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J.M.A.
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 69
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 Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:59 pm Post subject: Question about Distance Learning M.A. |
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| So do Distance Learning M.A.'s from good universities carry the same weight as conventional M.A.'s? Do they have any value at all? Would they be accepted in the Gulf? |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Some are good. Some employers will accept them, check with your prospective employer |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:09 pm Post subject: |
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I have an MA TESL/TEFL from the University of Birmingham, England. It's considered research-based and my diploma is not different in any way from one earned on-campus.
It's definitely legit and reputable.
Surrey, Leicester, and Edinborough also have highly reputable distance MAs. Pricey, but worth it (IMO). |
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J.M.A.
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 69
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| Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Although I have a plan/idea of what I'm going to in the not so distant future, I haven't narrowed my options down to a specific future employer yet. I'm more concerned about the general value given to this type of degree by the market, especially in the competitive regions of TEFL.
As far as where, I was thinking maybe of Reading in England... perhaps others have suggestions? |
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J.M.A.
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 69
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| Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
I have an MA TESL/TEFL from the University of Birmingham, England. It's considered research-based and my diploma is not different in any way from one earned on-campus.
It's definitely legit and reputable.
Surrey, Leicester, and Edinborough also have highly reputable distance MAs. Pricey, but worth it (IMO). |
It's a relief to hear this, and thank you for the suggestions. I will check them out. Price isn't really a factor- I want a real qualification.
Current logistics being what they are, moving back to an English speaking country to do an M.A. is very difficult for me. |
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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka
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| Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Sorry to barge in here. This is the third of fourth thread about online/distance MA study. The threads have some different angles to what is essentially the same topic. Can we consolidate these threads? Better yet, shouldn't this be a sticky? There is a great thread over in the Korea forum about this topic. Shame not everyone will find it. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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OZ has a lot of good courses as well, can't remember them off the top of my head, but try a search.
About acceptance, I think it depends on the country, aren't there some countries in Asia, like Taiwan and Korea that no longer accept distance ones? |
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steki47
Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka
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anospi
Joined: 03 Dec 2004
Posts: 152
Location: Perth, Western Australia
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J.M.A.
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 69
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| Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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Lots of good suggestions guys. Thanks. Now, 2 questions for those of you doing the Distance M.A:
What part of the world/Where do you expect to use it in?
Do you know of any regions/places/types of employers who won't accept it? |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Look at just about any accredited university and see what distance masters programs they have. Here in the US even state universities offer masters degrees through distance learning. |
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anospi
Joined: 03 Dec 2004
Posts: 152
Location: Perth, Western Australia
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 10:10 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| What part of the world/Where do you expect to use it in? |
Strange question! I'll be 'using' it wherever I decide to work. Be it at home in Australia, Europe, Asia or anywhere else life takes me.
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| Do you know of any regions/places/types of employers who won't accept it? |
No, and to be honest, any employer who refused to employ someone because they completed a distance degree would strike me as being pretty close minded, and I wouldn't want to work for them anyway. |
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Justin Trullinger
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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Not really that strange a question- one of the reasons, though not the only one, that many of us are doing Masters degrees is to get better jobs and higher salaries. Fair or not, some countries, not necessarily employers, don't give a distance degree the same weight for visa considerations. Heck, some don't consider them qualifications at all.
You ought to check out the countries you're heading for.
Best,
Justin |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Justin Trullinger wrote: |
| Not really that strange a question- one of the reasons, though not the only one, that many of us are doing Masters degrees is to get better jobs and higher salaries. |
Well, imagine that: actually making yourself more marketable. What an amazing concept. Now if only more people would do it.
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| Fair or not, some countries, not necessarily employers, don't give a distance degree the same weight for visa considerations. Heck, some don't consider them qualifications at all. |
But how would they know it's a distance degree if it's from, say, the State University of New York system?
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You ought to check out the countries you're heading for.
Best,
Justin |
That's true even for non-distance degrees. The United States has sometimes been notorious for not accepting college degrees from foreign countries. |
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anospi
Joined: 03 Dec 2004
Posts: 152
Location: Perth, Western Australia
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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| But how would they know it's a distance degree if it's from, say, the State University of New York system? |
Exactly. Whether you do an MA on campus or by distance with Macquarie, you get exactly the same certificate at the end of it all. No mention whatsoever that it was done by distance. After all, the same content is taught in both forms of the course, the same assignments are done by all students, and they are marked by the same assessors, using the same criteria.
Besides, in this day and age, who can really afford to take a year off to study on campus? Studying by distance is a growing phenomenon, and employers "should" be aware of this. |
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