Job Discussion Forums

[Tina23]

Hello, it�s been a while since I last logged on here. I return with questions.
I�ve been teaching on and off since completing my Trinity CertTESOL in 2006, in both Latvia and Germany. Now I�m getting to the point where I am pondering my choices for the future.
Has anyone ever done the MA TESOL at Edinburgh Uni, or heard anything about it?Due to various commitments here in Germany, I want to stay mainly here, but the programme offers you a choice of full-time, part-time and online studies. That�s the one I want to do http://www.education.ed.ac.uk/crd/tesol/programmes/MEd-MixedMode.html
What do you think? In the long-ish term I'd like to return to the UK to work at a university,, but I also wouldn't mind living abroad a couple more years, possibly in Asia or Latin America. How useful would a MA TESOL be in this respect? Or would aiming for a DELTA be the better option?Too many options, aaarrgh!

[spiral78]

I have friends and colleagues who did the Edinburgh MA TESL/TEFL, both on site and by distance. It's got a great reputation, and the people I know who took the program have done well in terms of jobs - and doing them well.

You could also consider U. Birmingham (England) - I can personally vouch for both quality and reputability of this MA TESL/TEFL or Applied Linguistics.

[Tina23]

Thank you spiral78, that's great to hear. There are several things that attracted me to Edinburgh. First of all, I know and like the city a great deal, having worked there every summer from 2003-2006, it's close to home (Glasgow), so I still have lots of friends in the area, and it's a "real", well known and respected university, not a purely online-based operation. And of course the distance learning course is tailor made for working teachers!
I shall check the course at Birmingham as well; I also looked at Stirling uni and a couple of others.
Take care& thanks again!

tina

[Mr_Monkey]

I'm currently doing the MSc Language Teaching at Edinburgh, and I love it to bits. I have options to take MEd TESOL units (and I had to take the Language, Education and Society unit from the MA Applied Linguistics). I found them excellent - very interesting, very well-taught and well-assessed.

I'd recommend Edinburgh to anyone looking for a postgraduate qualification. If I have the time (and the money), I'll do a couple of postgraduate certificates from there before I leave for Japan in 2011 - there are simply too many interesting and relevant courses to fit in to a standard MA/MSc.

As far as working in university language centres is concerned, I think the DELTA would probably be a more recognised qualification. However, certain universities (unsure if Edinburgh is one of them) will give you significant credit for holding a DELTA/DipTESOL, and exempt you from certain credit courses, as they would be considered a repetition of your previous qualification. Basically, it's not necessarily an either/or dilemma.

[Tina23]

Thanks Mr Monkey, that's good to hear If I've read correctly, the Edinburgh course can be completed as a Diploma in TESOL, if you don't want to write a dissertation. Also, if you only do one semester, you still get a postgraduate certificate. I think that's quite good, if something unforeseen happens then you could still get some credit for your work.

I know what you mean, there's sooo much I still want to learn, nd I'm really torn between all these options. I know that I want to stay in teaching, and that one day, I want to return to the UK, my "adopted" home country. Now I need to figure out the best way to get there, whilst making the most out of my time So many places, so little time! I need a TARDIS, I think.

[adrianmark]

Check out the MA in TESOL & Applied Linguistics offered at the University of Leicester.

I am 3 months away from completing my MA and can personally vouch for this uni.

Very good!!

[J.M.A.]

A question for those of you completing your distance M.A.:
Let's say a few years in the future you decide you would like to a research based degree (ie. PhD). Could you get into a program on the basis of your distance M.A.? What about working at University? At general, would a distance M.A. be a problem for someone looking to work at uni?

[Justin Trullinger]

I'm in the process of gettng a distance masters- most graduates from the degree program I'm doing, at least those I know, seem to be involved in universities one way or another.

As a good distance masters degree program is generally research based, many of them have excellent rates of acceptance to good PhD programs.

Obviously, quality varies amongst degree programs, like everything else. But I think you're missing the point that a decent research-based (distance) program is generally in the same category of any other degree from the same uni.

Unless you're considering working in a country where immigration has some objection to distance programs, a good distance program from a good uni will open a lot of doors.


Best,
Justin

[J.M.A.]

[Justin Trullinger]

Aston University, UK.

I've been very satisfied with the staff, support, and the course content.

A bit less satisfied with myself, to tell you the truth. Distance study is HARD. When life gets busy, I tend to fall behind with my studies.


Best,
Justin

[J.M.A.]

[spiral78]

Let's say a few years in the future you decide you would like to a research based degree (ie. PhD). Could you get into a program on the basis of your distance M.A.? What about working at University? At general, would a distance M.A. be a problem for someone looking to work at uni?

Very strange. UBham is in the top flight of schools in the field. I completed my distance MA with them several years back. I've now been accepted to a Phd program, and have worked in two university Language Centres (one in Canada, one in the Netherlands) on the strength of my Birmingham diploma ...so far!

Are you sure you're checking B-ham England, and not the U.S. version in Alabama??

I'll be very curious what you find out. I would hate for 'my' school to fall into disrepute!!

[J.M.A.]

[spiral78]

Thanks. I will be interested!

[Tina23]

Thanks to everybody who posted. Your comments have been very insightful. I have emailed the department and am waiting for a reply.