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daemonic
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
Posts: 25
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 Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:46 pm Post subject: Long Distance Masters Degrees |
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| Once upon a time I found a post with a link to a list of Universities offering long distance Masters Degrees. Does anyone out there still have the link? or any other relevant info? |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Any particulat country you're looking at? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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Go here and click on "Type of Program" at the bottom. I could have provided the direct link, but there's so much other valuable info that you'll find along the way.
TESOL Directory of Degree & Certificate Programs
http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/seccss.asp?CID=1770&DID=9326 |
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daemonic
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
Posts: 25
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| Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:18 am Post subject: Thanx |
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| That's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you. |
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word_to_the_wise
Joined: 28 May 2007
Posts: 67
Location: Riyadh
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 5:58 am Post subject: |
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Be prepared for a huge amount of work and countless weekends slaving over sociolinguistic books while everyone else is enjoying themselves.
It's a really tough option. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:19 am Post subject: |
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It's true that it's a lot of work, but the MA at the end does pay off in terms of career  |
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Marcoregano
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 872
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:26 am Post subject: |
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| word_to_the_wise wrote: |
| It's a really tough option. |
To be honest, I didn't find it that tough, and the year and a half or so that it took me to finish my MEd TESOL was one of the more enjoyable periods I've spent in HK.
It probably depends a lot on how much time you have to put into your regular job and/or whether you have mouths to feed. I don't have kids and only had to work p/t during that period - and these things make all the studying and homework much more feasible and enjoyable. |
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Greg 09
Joined: 30 Jan 2009
Posts: 169
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:41 am Post subject: |
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For anyone who has the time and inclination to indulge a few questions...
Is an MEd TESL pretty much the way to go? Forget other MEd programs?
Is an accredited online Master's from a good school as good as a resident program? Both in real quality and recognizable value?
My BA is not in Ed, can I get in? If I have a CELTA and am currently teaching somewhere, will this get me an admissions break?
Are there other PD options which do as much good as an MEd for advancement? DELTA?
Is there a question I've not thought of?
Of course these can all be answered with "it depends". Just looking for some guidance based on anyone's real experience.
Thanks in advance |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:27 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Is an MEd TESL pretty much the way to go? Forget other MEd programs? |
Masters degrees in education related areas are generally designed for specific postions. If your goal is to teach English language at a university or college, then yeah, you should be looking at a masters degree in teaching English language. That may not be a M.Ed though- in fact it's more likely that it won't be. MA TESOL is very common, as is MA in Applied Lingusitics.
Other MEd programs may be for things very different than teaching English language to non-native speakers.
I know some people get M.Ed in Adult Education instead of TESOL or Applied Linguistics. It depends on your background and experience (and, of course, goals after you've finished). Again, for most people on this board, it will be a TESOL / TEFL / TESL/ Applied Linguistics degree that they'll be looking at.
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Is an accredited online Master's from a good school as good as a resident program? Both in real quality and recognizable value?
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If you can afford to lose a year or two of full-time employment, then go with an on-campus program. Otherwise, do it by distance. If you're doing it by distance, probably it's better to do it with a university that has both on-campus and distance options available, but not necessarily. The best advice is that if you need to do it by distance and a university you are already familiar with (in a positive way) has a program, then go with that one. Next, go with another school in your home province or state, or country, so you know insider information about the school or the university education system itself. If THAT isn't possible (ie you're Canadian) then research schools and ask real teachers from those areas about the school.
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My BA is not in Ed, can I get in? If I have a CELTA and am currently teaching somewhere, will this get me an admissions break?
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Different schools have different requirements. Generally, MAs in TESOL or Applied Linguistics do NOT require related undergraduate degrees, but they DO require two or three years of full time (or equialent) experience teaching English language. M.Ed programs MAY require a B.Ed, but the way education is taught varies greatly from region to region, so again, check the minimum requirements of programs you are interested in, and remember that they are MINIMUM requirments. Especially for on-campus programs, if huge numbers of people apply, then otherwise qualified applicants will get turned down (because of a lower grade point average).
