Job Discussion Forums

[dan]

i am interested in find work in a decent university in japan. soon, i will finish an MA in English and i am contemplating continuing on for a Ph.D. however, would an additional MA, in say, TESOL be equally to my advantage if i want to teach in japan? im not concerned with tenure or becoming a permanent resident. i am concerned, however, with going to school for 4 more years when only 1.5 would be equally effective

[Lucy Snow]

For some positions your current MA would be sufficient, but most full-time jobs now require that you have some publicatons under your belt also.
Have you checked www.ohaysensi.com to see what the unis are asking for now?

It's a lot tougher nowdays to get a university position. My husband happened to fall into his full-time job through his connection with a Japanese prof who taught at my husband's university.

Once I got there, it took about a year to make enough connections to cobble together a full-time load at various places

I'm sure PAULH, our resident Japanese University Guru, will be able to fill you in even more.

[Reesy]

Hi Dan,

While a Master's in TESOL or a related field would definitely be an advantage in securing a position at a Japanese university it would NOT be "equally effective" to securing a Phd. In the last few years, Japanese universities have gotten very serious about hiring foreign PHds.

This is largely due to recent legislation commonly referred to as the Toyama Plan. Starting this year the amount of government funding received by universities is directly tied to the qualifications held by the academic staff and the research that they produce.

Because a large proportion of Japanese teachers/academics do not possess Phds (they are hired based on their work "experience"), many universities are seeking to makeup the shortfall by staffing ELT positions with Phds.

While many unversities are still hiring staff without PHds, the number of these positions has declined significantly due to the Toyama Plan. Couple that with decreasing student enrolment due to demographics and the competition for full-time jobs which don't require a Phd is VERY fierce.

I assume that you do not speak Japanese and have no experience teaching at the post secondary level in Japan. If I am wrong, I apologize. If my assumption is correct, you have almost no chance of getting a position at a Japanese university due to the competition. As Lucy pointed out, besides an MA in TESOL or a related field, you will also be required to have written at least 3 academic articles in reputable journals. Books and presentations would also be helpful. Most jobs also require at least 2 years teaching experience at the post secondary level in Japan and some require intermediate to advanced Japanese speaking skills.

I don't mean to sound unencouraging but you do need to know what you are up against. There are many highly qualified and experienced teachers looking for work at Japanese universities. Many people are looking for jobs because they have been replaced by PHds even though they have been widely published and possess years of experience teaching university in this country.

A Phd, however, puts you in a different league. The competition is not as stiff, and assuming you are relatively young, you will have the advantage that your pay (as determined by the Ministry of Education) will be less than older, more experienced candidates. This point is very appealing to cash strapped Deans and administrators. Let me also point out that a young PHd will, in most cases, still be on a higher pay scale than an older non-PHd colleague.

My advice is this. With little experience in Japan and a non TESOL/Applied Linguistics MA, you have no shot of landing a full-time job. A Phd, however, would increase your marketability and lessen your competition. Four years is a long time though and I understand your dilemma. The alternative is to get a TESOL related MA, submit some of your essays to academic journals, teach at the university where you are studying, and take a shot at landing a non PHd position. If you choose to do this, however, please remember:

a) There is a glass ceiling and you may end up having to get a PHd anyway to remain employed beyond 3-5 years.
b) The competition should not be underestimated.

At any rate, I hope that this helps you a little with your decision.

Good luck and keep smiling!

[PAULH]

Dan and Lucy

I will concur on the above comments and say that I have little extra to add, except that I have not as yet heard anything of the Toyama plan- any more details that you have would be most welcome.

Jobs ARE getting harder to get, especially in the major cities as everyone woant to work there, Temple in Columbia are pumping out dozens of TESOL graduates every year making M.Ed and MAs a dime a dozen.

there are more people applying for jobs and when you consider you get a fresh batch of people thrown onto the job market after a 3-year contract (next year I will finish my fourth year) it makes jobs that much more competitive.

Schools IMO dont only take TESOL grads but i have seen other jobs where they want people also with backgrounds in computers, CALL, Comparative cultures, Americna Literature etc- those tend to be more mainstream subjects requiring specialised knowledge.

