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Chris2007
Joined: 20 Mar 2007
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 Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 10:31 pm Post subject: What a Masters in TESOL can do for you |
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What can an M.A. in TESOL do for you? I am strongly considering doing a masters distance program from an accredited university.
Can it get you an English teaching job pretty much anywhere? Maybe even in the EU if you're not an EU citizen?
I just figure that I want to keep travelling and dread the thought of going back to a cubicle in corporate America. Yet I don't want Korea to be my only real option either. |
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Corky
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
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| Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Having a master's in anything greatly improves your chances of working in the government, especially if you want to start out as language trainer. |
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dakdungchim
Joined: 27 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:40 am Post subject: Consider |
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| I'm not in Korea, these days, but at a university in another Asian country. My boss and dean both told me that because all the people here go overseas and het TESOL degrees, there's a glut. I listened to my wife and pursued work in literature. It can be hard for non-native speakers to understand the stylistic intiricacies of prose and poetry, and it's not uncommon to hire natives to teach literature. Think of the French French professors in the US. |
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dakdungchim
Joined: 27 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:45 am Post subject: Distance Degree |
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Also consider the fact that some countries don't credit distance degrees. A lady I worked with in the US got her distance Ph.D, applied for her full-time job at the school, and was all set. Only then did she find out her distance degree wasn't from an accredited university. . .
Hell, I think Taiwan doesn't even count Community College degrees or degrees from South Dakota!
Dakdungchim |
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MarionG
Joined: 14 Sep 2006
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| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:00 am Post subject: |
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Nuclear bombs, million dollar payments, and prayer, even in combination, will not get you a legal teaching job in the EU without an EU passport.
There are two ways to teach English in the EU...illegally, or with an EU passport. Been there, done that.... |
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FistFace
Joined: 24 Mar 2007
Location: Peekaboo! I can see you! And I know what you do!
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| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:06 am Post subject: Re: Distance Degree |
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| dakdungchim wrote: |
Also consider the fact that some countries don't credit distance degrees.
Dakdungchim |
And there are a few Korean schools who don't. Enough that I'm scared of a trend beginning, so I've decided not to get one via distance.
KAIST is one of the schools that won't accept distance degrees, according to a friend who was refused an interview there based on this reason. They saw that he was in Korea when he got his degree (compared work dates with the degree dates). They used the excuse that his degree wasn't obtained in an English-speaking country.
His degree was from The University of Birmingham, one of the top MA/TESOL schools in England. He was tutored at an affiliated branch campus here in Seongnam, Korea. They don't differentiate between distance and non-distance degrees earned through them.
He paid 18 million won for it.
If you do have a distance degree, I recommend you somehow HIDE the dates you obtained it. |
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Chris2007
Joined: 20 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:22 am Post subject: Re: Distance Degree |
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| dakdungchim wrote: |
Also consider the fact that some countries don't credit distance degrees. A lady I worked with in the US got her distance Ph.D, applied for her full-time job at the school, and was all set. Only then did she find out her distance degree wasn't from an accredited university. . .
Dakdungchim |
I was thinking of doing my distance degree through Shenandoah University which is accredited but its scary to think because I wasn't on campus employers may not accept it. But SU is accredited so that should help. |
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Hotpants
Joined: 27 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:58 am Post subject: |
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I'm just embarking on an MA TESOL/Applied Linguistics with the Open University in the UK. It is all distance taught, and I'm also aware of the fact that it may not be recoginized by all institutes outside of the UK. I'm basically doing it because I feel I need to have further training input at this stage of my teaching (as we all know, most teachers in Korea will never receive any formal teacher training as part of their job) and a part time distance course while still working is the only way I can financially conceive doing a Masters.
I already had a uni job in Korea without the MA, so know that it's possible to still get decent jobs without it. In fact, if it's for the purpose of financial gain, from my research, the TESOL MA is only going to work for you in the Middle East, Hong Kong or in a couple of EU countries. It might also help you get into TESOL publishing. |
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hugo_danner
Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Location: korea
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| Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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| It might get you a little more when you go back home to wait tables! |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:49 am Post subject: |
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| Not worth the money, IMHO. |
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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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| Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:57 am Post subject: Re: What a Masters in TESOL can do for you |
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| Chris2007 wrote: |
What can an M.A. in TESOL do for you? I am strongly considering doing a masters distance program from an accredited university.
