Job Discussion Forums

[naturegirl321]

Ok, I know that you're not supposed to take the easy way out, but here's the thing. I have an MA in TEFL. Spent 2 years on coursework, and 1 year writting my thesis. Had it rejected twice due to no help from my tutor and no online help. What I mean is that I was cut off from the virtual campus once I finished my coursework and had no access to the journals, books, articles that the uni had.

Here's the icing on the cake, my MA is no good It's from Spain,and despite being ALL in English, the country where I'm going won't accept degrees from non-English speaking unis.

So I have to do another one. I'm looking at an MA in Applied LInguistics, International Education, Curriculum Design, etc. Something besides TEFL, since I already studied that.

I'm also looking for one without a thesis/dissertation. Doing three was enough and I don't want to have to do another

If anyone has any recommendations, I'd appreciate it. thanks!

[Justin Trullinger]

Hi There-

GOod luck with the continuing saga- which country are you going to?

Here's the thing I would say- have a good look around, and choose a good program, not an easy (or particularly cheap) one.

I know you've been through this once before, and are feeling a bit like you've wasted some time and a lot of effort. Don't waste any more!

I don't know how you feel about your course with FUNIBER, but I have to say that from what I've heard of it... it probably doesn't meet the standards I'd expect from a Masters degree. Some examples of the "sub-standardness" are things you've complained of. (Inadequate tutor support, inadequate access to resources, that kind of thing.) Add in that it's a degree in English from a place where English isn't spoken widely or well, and that the English on their website is often not of the highest standard...

It's a shame that you didn't get what you wanted out of it- It would be more of a shame, though, to repeat the same situation.

I can't really recommend a particular program- the thesis requirement on the one I'm doing is...extensive. But I'm sure someone here knows a reputable program w/o thesis...


Best,
Justin

[naturegirl321]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

In Australia, New Zealand and Canada all-coursework masters degrees are common and normal (they aren't considered lesser- a lot of programs have different options available). Off-campus is common in Australia (and New Zealand as well, I think). It's not as common in Canada, though Athabasca University is an open university that is primarily a distance education provider (I think I read that you actually CAN study on-campus with them as well, I'm not sure because I'm not from Alberta). They don't have much in the way of graduate degrees but they have a master of distance education

http://cde.athabascau.ca/

and a broader masters (that you can study adult education, educational leadership and distance education as concentrations in) called a Master of Arts in Integrated Studies

http://www.athabascau.ca/mais/program/



University of Calgary now has distance M.Ed available, though I'm about 99.999% sure that they wouldn't go under the heading of 'easy'.

http://wapsrv5.acs.ucalgary.ca/gder/htdocs/programs/item.php?id=13&show=overview

"Easy" entirely depends on the person. After an MA in TESOL, maybe a masters degree in Educational Leadership would be easy (though I doubt it). It's a RELATED area, though (I took a unit in Educational Leadership in my Australian masters in TESOL- nutshell: current leadership models and issues are VERY similar to ESL methodology / curriculum issues).

ETA:
Deakin University in Australia assesses transfer credit before you sign up and pay. They also have a masters in Educational Leadership (though the course description part of the website is down right this minute). You ***MAY*** be able to get some sort of transfer credit from your MA in TESOL for that program (depending on what your MA emphasized and what their Masters in educational leadership emphasizes) and so cut down on the number of units you'd have to take. Check to make sure that that particular program is available off-campus and would be useful to non-Australians. Again, though ... easy???? Not really.

[naturegirl321]

thanks so much for the links. Athabasca Uni looks interesting, I'll have to look a bit more into it.

Why is the Uni of Calgary very difficult?

I guess by easy I mean possible to do while working FT, has a good virutal campus so that I can do the assignments, has excellent communication with the staff and profs.

I've had experience with curriuculm design and teacher training, so might try to do a master with those. Applied LInguistics is an option, but the name alone sounds daunting.

I'll try Deakin Uni, but in my experience with emailing some other MA providers, they only accept transfer credit from un finished degrees. But hey, it's worth a try!

