportunity. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:47 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Glenski wrote: |
Look at this article.
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2004/10/stapleton
One quote I will cut from it reads as follows. It was describing the hiring process at just one university:
| Quote: |
| In total, we received 72 applications, 62 of which were in electronic form. The male-female ratio was 10:1. In the initial screening of resumes, I checked to see whether candidates met the minimum educational requirements of a master's degree in applied linguistics or a related field. This, in itself, was a revealing exercise. Roughly 40% of all the applicants did not have the minimum requirements as listed in the job announcement. Shortcomings came in two areas: either the applicants did not have a masters or doctorate, or their graduate qualifications were in a field too distant from that required. . |
|
When you consider that far, far more women than men do Applied Linguistics TEFL (I think there were three men in the entire Linguistics department at my university), in my university TESL Certificate I think there were four guys (two of whom never managed to find a job teaching English) out of thirty something people, and that 'stupid male' jokes are commonplace in goverment language programmes, I think it's pretty telling that the gender ratio of applicants for jobs outside of English speaking countries is so predominantly male, because it shows that men who want to teach ESL are being driven out their country (or their career choice) if they want a job, unless all; of these people simply don't want to work in their home country, but IME most actually would prefer to be able to teach in their own country, but just get turned down (If I put out resumes with my fiull name on it then I get maybe one hit out of the lot for an interview, if I just use my initals I get an interview for almost every resume sent, but I also often get 'we assumed you were female' when I get the call). From what I experiencd in Canada it's not surprising in the least (in fact I once read that the fact that males find it so very, very difficult to get a job teaching ESL in Canada was a form of discrimination against women- the essay suggested that if employers hired men, they would be forced to raise the salary. It was a graduate paper and fortunately that little bit of information was removed before it the final version). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
hentaigaijin
Joined: 05 Oct 2006
Posts: 104
|
| Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 3:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| GambateBingBangBOOM wrote: |
If you want to teach English, then doesn't it make sense to do something related to teaching language or English?
There will always be the odd person who doesn't have related qualification, or else has only tenuously related qualifications, but unless you want to pin your career on being that odd guy out, then it would probably make sense to major in the area in which you want to work. |
i'm only looking to teach esl in japan for about 3-5 years and then hope to work as a translator, researcher, academic or whatever. japanese studies is my subject area - esl is a means to an end (and has been for a few years now). i'd rather do an MEd to be honest as opposed to MA Tesol.
i now have 3 options:
1) MA Japanese Studies at the top Thai university (maybe)
2) MEd TEFL at the top Thai university
3) MA Thai Studies at the top Thai university
this university made it to #161 in the THES World Rankings. however, i am still a little concerned that the japanese may look down upon anything coming out of thailand. am i right in thinking that? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
