Job Discussion Forums

kansaiyaccha · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

This may be a long shot but I've several years of teaching English in Japan with JET and with a private juku school. I've 2 degrees from really good schools but they are in music. What are my chances of using these to get into a part-time university gig in some capacity as an English instructor?

Thanks,

Ryan

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Some may choose to differ with my opinion, but I'd venture to say: pretty slim, unless they are desperate. With the sheer number of otherwise qualified applicants in the university arena, you're up against people with much more relevant Masters' degrees: such as ones in English, education, TESOL, literature, etc...

Many of the job listings I've seen for university jobs call for a Master's degree which is "relevant" to teaching English (such as the ones I listed above)... However since you did say "part-time" they may not be so strict. I think it's a tough question to answer decisively.

kansaiyaccha · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

Jim--Thank you for your response. I'm living in Yokohama and I really want to knock out a MA in Linguistics but I'm not sure I can afford one and with a family, finding time to actually knock it out is tough...grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

You can try to use it in a post secondary music school (probably a senmon gakku) with an English programme (I'm assuming you read Italian and or German and or another language because that's normally a requirement of graduate study in music).

Of course, those jobs probably pretty much all started about one month ago, so you've got a bit of time to do some research.

kansaiyaccha · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

Gambatte: Sounds like a good idea--The only language I'm proficient with besides English is Japanese: My masters was in saxophone performance. Yeah...I'll probably end up in one of Japan's international schools but it won't be for at least 5 years as I'm gainfully employed currently...I just wish I'd went for the MA in linguistics instead of music...ESPECIALLY after seeing how CHEAP these linguistics masters are...my masters was over 35K$ A lotof that was because of out-of-state tuition but still it was a 2-year degree like any other masters...pffhhh! I's stupid!!

arrrrrrr

Andru · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 22

Have you heard of the Showa University of Music? It's in Atsugi - very close to Yokohama! I know someone who worked there as an English teacher with only a BA. Maybe they will find your educational background in music intriguing.

http://www.tosei-showa-music.ac.jp/

kansaiyaccha · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 9

Hey thanks for the lead...I'll look into it...
R

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Seems like any good music conservatory in Japan would have English teachers to prepare students for study abroad at places like Juilliard, Eastman, Indiana, and the like. A native speaker would be far preferable for those students than a Japanese English teacher, and a native speaker with a music background would jump to the top of the list.