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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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 Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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45 K is way too much, way too much for an online degree. My degree cost me 15 K plus living expenses while I was in a different country.
There is no justification for spending 45K on an online degree. You'll do better investing that amount of money.
Last edited by plumpy nut on Fri Jul 19, 2013 11:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| soheeb16 wrote: |
| I agree online is inferior... |
Because...? |
yeah, I'd love to hear your reasoning behind that assumption.
I did my MA distance over three years through a reputable British uni. I got more out of the background reading and field research in those three years than anyone could ever possibly get from doing it full-time in one year on campus. I was able to do research on a hugely varied range of topics and, because I had 6 months for each module, was able to make my research projects last months, not weeks and thereby got far better data and findings.
And someone who can balance the demands of a Master's over three years with the demands of a full time job and normal life gets the edge in my book over someone who can sit in a classroom for a year and be spoonfed.
And, hey, it got me a job in Saudi too, so the rumours aren't always true that distance Master's don't get recognised here. |
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soheeb16
Joined: 17 Jun 2013
Posts: 57
Location: New York, NY
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| Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Sorry, I meant it is viewed as inferior, especially in Saudi. I also understand that some employers care if its online while others don't. If there weren't Saudi employers that accepted it, I wouldn't go for it all. Really, my only concern with the online degree is that the embassy would give me trouble. I was reassured that as long as its from an accredited school and doesn't say "online" on it, they won't create an issue; but the embassy is not known for its consistency. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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| soheeb16 wrote: |
| Really, my only concern with the online degree is that the embassy would give me trouble. I was reassured that as long as its from an accredited school and doesn't say "online" on it, they won't create an issue; but the embassy is not known for its consistency. |
Your focus on completing an MA for the sole purpose of getting some great-paying job in Saudi Arabia is causing you unnecessary concern. If it's found that your visa application got rejected because you completed a degree online, then you obviously would have to consider TEFL opportunities elsewhere where it wouldn't be problematic. In other words, your degree would not exclude you from TEFL work in other countries. Opportunities for you just may not be in Saudi Arabia at that time. |
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soheeb16
Joined: 17 Jun 2013
Posts: 57
Location: New York, NY
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| Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Agreed, my options are many, but Saudi is still my first option; I think its fair to try and make sure my my program/degree choice has at least a fair chance of getting me my intended first choice. If it doesn't work out, an ESL MA opens many opportunities, but I am not discussing these opportunities here because, you know, this is the Saudi forum. |
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robbie_davies
Joined: 13 Jun 2013
Posts: 133
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| Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 12:37 am Post subject: |
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| soheeb16 wrote: |
| Agreed, my options are many, but Saudi is still my first option; I think its fair to try and make sure my my program/degree choice has at least a fair chance of getting me my intended first choice. If it doesn't work out, an ESL MA opens many opportunities, but I am not discussing these opportunities here because, you know, this is the Saudi forum. |
I don't see the problem to be honest.
The Saudi's are being upfront, they want the MA done on campus or else you will be disqualified from an Iqama, they also want it done at an university in an English speaking country.
If it is cost, why don't you go and do it in the UK, it is about 15000 dollars at a lot of places and that is with international fees. There are 61 universities in the UK that have an MA TESOL programme, a lot more that do MA Linguistics. |
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soheeb16
Joined: 17 Jun 2013
Posts: 57
Location: New York, NY
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| Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 3:05 am Post subject: |
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Moving to the UK for a Master's is not an option. I have a full-time job here. Plus the cost of moving will make up for any money I would save. And there are a ton of other reasons I can't and wouldn't move to the UK just for the Master's. I would rather choose another country to work in if Saudi takes issue with my degree.
But that's the whole reason behind this thread! It's to try to get answers on if Saudi does have an issue with online, and if an education degree with a concentration in ESOL would count as a TESOL degree and get passed the new "relevant degrees only" rule (well, I don't think I actually asked this second question. I doubt anyone would know what "counts" except the embassy, and I am already quite certain that would depend on who is deciding and what mood they are in that day). |
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robbie_davies
Joined: 13 Jun 2013
Posts: 133
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| Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:16 am Post subject: |
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| soheeb16 wrote: |
| Moving to the UK for a Master's is not an option. I have a full-time job here. Plus the cost of moving will make up for any money I would save. And there are a ton of other reasons I can't and wouldn't move to the UK just for the Master's. I would rather choose another country to work in if Saudi takes issue with my degree. |
I hope based on educated choices. An MA TESOL from the UK is as good as anywhere else and comparatively good value.
Simple, if you do it online or in a non-Anglophone country - Saudi has an issue.
| Quote: |
| But that's the whole reason behind this thread! It's to try to get answers on if Saudi does have an issue with online, and if an education degree with a concentration in ESOL would count as a TESOL degree and get passed the new "relevant degrees only" rule (well, I don't think I actually asked this second question. I doubt anyone would know what "counts" except the embassy, and I am already quite certain that would depend on who is deciding and what mood they are in that day). |
It is not 'if' Saudi has an issue, they already have an issue which they are currently enforcing.