The JALT jobs page has a few listing every month which shows you the jobs that universities are advertising and the requirements. Many now ask for a PhD as well as publications (refereed in academic journals, not magazine articles) presentations, a summary in japanese of your articles etc.

I have started myself on a PhD in Applied Linguistics as with a Masters you are limited more or less to 3 year non-tenure positions and you end up stuck on the 3 year merry-go round for the rest of your teaching career. A PhD I hope will vault me into tenure track positions but that is a big IF.

However with a phD there is alos no guarantee that you will get a position. In 4-5 years I expect I will have a pHD but in that time I will be in my mid-40's and they are asking for someone with a pHD who is under 35. The number of such candidates I could probably count on one hand, while the number of Masters candidates is much higher. This is my opinion, but universities dont seem to realise the cost and effort that goes into acquiring a PHD from overseas and there are not that many young qualified candidates around.

Of course you have to weigh up whether the extra expense you will go to in getting the PhD is worth it in terms of extra salary, or finding the job that is right for you- you may find a job but its out in the boonies, have low-level students who dont want to study or may not be related to anything you ave done, just because the school wants a foreign PhD to put in their school brochure. Again without Japanese you will also be fairly restricted as to what you can do within the school e.g. faculty meeting proctoring tests etc as a lot of non-teaching duties require a functional command of the language. With no Japanese skills you will be pretty much be sidelined, not really called upon to participate in school activities or 'stuck in a corner' relying on English speaking professors to help you out.

[Sunpower]

[Lucy Snow]

Considering that the supply greatly exceeds the demand for Phds in the US, I'd imagine that Japanese universities can afford to pick and choose. When we were in Japan, we were constantly getting contacted by people in the US about how they could get into a full-time university job.

For instance, my husband's job well, the school paid our rent and health insurance, he didn't have to attend department meetings, and they gave him a ticket home every three years. He had plenty of time to pursue his writing career at the same time.

I think alot of Phd holders would kill for a situation like that.

[dan]

thanks for all the responses. unfortunately the situation sounds bleak, almost as rough as securing university employment here in the states.

i will say this, however: some of you come off as being almost territorial! several people from my university - freshly-minted PHDs, too - have found employment in japanese universities quicker than they did here. if american universities dont require book publications for assistant professors, i have a hard time believing that they do in japan. articles and essay publication is a different story

[PAULH]

Dan

I can only speak for myself but most of us have wives and children, not to mention mortgages that we are supporting here- i have two kids in school that I have to pay for. Its pretty scary when a single guy with no Japanese and no teaching experience in Japan straight from the US wins out over you with a higher degree than you even after you have been working here 5-10 years.

Books are equally acceptable (one of my publications is in a book put out by TESOL) but most teachers dont have the time, money and contacts to produce a book like they do in the US. Publishers here wouldnt even look at it unless it had a print run of 10,000 copies and a huge downpayment.Unless you are an ESL guru like Jack Richards (Teacher education) or Rod Ellis (Linguistics) its pretty hard to get anything published in book form that will sell.

There are many academeic and refereed journals that uni teachers send articles to, including JALT magazine which has two refereed publcications, as well as ones in Korea and Hong Kong.

[Reesy]

Please read my post below.

[Reesy]

Dan,

I'm sorry if my post was read as being "territorial" or protective. It was not meant to be so. I don't think Paul or Lucy intended to come across that way either. I just wanted to give you an honest picture of the current climate concerning competition for post secondary teaching positions. Your original question was "would an additional MA, in say, TESOL be equally to my advantage if i want to teach in japan?"

My answer was no. A Phd would be more to your advantage and increase your chances of getting a job for the reasons I laid out in my original post. I was clear, however, that you could try to get an MA in TESOL, get out some publications and take a shot. You may get a position. The chances are, however, that you won't. This isn't because I am being territorial and feel threatened by increased competition. It's my answer to your question of whether 1.5 years of study for an MA will be equally effective to 4 years of study to get a Phd. The answer is no.

