Job Discussion Forums

[txmsk]

Just a quick question.

What do employers usually require one's university/undergraduate education to be in?

I've noticed a few employers require a BA in English Literature... IMHO, that really doesn't prepare someone to teach EFL/ESL in the slightest. Such BA courses do not generally require linguistics-focused courses - at least the ones that I checked.

So, is that a sign that the program/company is new to the scene, or that it is actually something that is valued?

Personally, I think a BA in modern/foreign language and/or linguistics (or Ed of course) would be more valuable in terms of teaching EFL/ESL than an English Lit degree...no offense to the lit majors out there of course.

[veiledsentiments]

I have never seen an employer who wanted a BA in Literature in the Gulf - not that I spend my life reading ads. But, I found that they pretty much didn't seem to care what it was in, as long as you had one in something. I was one of the few in the Gulf that actually had a BA in Education... secondary education with a double major in Lit and Business.

The only time it was of any importance was when I applied for my MA. AUC required either a legitimate education BA with a teaching practicum, or a CELTA or other CERT, or teaching experience.

For jobs? No one seemed to care...

VS

[freesoul]

To some 'wise' employers, a CELTA-related Cert. is an indication of going through some observed teaching practice which they sometimes value more than the purely theoretical BA or MA of whatever major.

[veiledsentiments]

Yes, but the question is whether employers care about what the BA is in... let's not turn this into the endless repetitive CELTA versus MA debate.

And I found that they would take a BA in whatever...

VS

[meri]

I need some 'what next' advice myself. I have a science masters and (hate to admit this) online TEFL certificate. I will have 4 years experience teaching in Saudi Univeristy foundation/prep year. If I want to make myself employable in less desperate countries such as the UAE what should I do to make my qualifications more relevant.

[veiledsentiments]

Get an MA in TEFL or Applied Linguistics... that is all you need to move into the UAE market.

VS

[meri]

Thanks VS, but don't you think a DELTA plus my saudi experience would be enough with my existing masters to teach ESP, for example? I don't know if I can face returning to the UK for a masters and I'm not sure a distance one would be recognised. I don't know about the good places in the UAE, but here in Saudi Arabia, any masters seems to do the job if you have experience.

[spiral78]

I'm not entirely sure how applicable this is, but I did my MA distance thru the University of Birmingham, England. There were a couple of Saudi students in my intake (I met them at a seminar) who were taking the MA via distance on the request of the Saudi government.

I think it's likely that some distance MAs are recognized, but don't know for certain, obviously.

[Cleopatra]

[veiledsentiments]

[txmsk]

What about an MA in Modern Languages/Linguistics? i.e. a Master's in a foreign language, with some linguistics courses, and with a CELTA.

How would this be viewed by potential employers?

[veiledsentiments]

Didn't we discuss this on another thread txmsk? (I'm having this deja vu feeling) I think your combination would be acceptable to most employers. You have a Linguistics MA with the CELTA to cover for the fact that it is not "applied."

That said... things are not always logical in this part of the world... Have you tried HCT in the UAE?

VS

[roy_101]

It's all relative. Also, you need a bit of luck.