On the other hand, people slip through the net, so it is up to you to make an educated decision.
When choosing my masters, I went home and did it on campus after a year in Saudi Arabia saving up for it, I thought to myself, if I am going to spend time and money on doing it - I don't want my choices biting on the backside down the line because of an issue with time or money. |
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Beaker
Joined: 13 Jan 2013
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:33 am Post subject: |
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| robbie_davies wrote: |
| soheeb16 wrote: |
| Moving to the UK for a Master's is not an option. I have a full-time job here. Plus the cost of moving will make up for any money I would save. And there are a ton of other reasons I can't and wouldn't move to the UK just for the Master's. I would rather choose another country to work in if Saudi takes issue with my degree. |
I hope based on educated choices. An MA TESOL from the UK is as good as anywhere else and comparatively good value.
Simple, if you do it online or in a non-Anglophone country - Saudi has an issue.
| Quote: |
| But that's the whole reason behind this thread! It's to try to get answers on if Saudi does have an issue with online, and if an education degree with a concentration in ESOL would count as a TESOL degree and get passed the new "relevant degrees only" rule (well, I don't think I actually asked this second question. I doubt anyone would know what "counts" except the embassy, and I am already quite certain that would depend on who is deciding and what mood they are in that day). |
It is not 'if' Saudi has an issue, they already have an issue which they are currently enforcing.
On the other hand, people slip through the net, so it is up to you to make an educated decision.
When choosing my masters, I went home and did it on campus after a year in Saudi Arabia saving up for it, I thought to myself, if I am going to spend time and money on doing it - I don't want my choices biting on the backside down the line because of an issue with time or money. |
If you think an MA is worth getting for your career, then it's looking like you have to seriously plan and go back home to take one in a bricks and mortar university and suck up the monetary inconvenience. I don't think we cant just look at the situation in KSA and Taiwan right now, but the increasing competition in the future. None of us want to find ourselves overtaken on paper and getting passed over for jobs if this career pathway becomes more popular given the economic situation back home.
Does the world really care or understand which university you got that MA from in the majority of cases? If not, then there are some cheap fees and local living costs near certain universities I'm exploring already. |
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123Loto
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 160
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| Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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| soheeb16 wrote: |
| The New School is 45K for their TESOL degree. |
Ouch. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 4:38 pm Post subject: |
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when considering fees for MAs, you will find it a sting when you pay it, but remember that if you keep building on it afterwards, it will more than pay for itself.
For example, I just checked the current fees for the MA I did back in 2002. Even at international student rate, it would take me less than two months work at my current salary to pay all the fees.
A Master's is an investment not an expense. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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| soheeb16 wrote: |
| ...if an education degree with a concentration in ESOL would count as a TESOL degree and get passed the new "relevant degrees only" rule... |
That degree major sounds like it's for teaching primary or secondary school (grades k-12) in a bilingual learning environment. You need to check the actual course content/curriculum and not rely solely on what the degree program is named. |
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soheeb16
Joined: 17 Jun 2013
Posts: 57
Location: New York, NY
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| Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 3:40 am Post subject: |
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Yea that is true for my end on if its useful, but the embassy isn't going to look past the degree. Maybe the transcript, I wouldn't know.
As for my own benefit (and maybe for the inquiry by a potential employer)... I looked at it and it seems general. It doesn't specify.
For those interested, the degree is only 8K and it is from an accredited university that has a real campus:
http://www.fhsu.edu/virtualcollege/degrees/Masters/education/ |
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robbie_davies
Joined: 13 Jun 2013
Posts: 133
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| Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| soheeb16 wrote: |
Yea that is true for my end on if its useful, but the embassy isn't going to look past the degree. Maybe the transcript, I wouldn't know.
As for my own benefit (and maybe for the inquiry by a potential employer)... I looked at it and it seems general. It doesn't specify.
For those interested, the degree is only 8K and it is from an accredited university that has a real campus:
http://www.fhsu.edu/virtualcollege/degrees/Masters/education/ |
I will give Saudi employers a bouquet on this one, they are pretty clear about what they want.
The MA in the link isn't a TESOL or a Linguistics degree. It is an Education degree and they stress this pretty thoroughly in the adverts I have seen
about what they want - TESOL or Linguistics.
Take this MA if you want, don't get upset if the only employers willing to sponsor you are Harvey Wallbanger and his chums. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| robbie_davies wrote: |
| It is an Education degree and they stress this pretty thoroughly in the adverts I have seen about what they want - TESOL or Linguistics. |
I have two colleagues (direct hires) with MA Ed degrees; however, both are career teachers with related BAs and years of ESL teaching experience mostly gained in US public schools. So, I'd argue it's possible to get hired with an education degree, but there better be some solid goods behind that degree. I would suggest those with a master's in ed also indicate their specific TESOL coursework on their CV so that employers can determine their qualifications on an individual basis. |
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