Job Discussion Forums

chesh · Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 4 Location: China

I am working in China presently as an ESL teacher. I have a CELTA, no degree and am happy here for now. In the future I would like to go to countries like Japan which demand a degree for the visa or maybe I would like to return to the UK where you need a degree for the job (pretty much). Either way I am going to start studying in Spetember.

It will obviously be distance learning studying and I have looked into a few options such as the University of London, the OU and the University of South Africa. I don't want to spend four years studying only to find that the degree I have is worthless as far as UK employers are concerned. Can anyone suggest who would be good to study with? Also, would a degree from the University of South Africa be deemed sufficient in the UK?

Ta very much

coledavis · Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 1838

University of London external degrees are highly respected. OU is also fine; I've got one of their degrees myself. Sorry, I don't know anything about SA establishments.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

OU and University of London both fine for the UK.

ChrisV · Joined: 14 Jan 2006 Posts: 42 Location: Cambridge, UK

The OU has a good reputation and good name recognition, so they'd be my first choice. One hitch--IIRC, there are very few countries outside Europe from which you are allowed to enroll in the OU (although I believe that you can start in the UK and then finish abroad, though at significantly higher cost). Hopefully I'm wrong about that, but check into it.

U of London external would be OK as well, but try to go for one of the better colleges if you can---Imperial and King's, for example, have a much better reputation than Goldsmith's. But, in any case, none of the colleges are horrible; any employer should respect one of their degrees, even done externally.

But whatever course you decide to take, if you want to eventually settle in the UK, it's the MA that is the money degree. After four years of hard work in the London ESL scene with my BA+CELTA+DELTA, I was earning a whopping 18 grand. After four years of enjoyable, relatively easy work with my MA, I now make 28k and get nice increases each year. Whatever you do, make sure you go straight from your BA into that MA; it'll pay for itself within 3 years at the most.

Best of luck,

Chris