Job Discussion Forums

macka · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 45 Location: uk

i have an MA in photography, 10 years esl teaching experience in Thailand and the Uk.

I have taught all levels from primary to university. I have also taught many different nationalities, both asian, due to my teaching in Thailand, and european, due to my 3 years teaching at a language school in the uk.

My question is: would it be posssible for me to teach in Saudi? if so, how would i go about findng a position? can work be found when you get there?..or do you have to have a job to go to? what about salaries?

any advice would be greatly appreciated

thanks

Longton · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 148

You have ESL experience but do you have any ESL qualifications?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

You won't be able to get into the country without a job.

As you don't have a first degree you won't be allowed to teach in any school or university.

You could probably get a job at a contractor's teaching company ESL classes. Your qualificiations would tend to put you in with the less salaubrious employers, but there are jobs paying as high as SR11,000-SR12,000 teaching in companies for contractors, though the holiday pay is often not great, and the accommodation may well be shared.

Are you single? If you are married your lack of a first degree is likely to make problems when it comes to getting a visa for your dependants.

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

How does SJ know that Macka doesn't have a first degree?

trapezius · Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 8:57 pm Post subject:

What does "first degree" mean anyway?

The OP has an MA, for God's sakes!

You don't need to have a degree in English to teach ESL at the majority of universities in KSA; just need an ESL qualification, which as of now, we don't know if s/he has or not.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Macka has an MA from Leeds Metropolitan University, but no undergraduate degree.

SJ knows that because Macka has posted on half a dozen forums.

You cannot teach in a school or university in Saudi without a first degree (that is to say a Bachelors before the Masters). Also they foreign Ministry insists on seeing a notarized copy of the degree before it will issue the dependents' visa.

I have had to refuse people with much better qualifications than Macka because of this problem. There was one gentleman who had qualified as a teacher at Teacher Training College one year before the UK government changed the system and converted all teacher training courses into degree courses. His teaching qualification alone was of a higher standard than the degrees awarded to many people from certain universities in the years that followed. He then worked as a teacher in the UK and EFL lecturer in Asia for thirty years and got a Masters in EFL. But, no first degree, no job.

macka · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 45 Location: uk

i dont have afirst degree and i dont have an esl qualification!

i am looking for short term contract...moth/6month, maybe a year.

i dont mind what teaching i do.

my aim is to ge a few thousand pounds behind me, which is not really possible to do here in the uk!...and then back to thailand.

advice appreciated

thanks

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Just apply to short term contracts that go with companies. Plenty of companies need EFL teachers for a short period of time and ask contractors to provide teachers.

The lack of both the first degree and the EFL qualification are likely to work against you though.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

There are many people teaching in KSA with no first degree but an MA.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

If you are referring to people with degrees from Scottish or European
Universities that award an MA as their first degree I will agree with you. If you are referring to people who have not done an undergraduate course but only a post-graduate course I would like you to tell me where.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I have revealed this to Mr Jones in a pm !

trapezius · Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 10:45 am Post subject:

What universities offer a Master's degree to someone who doesn't have a Bachelor's degree? Diploma mills?

Is that what LMU is, a diploma mill? Is it accredited? There are so many universities that have mushroomed up in the past decade, esp since the internet has become ubuiquitous, that offer whatever degree that your heart may desire with a tiny amount of "practical work", and no courses.

And then there are others that do have courses, and seem reputable, and I guess are reputable and fanous, but are still not accredited, examples being American University of London, and American Intercontinental University.

They advertise widely in Arab News all the time, and elsewhere, but last time I checked with the American Consulate in Jeddah, they said they are not accredited, and if you have a degree from them, the consulate will not certify/attest copies of their degrees.

But now I hear that some established universities in Scotland and Europe offer Master's degrees as a first degree?

Any links, and also how does their system work if that's how they do it?

grahamb · Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Posts: 1945

The four ancient universities of Scotland (St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinurgh) style their undergraduate arts degrees (i.e. first or Bachelor's degrees) MA. They are not Master's (postgraduate) degrees.
Leeds Metropolitan University (formerly Leeds Polytechnic) achieved university status in 1992. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_Metropolitan_University
Modern universities in the UK should not be confused with the mail order snake oil merchants that proliferate in the USA!

The_Prodiigy · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 252

It is perfectly possible to enrol on an MA course at an established uni.

The entry requirements would vary between universities. Any applicant that has non-degree but further education qualifications and relevant experience could be taken on. Maybe subject to them submitting a report on an area of TEFL/TESL.

Then once he/she has graduated the MA trumps any first degree.

All is not lost.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

Originally you got into British post-graduate courses because you had an equivalent non-degree qualification, from an Art College such as the Courtauld, or Drama School, or a teaching cert.

Then universities starting accepting 'experience'.

Most European Universities award only Masters degrees. The Bachelor's is the equivalent of the High School leaving certificate so it is called the Baccalaureate.

In general in many European countries the Masters takes five years. Scottish degrees I believe take four. A nice mess all round when it comes to deciding on equivalences. (and let's not mention the JD, which is a first degree, but allows yourself to be called doctor!).