Job Discussion Forums

[smedini]

Hey all!

I went on a search for this topic - specific to my school - and the last posts I found were about three years old, so I'm hoping I can find out some more relevant and timely information.

I will graduate this year with a Masters of Applied Linguistics which I am earning through distance from the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. I have been dreaming of relocating to the UAE for the last decade and it had never occurred to me that such a degree might not be accepted there. But now that I am near the end I am afraid it won't be and I'll be up the proverbial creek.

So I'd like to hear from anyone out there who knows how such degrees are viewed in the UAE, particularly from anyone who has the same degree from the same school (though all input is welcome ). Of course I am not looking solely for my fears to be allayed - thought that would be nice! I'm looking for the facts, please! In other words, please don't tell me what you think I want to hear, just the good old (or bad old) truth!

Thanks a bunch!

[GlobalDawg]

This concern came up during a recent conversation with a few of my colleagues. I tested the waters at TESOL Arabia and found that it wasn't an issue. I did well and received offers from several colleges/universities in the UAE that are denoted as the most reputable by posters in this forum. I bumped into a former colleague at the conference who also completed a distance learning degree and is now in Qatar. My sense of the M by D is that acceptance depends on how well you convey what you've learned during the interview.

[veiledsentiments]

The last report we had here was that the Ministry of Higher Education has always accepted distance MAs while the Ministry of Education does not.

Thus as long as you are applying at university level - MoHE, you are fine. If you want to teach in international schools - MoE, they may not recognize it.

Hopefully if this has changed, someone can come on and let us know.

VS

[Nozka]

The OP mentioned that he/she will be earning a degree this year but said nothing about experience. I thought most UAE jobs required a minimum of three years experience, so this might be more of an issue. At any rate, I'm also wondering how much weight one's pre MA teaching experience carries. Anyone?

[NadiaK]

Unless things have very recently changed, HCT will not accept an MA without a Teaching Practice component (unless you have a Diploma with a TP component). Other than that, not a problem.

Have no idea about other employers.

[mishmumkin]

[smedini]

Thanks everyone for your input! I'm still hoping for more, so please keep it coming!

As for my experience (I'm putting this out there for further input as to whether or not you think it might be enough or what I could do to boost it):

Before I finished my BA I did some short-term volunteer ESL work in Mexico and then more volunteer work - for nearly two years - in my hometown with a local immigrant settlement association. I also worked with three adult sons of an immigrant Kuwaiti family that needed help with business english. I did this for a number of years (and have recommendation letters from two of them). After graduation I went to Korea where I taught students ranging in age from pre-kindergarten (they could barely speak Korean even at that point ) to university students and professional adults. I was there for two years. When I returned to Canada I worked for about a year and a half with a company that focused on preparing (mostly) Korean and Japanese university students for the TOEFL test. Finally, in the most recent year, I've worked with my old hogwan in Korea - and another one in the same town - in preparing and executing programs to help their students write better (via the internet).

All that aside, in the ten years since I returned from Korea my main occupation has been that of writer and editor. Oh, I also have an obscure TESL certification but I will do the CELTA program after I graduate.

I'm hoping this experience will be enough to get me hired at one of the better schools (assuming I can get that pesky distance masters through the door )

Thanks again, everyone...keep up the info!

[Dhstoofaraway]

You'll be fine. Make sure you negotiate.....15,500 Dhs a month these days is the going rate for a new employee at HCT.