Job Discussion Forums

mononoaware · Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 21 Location: saigon, vietnam

This has probably been asked before, but after lots of page-scrolling, I haven't really found a thread which answers my question.

After about four years teaching ESL--2 at the university level, I'm ready to return to the States, and hopefully continue teaching there.

I'd like to continue teaching at a university or community college, and so I'm starting the process of researching TESOL/Applied Linguistics grad programs. I read some interesting threads about PhDs and distance learning programs, but for now I'd like to focus my attention on on-site Masters programs in the US, no preference on the state.

Does anyone have any recommendations on good programs? Does anyone know of any websites with program rankings or which compare programs? Any opinions on whether highly-reputed schools are actually worth the price tag?

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!

wildchild · Joined: 14 Nov 2005 Posts: 519 Location: Puebla 2009 - 2010

the cheapest one.

http://linguistlist.org/teach/programs/browse-prog2245.html

veroax · Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 57 Location: Bogot�, Colombia

there are some very high-profile schools that have appling/tesol masters programs. u penn, ucla, georgetown, and columbia for example. i imagine that their graduates go straight to the top of the pile for the best jobs. i've never seen actual rankings, but if there were any i'm sure they'd be near the top. that's if you can afford it of course.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Monterey Institute of International Studies--very highly regarded and ranked, but very expensive! Still, for me it was worth every dime.

www.miis.edu

d

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

The School for International Training in VT, is also a good one.

newinSeoul · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 64

I don't know about the best, but I've recently been to a conference where two schools were on display.

One was The New School out of NYC.

Scott Thornbury and Jeremy Harmer actually teach some of the online classes in this TESOL distance course.

http://www.newschool.edu/matesol/

University of Birmingham was also in attendance. They have a MA TESOL, and a MA Linguistics distance program.

http://www.postgraduate.bham.ac.uk/programmes/distance/subjectarea.shtml#education

toma · Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Oklahoma City OK USA

I'm enjoying the program at Oklahoma City University. A bit pricey, but the faculty are on the ball.

thelmadatter · Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:17 pm Post subject: price and rank

Price and rank dont guarantee quality and certainly dont guarantee a job!

Opposite.. if you want a challenging program avoid U of Arizona. No masters thesis because "we have many Asian students in the program who dont have much experience with writing because their educational culture is different and we have to respect that" Can you guess what I think is the real reason?

However, despite of it... I had no problems landing a job in Mexico with said masters.

Why did I do it... I was living in Tucson with my then-husband and son...couldnt really go off to another state.

Orpheus · Joined: 27 Oct 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Tempe, Arizona, USA

I'm currently enrolled in the MTESOL program at Arizona State University and I'm fairly impressed with the program so far. The problems with living in a major metropolitan area and attending a school of this size on the other hand...

I've taken pretty much the exact same classes that any theoretical or applied linguistics student would take, with the exception of a couple of classes on language acquisition, and I really enjoy the program. I lived here for a year in order to get in-state tuition before I enrolled, and it's really not that expensive. The overall job market here is still pretty strong so you can probably find some kind of employment if you need to work while you study, too.

elamericano · Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 65

Speaking of Arizona schools, I'd appreciate any comments on the MA TESL program at Northern Arizona University. I am considering the teaching track.

http://www.cal.nau.edu/english/tesl_ma.asp

http://www.cal.nau.edu/english/forms/grdadvising-tesl_phd_handbook.doc

According to the handbook, the MA program doesn't seem to have a thesis but rather just a "writing requirement" where you rework a paper submitted for one of your classes until the faculty approve it.

A big draw for NAU in my situation is the chance to live in Flagstaff, but that won't be a good enough reason if the educational program isn't acceptable.

SolitaryThrush · Joined: 04 Oct 2004 Posts: 32

*bump*

Also curious how you all went about evaluating potential schools. For me the top-tier schools---the Ivies, Monterey, etc.---are out of the question, so I'm looking at mid-sized state schools. Was your decision based mostly on location? Faculty?

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Chancellor · Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 6:05 pm Post subject:

State University of New York at Buffalo:

http://www.provost.buffalo.edu/grad/academics/academicprograms.asp?id=25

http://www.provost.buffalo.edu/grad/academics/academicprograms.asp?id=236

Orpheus · Joined: 27 Oct 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Tempe, Arizona, USA

Since this thread got bumped, I figured I'd provide a little update on the state of the economy in AZ, since I said it was pretty strong a little while ago. Sadly, things here are going downhill pretty fast. People are turning out in droves for job fairs and such, and I recently got "laid off" from a crappy restaurant job I was working for a while. I wouldn't tell anyone to stay away, but you better really do some research if you're thinking about moving to AZ.

Same story all across the country, though.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

For teaching afterwards Monterey and Vermont are top of the pile as has been said.