Job Discussion Forums

[mickey d]

Hello all and Sallamulakum,

I have a Master's degree in Psychology from an American University. I don't have ESL training, but I have 10 years teaching experience in ESL (and Psychology related courses) in Korea, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. Except for a long year in Saudi at a language school, all my teaching experience is at the university level.

Does anyone know of any colleges or universities in the UAE (or other Middle Eastern countries) that would be interested in someone with these qualifications, preferably for psychology and related classes, but also for any ESL positions? Do I need a Master's in ESL (or related) to get a university job in the Middle East?

Regards,

mickey d

[veiledsentiments]

Unfortunately the Middle East is obsessed with those academic pieces of paper, and your lack of them will likely remove you from consideration at most of the better universities, but there are many small private universities spread around the Gulf now. To teach psychology, you would almost certainly need a PhD, but supply and demand does come in.

That said, many places may need people and may well offer you a job. It is now very late in the hiring season as most is done in March and April. But with the many places that do online applications, you lose nothing but time applying to a few places. Saudi probably has the most possibilities.

Emphasize those academic courses in your CV and reading/writing is the most important.

VS

[scot47]

You need at least some TEFL/TESOL Certification to get a reasonable job.
In Saudi there is little chance of getting a post teaching Psychology.

TESOL - that is where the jobs are.

[mickey d]

Thank you for your replies. I've done a bit of research and found that there are a lot of 'little private universities' springing up in the UAE and the Gulf in general. I have not, however, been able to find a convenient list of them so I can send my hopeful resume their way. Could anyone help with this? Or does anyone know a couple names of newly formed little private universities?

Also, I am considering a MA in Linguistics via distance learning. Any recommendations? I've heard that USQ is affordable and accepted in the UAE, but I also read they 'stranded' their staff and students in the UAE by closing their branch with little notice. Any advice is appreciated.

mickey d