PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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 Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 3:55 am Post subject: Re: Getting my MA in Japan |
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| Omeo wrote: |
| Can anyone give me any advice on getting my MA in Japan? Which University do you recommend? I think I'd like to teach in the conversation schools; will getting an MA make me over qualified? What's the average tuition? I've got a bunch more questions, but why don't we start with those. Thanks in advance. |
There are only two foreign universities in Japan where you can get a foreign university degree on-campus. those are Temple University and Columbia University in Tokyo.
Not only will you be overqualified for an eikaiwa with a Masters but you wont make back in salary at NOVA what you spend in tuition on a degree. TUJ costs 2 million just for fees alone (not including books, transport, copy fees etc) and Columbia costs $25,000 to graduate. You have to work out how long it will take you to break even on your expenses when you get a higher paying job e.g. if you get a job paying 5 million yen a year instead of NOVA at 3 million yen, a 2 million yen degree will take you 6 months to break even on your investment. After that its pure 'profit' as jobs open up to you on a higher salary that you couldnt apply for with no degree.
You have to think outside the box- not just what conversation school you can work at with an MA but which high school or university jobs become available because you have an MA in TESOL. I have not had an eikaiwa income since 1990 or 1991 or so.
Conversation schools wont offer you higher pay or time off to attend classes unless you work part time and go to TUJ in the evenings (all classes are from 6-9 pm or special seminars on Saturday and Sundays.
Aim a little higher re jobs after graduation. An MA is not needed to teach at NOVA and you would learn far more than the AAM and trainers would ever know about ELT and language teaching in general.
For more info on TUJ and Columbia.
http://www.teachinginjapan.com/continuinged.html
The second option is a distance degree from an overseas institution such as Macquarie, University of Southern Queensland, Birmingham University etc that offer distance degrees to teachers in Japan. |
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