[Glenski]

Dan,

Your statement raises a simple response.

[PAULH]

Just for your reference

I have posted some of the recent jobs seeking teachers wit PhDs in the Tokyo and Kansai areas- you will see that not only do your require a phD but sufficient Japanese ability, resumes in japanese- if you are lacking in any one of these you may not be considered. so its not just a matter of territoriality but also whether you have all the qualifications (academic and not) that they ask for.

I have taken out the names of the universities not as I feel territorial but for the sake of example of qualifications, and we are not supposed to put job postings on here.



K-G University, Hyogo.

Job Details: Duties: Teach eight, 90-minute classes per week in a coordinated English for Academic Purposes Program, and coordinate one course. Contribute to the improvement and management of the curriculum and the program; improve existing course materials and create new materials; provide and explain those materials to the course teachers; seek and incorporate feedback from teachers relevant to course planning and other issues; assess and respond to program, staff, and student needs; score and administer entrance exams; assign and process grades; participate in program meetings and meetings about the courses; and attend other campus events. Qualifications: MA (in relevant discipline such as TEFL/TESL or Applied Linguistics), minimum 2 years university EAP teaching experience, experience coordinating other teachers and/or working in a coordinated program, experience in curriculum design and materials development, evidence of professional development and native-like competence in English required. Salary & Benefits: 5,745,600yen/year. 450,000 yen research funding, and additional conference funding possible. Subsidized housing. Materials: Apply by mail with CV (with reference contacts), two letters of recommendation, and cover letter describing in detail the contributions you could make to the program. We regret that applications cannot be returned.

(University in Nagoya)

will be expanding the Open college program in April, 2004. Part-time teachers are being sought for intermediate level and above evening or weekend courses geared to business people. Depending on qualifications, openings are available for Autumn, 2003 as well.

Job Details: Qualifications: Resident of Japan with an MA in TEFL/TESOL or related field; experience with teaching business English, curriculum development, and program management. Some proficiency in Japanese is desirable. Application Materials: Resume (English and Japanese) with photo and cover letter.




#0083 - Tokyo-to

Job Description: The School of International Politics, Economics, and Business at A-G University invites applications for the position of tenured lecturer (sennin-koushi) or tenured assistant professor (jo-kyouju) in Linguistics and related fields (e.g., English Linguistics, Linguistics) beginning April 1, 2004.

Job Details: Position: The successful applicant will be expected to teach English and seminars at the undergraduate level and graduate courses in his/her field of expertise. Qualifications: Required qualifications include a doctor's degree, or a master's degree and three years of post-master experience in teaching and/or research with a record of excellent scholarship; TESL/TEFL experience; demonstrated competence in spoken and written English and Japanese; respect for the University's Christian mission. Salary & Benefits: Similar to other private universities in the Tokyo area. Application Procedure: The following materials are required for thefirst screening process: (1) a curriculum vitae; (2) a list of publications; and (3) abstracts of three major publications (e.g., refereed journal articles, conference papers, books, and dissertation chapters). Only those who are short listed will be contacted and requested to submit the following materials for the second screening process: (4) three major publications along with a one-page (A4-size paper) summary of each work; (5) a 10-15 minute audio-taped speech on the applicant's view of English education; (6) photocopies of degree certificates; and (7) two letters of recommendation. Those who are selected as finalists will be invited for interviews.

#0082 - Tokyo-to

Job Description: Tokyo-to-- The Faculty of Law ofUniversity is seeking a full-time tenured teacher of English at the lecturer or associate professor or professor level to assume duties on April 1, 2004. The successful applicant will also have a seminar class.

Job Details: Qualifications:(1) Specialty in TEFL/TESOL/TESL/ELT, applied linguistics, linguistics or communication; (2) doctoral degree or all doctoral course work finished as of April 1, 2004; (3) sufficient ability in Japanese and English to carry out all job-related duties inside and outside the classroom; (4) no nationality requirement; (5) acceptance of educational policy. Materials: Either Japanese or English (1) CV with photo; (2) a copy of the diploma for the highest degree received or a letter of certification from the institution; (3) list of publications and presentations, and copies of three representative publications (photocopies acceptable); (4) a sample syllabus for an English class; (5) letter(s) of recommendation. Conditions of Employment: Salary and other working conditions are determined by AG rules and regulations.