Yep, looks like there are hoops to jump through, but I'm used to it.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

I know Deakin gives transfer credit for programs that have been finished, they gave me enough units of that I was able to complete in a single academic year (but had to take three units a term while working full time- it was brutal) based on a one-year university TESL certificate (in a soft structuralist tradition) for their masters in TESOL (in a soft functionalist tradition). Maybe that's a different situation though, because, like most Australian universities, Deakin offers a post-grad in TESOL (after which you can do their Masters in only four units) but it was actually only half the length of the one I did in Canada (the one I did in Canada was actually longer than a masters degree in Australia for people with four-year degrees- and I do have a four-year degree [a double major. I've now taken as many courses in TES(O)L as courses for either of my undergrad majors]).

UofC isn't so very difficult, Canadian universities are generally considered equivalent, though there is an unofficial ivy league (that UofC is not part of) and a group of 13 (which it IS part of) so they may be a bit strict when it comes to marking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_of_Thirteen_(Canadian_universities)

It basically makes very little difference whether you are at a G13 school or no (and none once you leave university- especially since in Canada it's program reputation at the period in time when you studied that is important, not the university overall), but there is a tendency to mark harder in them (there used to be pressure for all universities in Canada to have class averages in the C range, [60s in Canada] even though you need B range to stay in a lot of programs. I've heard it's changing). Basically, I'm not saying that UofC will be ridiculous or anything, but it's not going to be 'easy'.

I think you could do most programs part-time while working full-time (In Australia part-time is 2 units a term. Full-time is 4 units a term. I did 3 so it was half-way between and was working full-time while doing it).

Deakin has a ***really*** good on-line library, and they don't cut you off from it even after you graduate (the first year after graduation is free, thereafter it's $90AUS a year if you are using the online only).

I seriously considered the Athabasca MAIS program. The issues for me were 1. the cost. (Athabasca is expensive for domestic students, it may be about the same as other universities for international students, though) and 2. Unlike you, at that point I did not have a masters in TESOL already and so I wanted to do something directly related to TESOL.

I think you may run into problems if you go after a degree in Applied Linguistics. It means the same thing as TESOL, it's just that the name is daunting and so it sounds impressive. Universities consider them the same thing (because they are. Teaching English IS the 'Application' [real world use] of 'Linguistics' [the scientific study of languages] that you study in those programs). Some programs lean towards a more sociolinguistic bent (language as social phenomenon, often emphasizing functional grammar and ideas based in Halliday) and some lean towards a more 'science-y' bent (language as intellectual phenomenon, often emphasizing structural grammar and ideas based in Chomsky). It may have more to do with where the program is housed (and what's most common in the particular country- the science-y programs are most common in North America) and therefore the background of the profs than anything else (my TESL certificate was housed in a Linguistics department. They have a masters degree there, too. It's called a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics {TEFL}- it's not available off-campus, though. The certificate is called a "Certificate in the Teaching of English as a Second Language", and it is also not available off-campus- the TESL certificate is a prerequisite for the Masters, which is the reason most people do it- that, or to be able to use it as experience to add to their application to a consecutive B.Ed. Whereas some universities double up the number of students by offering a masters in TESOL and a masters in Applied Linguistics [the programs are basically the same, just what is a requirement in one is an elective in the other], universities in Ontario, Canada managed to find a way to try to force people to do both! My masters degree is housed in a faculty of education).

[naturegirl321]

the fact that Applied Linguistics sounds daunting and impressive is one of the reason why I'm considering it. Another thing, looking at the TEFL, TESL, or TESOL degrees, I'd be taking EXACTLY the same courses. I had to do 15 courses to get my MA, plus the thesis.

Anyways, here are the ones that I'm looking at. Any comments?
● Deakin University - MA in Professional Education and Training
● University of New England - MA in Applied Linguistics
● University of Southern Queensland - MA in Applied Linguistics
● Victoria University - MA in Applied Linguisitics
● University of Massachusetts - MA in Applied Linguistics.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

I think any of those universities would be good (assuming that University of Massachusetts is a good university- the US tertiary system has odd accrediting system so it's sometimes hard to tell for people not from that country).

I actually looked into all of the ones in Australia and I think I may have looked at the one in New Zealand in the past.

