Job Discussion Forums

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

There are adjuncts at HCT who have BAs in Education with a specialisation, years of experience teaching in high school and at tertiary level and much to offer in extra curricular activities who can't get permanent employment. And there are teachers with first degrees in subjects not taught at HCT and no back ground in education but with Masters in TESOL, some with no teaching component, who are employed. That piece of paper is very important.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Early in the morning here abouts. But it doesn't change the reality of 2000 sterling looking like a HUGE bargain to me...

If all else fails children, you can always use your common sense.

VS

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

Many years ago, I paid much more to do an MA in the UK so I'd also say it's a bargain.

mishmumkin · Joined: 01 Sep 2007 Posts: 929

My British masters was much cheaper than the average American MA TESOL. Money well spent, I say. The dips hold a value in certain teaching "markets," but not all. If you are a career TEFLer then it's worth it.

globalnomad2 · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 562

Nobody seems to have heard of "assistantships" in the US master's degree programs. Especially in midwestern universities, they are fairly common. MA students in ESL/EFL teach a few hours per week and in return they get free tuition plus a salary stipend of roughly $800 a month--enough to share a half-decent apartment and eat. I did two master's for free that way (one in higher-education admin and the other in EFL, out of a linguistics department) and some of my classmates with assistantships were Brits and Australians. They do accept native speakers from other countries. I think this business of saying American MA programs are way too expensive is an oversimplification if you do your research and find out just how many departments offer these assistantships. (You can start with www.gradschools.com.) At my university, they were REQUIRED OF ALL STUDENTS in the department. I realize that some non-American posters here have children and other responsibilities that would preclude them from traveling al lthe way to the US just for an MA. But I think it's an important point: free MAs--with experience to put on your resume to boot--are not uncommon in the US.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

I got my MA with a Fellowship - though at AUC in Cairo. And, I do know people who got theirs in the US with one. But... each department had only 2 or 3 of them, while the vast majority of students are stuck with paying... through the nose. (it provides them with free teachers in their EFL department after all... which is why when all of them graduate there are so few jobs.. Rolling Eyes

rather a Catch-22.)

But... we digress... again...

VS

kh1311 · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 16

Most graduate assistantships are reserved for PhD students. In the hard sciences, master's students may get them, but it is rare for MA TESOL students.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Not really... I know of many places that have them. I'd say most places that give MAs and have a largish Intensive English program. As I said... they, in effect, provide themselves with free teachers for the IEP while as students they are sitting in classes that would be running anyway for the MA program. It really is a win/win situation for both sides.

Assuming that you think an MA is of any use for you professionally...

VS

globalnomad2 · Joined: 23 Jul 2005 Posts: 562

Yes, VS is right. And I would not even say "not really." I would say "absolutely not." Such assistantships are common. And my university was not the only one in which the assistantships were REQUIRED of all MA students in the program. Jeez...listen to people....if I went through such a program myself, and I also have an M.S.Ed. in higher-education administration, I guess I would know, don't you think?

NadiaK · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 206

I know a number of English teachers at HCT with a Diploma and no MA. Hiring practices for the last few years have allowed for this, and this is definitely the case currently.

A while back they decided to make everyone get an MA, but that went away. That's not to say that it won't rear its ugly head again, mind...

The difference in salary has already been noted on this thread. The other thing to perhaps be aware of (particularly since many people are being asked to work overtime at the moment) is that the overtime rate for a holder of a relevant MA is quite a bit higher.

al bidarnd · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 53

to answer the question, I'd say absolutely yes.

I recouped all the costs within a year of my $10,000 masters in the first job I landed after I graduated with it. Since then it has opened all sorts of doors for me - i initially did it simply because i wanted a masters - It was one of the best decisions of my life. It is an investment that'll last for decades. The one described on this thread sounds almost free!

There is also the added bonus of knowing your subject better and realizing you didn't know it all with a TESL certificate. Fortunately or unfortunately, a masters also lets you know how much more there is to know.

I wish I'd done my masters years before. Having said that, I'd happily do another one in retirement.

tmac-100 · Joined: 23 Nov 2006 Posts: 137

meyanga · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 103 Location: Malaysia

adorabilly · Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 430 Location: Ras Al Khaimah

The problem is that for many of the tertiary positions, you need that MA to even get an interview.

There are lots of BA certificate people who are currently working for places like HCT, but usually they are adjunct, or they applied in a time of need.

I have several really good friends who are excellent teachers, but w/out the MA tesl, applied linguistics etc... they can't even get an interview.