Deadline: June 10, 2003


#0081 - Shiga-ken

Job Description: R-University is seeking a full time tenured teacher of English at the associate professor or full professor level beginning April 1, 2004 in its Faculty of Intercultural Communication (Otsu campus).

Job Details: Qualifications: 45 years or older; Phd or equivalent research achievement in an English-related field; Five years or more of Japanese university teaching experience; ability to teach in an area related to intercultural communication; ability to participate in committees conducted in Japanese. A successful candidate must have Japanese language ability in reading and speaking sufficient to supervise student graduation theses and to lecture in Japanese. Finalists will be asked to demonstrate this ability during an interview. Duties: Teach four or five English language classes per week as well as a graduation seminar and/or graduate class; participate in all required administrative and curriculum committees and meetings. Salary and Benefits: Salary and benefits are according to the Ryukou University regulations and depend on age and years of teaching experience (mandatory retirement at 68.) Application Procedure: These are explained in the university homepage. Use the standard Ryukoku University Employment Form. Follow the links in Japanese to'recent announcements' starting at hhtp:// for the Japanese application and use your own CV format in English. All documents must be submitted, typed, in both Japanese and English on A4 sized paper. Deadline: All documents must be received by September 10, 2003. The selection committee will read materials and a list of candidates to be invited to an interview will be drawn up. Interviews will be in English and Japanese. Candidates may be asked to bring a videotape with a sample of their teaching. Notification of acceptance will be made in early November 2003.


Job Details: Qualifications: 44 years or younger; Masters Degree in an English-related field or equivalent academic publications; three years or more of Japanese university teaching experience; ability to teach in an area related to intercultural communication; ability to participate in committee work and conduct other administrative duties in Japanese. Duties: Teach five English language classes per week; participate in all required administrative and curriculum committees and meetings. Salary and Benefits: Salary and benefits are according to the regulations and depend on age and years of teaching experience (mandatory retirement at 68.) Application Procedure: These are explained in the university homepage. Use the standard RUniversity Employment Form. Follow the links in Japanese to 'recent announcements' starting at for the Japanese application and use your own CV format in English. All documents must be submitted, typed, in both Japanese and English on A4 sized paper. Deadline: All documents must be received by May 6, 2003. The selection committee will read materials and a list of candidates to be invited to an interview will be drawn up. Interviews will be in English and Japanese. Candidates may be asked to bring a videotape with a sample of their teaching. Notification of acceptance will be made in mid to late June, 2003.

Job Description: M-G University is seeking a full-time teacher of American literature and culture at the Lecturer, or Associate Professor level.

Job Details: The appointment will start on April 1, 2004. Duties: Teach American literature and culture and English language courses at Shirokane and Yokohama campuses, serve on various administrative committees, and participate in various on-campus activities, including extra-curricular activities. Salary & Benefits: Salary and benefits are provided according to standard MMG University policies, depending on qualifications, age and years of teaching experience. Qualifications: The applicant's first language should be English with a Ph.D. degree or a Ph.D. candidate certificate (ABD), in an area of American literature or comparative literature or cultural studies relating to America. Sufficient ability in Japanese to carry out all job-related duties is also required. The applicant must be less than 41 years old at the time of the appointment and have a good understanding of Christianity. Application Process: The envelope should be marked 'Application for a teaching position' in red. It should contain the following documents: photograph-attached curriculum vitae with email address, list of publications, three sample publications with abstracts (photocopies are acceptable).



Job Description: The Faculty of International Studies, U- University, is seeking a full-time associate professor or lecturer in the area of 'Comparative Culture Study' or 'East-West Comparative Culture Study' to assume duties on October 1, 2003.

