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curiousgeorge7 · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 3

Hi,

I'm pretty much on the cusp of (finally) getting a masters degree - with the aim of teaching in the Middle East (Saudi, UAE, maybe Oman, I would consider Qatar or Bahrain), but was wondering....

A friend of mine teaches somewhere in the UAE. He mentioned that a couple of years ago, the gov't issued an 'edict' making it so it would only recognize M.Ed TESOLs delivered on site. No lingusitics masters. No distance degrees. I was skeptical about what he said (Was it only at that university?), but he insisted that it was across the emirates, and that half the staff had to leave the country at the end of the academic year because of it.

Q. Is this true?
Q. Does it apply to all of the UAE?
Q. What about Saudi Arabia, or other countries in the ME?
Q. Is this a trend? A house-cleaning measure?

An M.Ed TESOL doesn't exist in North America; my plan is to do one in the UK, unless I don't have to...

Any information on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

CG

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

The details of that have been the same for a few years. The Ministry of Education, which controls the K-12 schools, doesn't recognize internet MAs.

The Ministry of Higher Education, which controls the university level, does accept them from accredited universities.

Thus far, no one has mentioned here that this has changed. That said, they could change the rules before you can get an MA finished.

Saudi does not accept them and I don't know about the rest. Personally, I would get one on-site if I had the choice. That way you don't have to deal with changing rules and you know it will be recognized everywhere.

VS
(In the US, the appropriate degree would be an MA in Applied Linguistics... there are hundreds of programs.)

Never Ceased To Be Amazed

curiousgeorge7 · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 3

Thanks. Yes, ideally, I'd like to do one on-site, but... they're damned expensive, plus I could work and do one online.

That's good advice, though, and what I was thinking anyway: get one on site from a reputable institute, and because of my experience and CELTA, I could get hired on anywhere.

I didn't think an M.Ed. TESOL was available in North America, because ... I did a search on Google and didn't find anything. But I was looking in Google Canada. The only thing I found was a three year program at the University of Calgary called M.Ed. TESL. When I asked if that was the same as M.Ed. TESOL (stupid question perhaps, but I could just see an interviewer saying, 'You're missing an O.'), a rep said 'he believed so.' Not very encouraging, and three years on-site is impractical.

I see that one in Philie is 4 years. I assume you don't need a BA. I was thinking more along the lines of a one year program. Again, it's just the cost.

Thanks again,

CG

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:33 pm Post subject:

You got it, Bub! Very Happy

NCTBA

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Check this page:

http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/sec_document.asp?CID=124&DID=429

A list of US universities as long as your arm... Laughing

Looks to be a couple in every state. Try to find one that has a Fellowship program where you might take a couple years, but it is pretty much free. (that is what I did)

VS
( I googled "TESOL Masters Degree" and it was the first entry after the obligatory couple of paid ads)

curiousgeorge7 · Joined: 29 May 2009 Posts: 3

Thanks; not really sure what a fellowship is, or why it'd be free (and would that apply to a resident of your northern neigbour?), but thanks anyway - sincerely.

CG

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Sorry... didn't know that you were a Canuk. Cool

Some of the universities provide Fellowships for non-Americans, so do a bit of googling. You many want to do some research on Canadian Universities too, of course. I did mine at The American University in Cairo and they don't restrict it to just Americans and Egyptians. There are other native speakers who manage to get in.

A Fellowship is a scholarship where you teach for them (for free) and they allow you to attend their Master's program and pay no tuition. You usually get a minuscule monthly stipend to supposedly pay for food and housing. I started mine with some savings that let me at least rent a decent flat, but at the end I had no education loans... which is a big deal in the US. Laughing

VS
(BTW... TESOL/TESL/TEFL/ESL/EFL/ESOL are all pretty much the same and certainly equal in the eyes of employers...)

mouse5 · Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 142

M.Ed TESOL: Your employer knows it's "your" work, ie. you wrote the thing. This is your best option.

M.A. Applied Linguistics distance: Your employer has no idea whether or not you wrote it. I've been approached several times here in KSA by people asking for "help" with assignments and theses. They were all native speakers and prepared to pay me by the hour for anything I could research/write in the shortest time possible. Speaks volumes. Many employers don't accept distance degrees. I certainly wouldn't.

Cleopatra · Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:21 am Post subject:

So far as I know, most employers regard MAs in Applied Linguistics and TESOL as being pretty much interchangeable. Some will consider an M.Ed to be acceptable, some won't.

Regarding the online/on-campus distinction, I would say that if you are serious about remaining in this, umm, profession, and want to work in one of the better colleges in the Gulf, you should bite the proverbial bullet and go for an on-campus MA. Some employers and some ministries do accept online degrees, but many do not. Even some of those employers who do accept them do not regard them with the same respect as on-campus degrees. I would say only do an online degree if you really have no other option.