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| Are there other PD options which do as much good as an MEd for advancement? DELTA? |
It depends on what your goals are. You can get a masters degree (again, probably in language or English language teaching, not necessarily a M.Ed) or you can get a DELTA, or you can get a Post-Graduate Diploma or Certificate in the area. If your goal is to work at a university, then you will probably end up needing an MA (or M.Ed) in language teaching (Applied Linguiscs, TESOL etc). Some areas may accept a DELTA instead (but most won't). |
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Marcoregano
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 872
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:45 am Post subject: |
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| Greg 09 wrote: |
Is an MEd TESL pretty much the way to go? Forget other MEd programs?
Is an accredited online Master's from a good school as good as a resident program? Both in real quality and recognizable value? |
GBoom has made some detailed responses - I'll just make a brief IMO on the two above.
Is an MEd TESOL the way to go? It depends where you want to go - there's not much point in doing a masters unless you want to work at tertiary (uni) level. So far as most university language centre TEFL jobs go, it doesn't matter much what kind of masters you have - whether it's an MEd TESOL, MA TESOL, MSc TESOL etc. - there's not much difference. Unless you want to get into linguistics, in which case best to have an MA in linguistics.
As to whether or not a distance prog is as good as a resident prog - people are always divided. In terms of enjoyment and learning I'd say that generally a residential programme is bound to be better. But most employers don't care which you hold, so long as it's from a recognised university. |
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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 Feb 18, 2009 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Marcoregano wrote: |
| Greg 09 wrote: |
Is an MEd TESL pretty much the way to go? Forget other MEd programs?
Is an accredited online Master's from a good school as good as a resident program? Both in real quality and recognizable value? |
GBoom has made some detailed responses - I'll just make a brief IMO on the two above.
Is an MEd TESOL the way to go? It depends where you want to go - there's not much point in doing a masters unless you want to work at tertiary (uni) level. |
Perhaps that's true if you're still doing TEFL but if you want to return to your home country, particularly the US, and you wanted to teach ESL in the government indoctrination centers then some states (like my home state of New York) will require you to get your master's.
| Quote: |
| As to whether or not a distance prog is as good as a resident prog - people are always divided. In terms of enjoyment and learning I'd say that generally a residential programme is bound to be better. But most employers don't care which you hold, so long as it's from a recognised university. |
Some of the distance programs are actually more intensive in that the same course content as the residential programs is taught on a compressed schedule (e.g. eight weeks as opposed to an entire semester). |
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EnglishBrian
Joined: 19 May 2005
Posts: 189
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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If you're concerned about getting a qualification that says 'by distance' on the certificate, check first if the university does that. I'm doing my MA with the University of Nottingham and they say in their FAQs that the 'residential' and 'distance' certificates are exactly the same - it doesn't have the words 'by distance' on it anywhere.
Of course without some re-jigging of your CV any employer could 'work it out', but... |
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daemonic
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
Posts: 25
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:15 pm Post subject: The Nottingham Uni |
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| I've been looking at their program. How much is it? I don't remember having been able to find it on the site. |
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EnglishBrian
Joined: 19 May 2005
Posts: 189
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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I started a couple of years back and it was �5400, plus books of course (it is 'pay as you go', module by module though). I think it may be just slightly higher now. It is one of the higher costing ones in the UK I know, like Uni of Reading and perhaps Aston too, but of all the universities and ex polytechnics I've studied various things in over the years, I think its the best. The modules are put together by people who are genuinely authorities on the subjects they're teaching. Plus, after the introductory module, all the modules are 'options'.
The big thing for me with it is that the module deadlines are 'flexible' to an extent. You can study what you want, when you want, sometimes quicker sometimes slower.
I've known a few people on the Sheffield Hallam course, which is cheaper and you get an exemption if you've done the DELTA, but you are working there to deadlines which are fixed and the same for everyone. Two of the people I knew suspended their studies due to work pressures, and one was in a right state every time a deadline approached. |
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daemonic
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
Posts: 25
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| Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for that. That's a good bit of info. |
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