What I mean with the problem with Applied Linguistics is that universities may refuse to let you do their program in it by saying that you've already done an equivalent program (you usually cannot do two masters degrees in the same thing, just like you can't get a degree in English Literature from one university, and then try to get a degree English Literature from another university, even if the teaching methods and the course availability is different). If you can convince them that they would actually be different programs covering different things, though then Applied Linguistics would probably be perfect.

[naturegirl321]

Scratch U Mass, I just saw they have a comprehensive exam at the end of two years.

Are you serious that you can't get two masters degrees in the same thing? I never heard of that before. How do you know that?

I guess that I'm hoping that an MA in TEFL is different from an MA in Applied Linguistics. SOme of the courses WILL be the same, granted. I mean, I DID do 15 courses of TEFLy stuff.

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

Athabasca has a decent reputation. I was in the armed forces, and a fair number of people who were doing their degrees while in the military did courses/degrees with them. the military education officers often recommended Athabasca courses for people who wanted to do distance ed. my first degree was distance ed, but with University of Manitoba, not Athabasca. just thought i'd throw in a comment since someone brought up the name of the school here.

[Hadit]

Best case scenario is to do one on campus in either the US, Canada, or England (one's home country particularly), but this isn't always feasible.I have been making a list, and noting comments on the schools, and the following is what I have so far. I'm listing it now because it might help naturegirl out, there is no doubt it is rather incomplete.

Here is a general list of US schools:

http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/seccss.asp?CID=1562&DID=8616

Program titles include MA in Applied Linguistics, MA in TESOL, M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a major in ESL, etc.

Australia
*Deakin U: http://www.deakin.edu.au/future-students/postgrad/study-areas.php
*Macquarie University � http://www.ling.mq.edu.au/postgraduate/coursework/alp.htm
�Zed, compared to your CELTA, you may be disappointed with your MaQuarie M.A. degree.� Some people complain about not getting materials as well.
*Monash University � MA in Applied Linguistics: http://www.monash.edu.au/study/coursefinder/course/3769/
*University of New England: http://www.une.edu.au/education/postgraduate.php
�UNE has a very good name within academic circles in Australia - it is one of the pioneers in distance education in that country. Although most of the students at this institution are enrolled in either on-line or the more traditional distance education mode,there are also a large number of internal students.As all students,whether internal or on-line/distance,do the same assignmemts and sit for identical examinations, the degrees conferred are all the same.Also,it would be much cheaper to do a Master's course at an Australian university,than one in the US or UK.I was enrolled in UNE's Applied Linguistics programme last year,and was most impressed with the course outline,feedback,etc.�
�warning; this universities tefl course is a bad joke run by a non qualfied person.. [a fact - read her cv,, taught in France for one year!!!] great recommendation for Asian EFL!! most courses THERE are great, but the key course is ill prepared and badly planned. Many other boards refer to this particular sham; you pass everything but the one unqualified tutor [HER OWN CV] fails people in her course, thus $12,000 blown away... also note referred to negatively by the law site watch dog; www.efl-law.com �
*University of Southern Queensland - MA in TESOL or Applied Linguistics
Per Smedini: HCT, a ME employer, says it is well respected.
�England would be about the best place to get an online from as it is part of the EU. But it is also the most expensive along with the course lengths sometimes being longer.
Australia is the cheapest with short course lengths.
"The University Of Southern Queensland has the most interesting linguistics units to study but it has the drawback of being recognized as being a distance educator. Some places (countries, universities) here in Asia frown on distance education degrees. Money paid is quite often the same as paid for lower degree but if you have a masters and someone has a bacholors for a job, guess who normally gets the job.
�Oh and the USQ you can get a certificate in linguistics for two units, a graduate for four units and a masters for eight units.�
�go to Uni Southern Queensland for professional tutors or Monash uni. 8 courses is basically a "Certificate" program back in North America - so, to call it a "Master Degree" is a bit off the truth.�
University of Tasmania � Med in TESOL http://www.futurestudents.utas.edu.au/distance

Canada
*Athabasca�I don�t see a really relevant program: http://www2.athabascau.ca/programs/graduate.php
*University of Calgary�I don�t see a really relevant program: http://educ.ucalgary.ca/programs

