Job Discussion Forums

sisyphus · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 170

Just out of interest , as I have quite a business background aswell as EFL, I wanted to ask what quals you would need to teach Business etc? I presume something like an MBA. I have an Economics first degree. Would you also need some form of teaching qualification?

Yours, The Sisyphus

Sheikh N Bake · Joined: 26 Apr 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: Dis ting of ours

Yes, MBA, preferably PhD if you are talking about tertiary institutions. The PhD is the international currency for teaching at universities in any place that seeks US accreditation, which most of the UAE colleges/univs. seem to. MBAs may be acceptable in the business admin field of teaching.

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

HCT will hire MBAs (they get few CVs from PhD holders for business) and I think there are a few with an undergrad but teaching quals - but not many.

They do like people with industry experience who can present a view of the "real" world rather than one out of a book.

Their ads always request a PhD but they are thin on the ground (and in HCT faculty rooms).

The universities, on the other hand, are almost always PhDs for full professors with some Master's as associate professors or lecturers.

sisyphus · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 170

Sheikh...much appreciated, unfortunately I dont have an MBA or an MA Applied Linguistics (just about to start one) so i'm a couple of years away from applying..Im also interested in DOS, Management roles as ive ran my own school etc...are there any of those type of jobs in the Gulf or are they mostly locals who do them?

sisyphus · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 170

Helenl..thanks

Eisenhorn · Joined: 25 Oct 2009 Posts: 146 Location: HCT Land. UAE

homeless vet · Joined: 01 Apr 2009 Posts: 80

For a content position, you've got to have a graduate degree plus at least 18 grad hours in the content area in which you're teaching. You don't have to have an MBA, per se.

Eisenhorn · Joined: 25 Oct 2009 Posts: 146 Location: HCT Land. UAE

HV.

To be hired as a content instructor (with that as your position in HR) you are correct.

But as I stated before, I know MA TESL/Applied linguistics folks who are teaching Business, computer or maths classes who do not have the background.

I also think it may depend on which program you are teaching it in. Diploma vs Bachelors of Ed program for example.

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

HCT was thrilled to learn that in addition to my MA in TEFL, I had 15 years of experience in business. I taught as many business classes as EFL. Both SQU and AUS wanted to hire me directly into their business department, but the lack of at least an MBA was a killer with their upper admin.

VS

Hatcher · Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 602

The folks who are teaching business and math without the background in those fields - are they on FT or PT?

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

Neither in my experience. If you don't have a relevant Master's or industry experience - you are not going to get a look in 99.999% of the time.

Eisenhorn · Joined: 25 Oct 2009 Posts: 146 Location: HCT Land. UAE

Hatcher.

I know of several people at two or three different branches who are FULL time instructors who have MA in TESL/Applied linguistics and were hired originally as English Faculty who are teaching Business, Math, Computer Literacy and/or Education courses FULL time.

They are still listed in HR as being English Faculty, but they are on the teams in these other departments and teaching content classes (not english for specfic puposes, but actual content courses)

Now again, it must be said they are folks who have been in the system a while, and are known to have SOME background in the subjects, but they do not possess the MA in that field. (I know of one in particular who has NO experience or education in the field who is teaching content courses. Her SFTL's and student pass rates say she is doing a bang up job, but she doesn't have the MA or the experience.)

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

I agree with Hatcher, there are people with EFL related Master's teaching in content because they have experience in Business or whatever.

But if I recall correctly, you don't have a Master's in any field, correct?

Eisenhorn · Joined: 25 Oct 2009 Posts: 146 Location: HCT Land. UAE

Helen1.

I have never stated my degree, nor my college. I do possess an MA and am in my 4th year with HCT.

I stand by my statement that there are people who do not have the required MA in the content area who are teaching content courses in Business, Computer Literacy, Math and Education for HCT.

But I will agree with the original question. You will NOT be hired to teach content w/out the required content based MA. But once you are hired, you can be moved anywhere they need an instructor including into content areas where you might have only a limited experience/coursework.

Hatcher · Joined: 20 Mar 2008 Posts: 602

A few months back, the biz job at HCT required an MBA. Now, it says, "any appropriate masters".

As for me, I have an MBA and over 10 years of experience at universities in Asia teaching both ESL and business. I applied a year ago to teach biz at HCT and was told I could apply for as many jobs as I wanted. So I did. They offered me a job in Fujarah but I passed as I thought I would be offered one of the other jobs. I was only then told that I would not be offered another job for 6 months since I rejected an offer.
Six months later I applied again, and this time my application never made it to screening. Never rejected, never accepted. It just sat there.
I called and emailed, and never got a word either way. Six months passed and I applied again for next summer. I was immediately rejected in pre-screening. I emailed to ask why and they refused to tell me.
During the entire time, there were never less than eight campuses looking for biz profs.
Meanwhile, they are hiring MAs.