Job Discussion Forums

searchingnow · Joined: 18 Mar 2009 Posts: 3

I'm comparing TESOL/ELT full-time MA courses in the UK, and am looking for opinions on the reputation/course content of some universities, especially Essex, Leeds and Warwick.

Having taught for several years, I'm particularly interested in courses that look at the practical application of theory, as well as CALL, testing and curriculum design.

Does anyone have experience of/opinions on the reputations or courses at these or other UK unis?

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:21 pm Post subject:

All three of your options are extremely reputable unis. I know least about Warwick, but Essex and Leeds both have creditable reputations in the area.

I might add one to your list, though- CALL, testing, and curriculum design all have received a lot of interesting publications coming out of Birmingham these days.

(Personally, I'm doing a distance Masters, through Aston. A great distance program, imo. I imagine the onsite course is also excellent, but I don't know anything about it first hand.)

Best,
Justin

searchingnow · Joined: 18 Mar 2009 Posts: 3

I've noticed that Birmingham comes up a lot in this kind of posting. On their site http://www.cels.bham.ac.uk/staff/ only 7 staff are mentioned and none expresses an interest in research into CALL or testing - am I missing something Question

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:13 pm Post subject:

Perhaps I am. There were some really interesting articles on CALL and technology in the classroom that I read a few years ago that I could swear were from Birmingham. (But my computer has died in the interim, so we're relying on my memory here, which is less shiny and new than my new computer if you know what I mean.)

Best,
Justin

rmcdougall · Joined: 28 Feb 2009 Posts: 71

Do you really need it?

Look at the job market. Offer to work a few hundred dollars less than the boss wants and you can become a director in many cases.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

The MA can bring significant job security that you won't get by 'offering to work for a couple hundred less' as a director in some private language school. We're talking actual university teaching posts and things like that here.

I did the Birmingham program (finished a couple of years ago) and the element I don't recall being focused on is CALL. However, this is not an interest of mine and there may have been a component that I didn't opt for. Birmingham requires students to do the basics of the theory, but then to choose of several options in each module to focus more deeply on. CALL might have been one option I opted out of:)

Testing and curriculum development were two of my primary focuses (and I find myself with challenging and interesting projects in both fields this spring, hurrah).

You might inquire about this element.

I also happen to know some of the senior staff at Warwick, and it's a partner university of the one where I work. I don't know much about their MA program, but the overall rep of the faculty is sterling.

searchingnow · Joined: 18 Mar 2009 Posts: 3

Indeed: the idea is to open up more work/study options at a higher level; offering to work for less than anyone else would isn't a good start. My motivation is to find out more about the subject, especially the areas I mentioned before, and then see where that study leads... hopefully not to making financial bids for jobs. I'll keep comparing courses...