England
*Aston (Educational Management in TESOL): http://www1.aston.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-programmes/school/languages-social-sciences/
*U Birmingham: http://www.postgraduate.bham.ac.uk/programmes/distance/arts/applied-linguistics-dist.shtml
*U Edinburgh: http://postgraduateprogrammesonline.ed.ac.uk/node.asp?id=home�Seems to require a thesis.
*Leicester U (someone said it�s fairly easy): http://www.le.ac.uk/pgprospectus/courses/distance/education/courselist.html
*St. Mary�s University College: http://www.smuc.ac.uk/postgraduate/index.htm
*University of Reading: http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/Departments/appliedlinguistics.aspx
Sadebugo did his there online. Got a job at Raytheon from it in Saudi. They require a thesis.

New Zealand
*University of Auckland: http://www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/fp-masters-degrees#s3c38
*Victoria University of Wellington - MA in TESOL or Applied Linguistics: http://www.victoria.ac.nz/home/study/postgrad/humanities/masters.aspx

United States
*American University in DC (on campus): http://www.american.edu/cas/tesol/MA-TESL.cfm
It has global branches too, here is a list: http://auabroad.american.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ListAll
The fees: http://www.american.edu/cas/admissions/finance.cfm
VS went to the Cairo branch and liked it. In a lot of on campus programs one can do a fellowship or assistantship and receive a stipend for hours worked.
*Framingham State College out of Massachussets for MA-Education/TESL: http://www.framingham.edu/dgce/iep/sites.htm
They have a couple weeks on campus in various global locations, in addition to online.
*Shenandoah in Virginia: http://www.su.edu/education/A11ABEE8BC9D4FD2B57D0D52D1E8415D.asp
*SIT Graduate Institute at Brattleboro, Vermont: http://www.sit.edu/graduate/find_sit_graduate_institute.htm
*Temple U: http://www.temple.edu/ in PA recommended, due to its Osaka/Tokyo branches.
*The New School in N.Y.C: http://www.newschool.edu/matesol/
Supposed to be good, but quite expensive.
*University of Columbia, Missouri: http://www.mudirect.missouri.edu/degprog/ed-TESOL/index.shtm
�I am taking the online M.A. in TESOL in America with University of Columbia, Missouri. It'll take 1.5 years to complete, because I'm taking the summer courses. There are three semesters: spring, summer, and fall. Truthfully, it's been easy to medium difficulty. I went to a very rigorous undergraduate program, but I do NOT believe I'm underestimating UM-Columbia. I've taken 5 courses online with them and I haven't had to write any papers over 4-5 pages.�
*University of Nebraska, Lincoln campus. I couldn�t find a program out of these: http://www.unl.edu/gradstudies/prospective/majors_atoz.shtml
*Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico is a campus English MA in Puerto Rico. I can�t find the program: http://www.inter.edu/oferta_academica/graduada.asp
*The Phillipines Woman's University in Manilla is American accredited and will take male live in students. I see an MA in Education here: http://www.pwu.edu.ph/2007/academic/education.html


Feel free to amend and comment upon the above.

[naturegirl321]

Wow. tath's a great list. Are all of those schools those that have distance MAs?

UNE sounds good, but my biggest complaint, from the site, is that thee are only two semesters, and there's not much to be said for electives. And are you saying that UNE has one course where most peopel fail? I didn't really understand what you wrote.

Mine was like that. There was one tutor who failed everyone at least once, in different courses. To see if you really wanted the degre I guess.

About the number of courses, a couple that I've looked at have 8 to 10 courses, included some in the US. I applied to USQ today and got accepted five hours later. So I don't really know what to think.

You could also add www.funiber.org. Just keep in mind your degree will be from Spain.

And Aston is in the UK

how good in the NEw school? The name alone sounds, well, odd. But hey have Jeremy Harmer, so it must be good.

[sarahg]

I have no experience with the school myself, but the New School has a master's in TESOL with a concentration in curriculum development that is completely online and I don't think it requires a dissertation or thesis:
http://www.newschool.edu/matesol/

[Hadit]

[anyway]

Check out Walden U. They have an IT & Design option with a capstone and eportfolio finale. For some reason I'm under the impression that they were one of the first online universities...