Job Details: Position: Associate Professor or Lecturer, Department of International Culture Studies, Faculty of International Studies, University, Japan. Teaching Subjects include Specialized Education at the graduate level (master's course): 'Comparative Modern Culture Study', Specialized Education at the undergraduate level: 'Comparative Culture Study' or 'East-West Comparative Culture Study' 'English Conversation', (Intensive Program in the form of English Training Camp by the plural English teachers), and General Education at the undergraduate level: 'English' as Common Subject for all university students. Employment begins on October 1, 2003. Qualifications: Ability to lecture at the graduate school level of International Studies Utsunomiya University, achievements relevant to essential teaching subjects, teaching duties carried out in English, age no older than 40 as of April 1, 2003, Doctoral Degree preferred, native English speaker, and a reasonable command of Japanese daily conversation. Application Materials: Please submit the following documents in Japanese or in English (The submitted documents will be returned after the screening, if requested. In this case, stipulate it as well as your name and return address): curriculum vitae (autographed and photo glued), list of publications in order of publication date, categorized into Books, Academic Papers, Reports, and Miscellaneous. Each work should be indicated whether it is individual or joint work. In case of joint work, clarify the part of your own work, mark 3 major works with an asterisk on the list, and write a description for each of them (around 200 words in English). All Publications (published articles, off prints or copies available), future research plan (around 500 words in English), and description of 'Comparative Modern Culture Study' you are proposing to teach at the graduate level. (Around 500 words in English), the Description of 'Comparative Culture Study' or 'East-West Comparative Culture Study' you are proposed to teach at the undergraduate level. (Around 500 words in English), certificate of Doctoral Degree, if any.


Job Description: J-W University is currently accepting applications for possible part-time teaching positions for the 2003 academic year.

Job Details: Minimum requirements: Master's Degree in TESOL or related field, Japanese university teaching experience, and at least two academic publications. Application Materials: Interested applicants should send a detailed CV, including name and address in Japanese with signature, a recent photo attached, list of publications, and a cover letter stating the days and times you are available next year.


Job Description: The English Department at A-G is seeking part-time teachers to teach conversation and writing courses at their Atsugi campus.

Job Details: The campus is about 90 minutes from Shinjuku station on the Odakyu Line, and classes are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Qualifications: resident of Japan with an MA in TEFL/TESOL, English literature, applied linguistics, or communications; three years university teaching experience or one year university English teaching experience with a PhD; teaching small group discussion, journal writing, and book reports; collaboration with others in curriculum revision project; publications; experience with presentations; familiarity with email. Salary & Benefits: comparable to other universities in the Tokyo area. Application Materials: apply in writing, with a self-addressed envelope, for an application form and information about the program.

[dan]

thank you again for all of your responses. i had no idea that it was so competitive in japan. however, rhetorical (and even semiotic ) readings of your texts tells me more than the literal language of the posts, or at least just as much (read for tone, attitude, defensiveness, rhetorical deployments, reactive backtracking coupled with a qualification or two). anyway, i got into academia to learn and teach a thing or two, relax, have summers off and, in general, f*%# about. i'd say about half get into for the same reasons, and make a good go of it. i assumed that it would be even an easier living in japan. i will say this: people describe the university job market here in america in similar (yet not quite as vituperative) terms as you guys do, yet most people land on their feet (for example, my department has %100 placement within one year of PhD completion, and i dont go to harvard or yale). nobody likes competition, especially in sectors of society that are not inherently competitive, or at least not so much so as those pockets that thrive on it.
I should also say that lots of people get into English, linguistics and ESL not because they have an unrelenting love or visceral calling for it, but instead because its one of the easier gigs in all of academia to get, particularly in asia.

i'll let you all know how is goes in 4 years when i complete a phd english language and linguistics, as im sure you'll all be standing by with ungovernable eagerness and verve.

[Lucy Snow]

Maybe in your department they land on their feet, but there've been too many articles over the years about the over-supply of Phds and universities downgrading jobs to adjunct positions to imagine that it's true for most people.

I went into academia for the same reasons that you did--but didn't have the foresight to do my MA in Linguistics or TEFL.

BTW--are you at Marquette or UWM?

[Glenski]

Dan,