Job Discussion Forums

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

I suppose I could do both... but I really wasn't a very good student the first time around. I don't think I'm a bad teacher (especially now that I'm teaching adults and English... not 6th grade to brats)... but my long term goal is to have my own language/culture center (and the location is already picked out).

I don't have much business knowledge, and while some people think it's easy... I wasn't raised around business so it seems daunting to me. As for the language thing... I think expertise is necessary if I'm going to run a program and own one.

I'm just throwing this out there, what should come first in your opinion? Or... are there any "be a language/culture center director and owner" master's program?

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

My grad school (Monterey Institute of International Studies) offered a certificate in Language Program Administration--at least that's what I think that LPA stands for. You could easily do the MA and the certificate in two years (not sure how business-y the courses are, though they do prepare you for supervising teachers). There's also an MBA program that specializes in international business.

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MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

I should mention that I'm not rich and don't want to go to debtor's prison. MIIS is too expensive for me. Especially if I need to live in Monterey. I've done that, and it's not cheap.

ecocks · Joined: 06 Nov 2007 Posts: 899 Location: Gdansk, Poland

Perhaps you need to think whether your focus is "language training" or business. If language training is your passion then go with the MA. If your goal is to be your own boss, hedge your bets for a generalised career in business or branch out into more consulting and content training areas then the MBA would seem to make more sense.

MikeySaid · Joined: 10 Nov 2004 Posts: 509 Location: Torreon, Mexico

Well, i want to be qualified to run a program, not just be the guy with the capital. And beyond that, i'd probably be the first teacher on staff at any school I start.

The other thing is that I don't just want to teach English, I want to be able to teach Spanish and bring high school and college kids down ffrom the US and other countries so they can learn Spanish on vacation by the beach while training for their next soccer or baseball season... (a stretch, i know). pipe dream? maybe.

Marcoregano · Joined: 19 May 2003 Posts: 872 Location: Hong Kong

IMO, an MBA will tell you very little about how to run a language school, and there will be a heap of beep you probably won't want to learn about. The best way of learning about business is doing it.

I'd do the MA and read up on the nuts and bolts of business start-ups whilst your at it - and I imagine there must be some literature on starting a language school out there somewhere too.

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

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:14 pm Post subject:

Aston University in Birmingham, UK, offers a certificate in Educational Management in TESOL, or you can do their MSc with an emphasis in Educational management. There's some sort of a cooperative effort, where part of this course is offered through international house London...

Best,
justin

PS- A good program imo, but a lot cheaper than MIIS. I guess a lot of things are, though.

jillford64 · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Sin City

DrVanNostrand · Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 70

An MBA is a hell of a lot more valuable and useful than an MA TESOL.

If I were going to invest time and money into either, it'd be the MBA. That way, if the business fails, you're actually qualified to do something other than TESOL for the rest of your life.