Can it get you an English teaching job pretty much anywhere? Maybe even in the EU if you're not an EU citizen?
I just figure that I want to keep travelling and dread the thought of going back to a cubicle in corporate America. Yet I don't want Korea to be my only real option either. |
Currently, I am in my last semester of coursework at Shenandoah University. It is accredited by the same accrediting body that accredits other universities such as The University of Virginia, Duke, etc. The program can be done in person or via Internet. The last component, the capstone project, must be defended/presented at the university in Winchester, Virginia. No ifs, ands, or buts. Therefore, one could easily make the argument that this program is both on and off campus. This is definitely one of the best programs in the world. I did my homework before signing up for this program.
If you are worried about finding a job in the US (or any other country for that matter) after graduating from SU, don't. There are numerous students whom have graduated from SU and moved on to other positions such as course facilitators, lecturers, etc. Some have even been published in academic journals, newspapers, etc. I�m sorry, but, I don�t care what Korea thinks about �distance education�. For a country like Korea or organizations such as KAIST or other universities here in Korea to say that distance education is not legitimate is absurd. How can I or anyone accept what anyone here says when the information comes from a country that is plagued by degree forgery, an obsolete way in which to do things in respect to commerce in a global arena (Confucianism), a place where �face� is valued more than truth, a place that doesn�t allow foreign professors to obtain tenure or a professorship at a university (reference E-1 class visas for more information) because they aren�t Korean, and a place where not even the best university in the country can even make the top 150 schools in the world?
The fact is this: those who see distance learning as a 'second-rate' education are ignorant of what distance learning really entails (i.e. the amount of work you output and what you learn in comparison to actually going to a brick and mortar building, the interaction with your students...more-so online via discussions than one would have in person, etc.)
Read up on the research out there on distance education. Hell, read the article I wrote on distance education (published in several venues). Simply go to my website and click on 'publications'. You'll find the appropriate links.
I understand there is still a negative sentiment regarding distance learning. However, it is minimal and fading quickly.
OP, if you have any questions regarding SU, please pm me. I'll be more than happy to answer any questions and guide you in the right direction. I really am glad I chose SU as the place to get my M.A. Ed..
P.S. Don�t listen to those posters who claim that distance education isn�t worth it. They are the ones that are ignorant of the truth. I have provided you with references to factual information showing the growing acceptance of online degree programs. What have they given you besides mere conjecture? Credibility is given to those who can support what they posit. |
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Chris2007
Joined: 20 Mar 2007
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:07 am Post subject: |
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Thanks everyone for your replies, especially Cubanlord. Its so much to think about...
I do see myself in teaching for the long term and would like the option to return to the U.S. if I wanted/needed to teach there.
My undergrad degree is not in teaching however so I need to think of the best path to take from here.
From what I've learned the CELTA certificate is great if you want to keep travelling and teaching but perhaps not useful in the States. Does anyone know if thats true?? If so, maybe I should consider a masters degree in the education field so I can go home and teach in the future. The one roadblock I face is my undergrad gpa which is not, shall we say, stellar...but I've grown up a lot. But, yeah, if I somehow got into grad school I would have to be extremely focused.
Anyway, are there other educational options I should consider? What paths are you all doing/considering? Feel free to chime in! Thanks! |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:21 am Post subject: |
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In the USA, having a CELTA "certification" on your resume adds another line of ink. That's about it.
Who "certifies" the CELTA? The group that created the CELTA. So, unless I am understanding this incorrectly, the CELTA certifies the CELTA.
Do you see the problem?
It's not recognized as anything in the USA, basically. The degrees you'd need to teach there take a lot more time than a 1 month crash course in learning lesson plans and brushing-up on grammar points.
Look into Ball State University (David Letterman graduated from there, I believe), and the various programs offered in TESL there. They also have some other education-type degrees that might be worth a look. Not a bad school, and you might be able to get in with lower undergrad grades. |
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cubanlord
Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
In the USA, having a CELTA "certification" on your resume adds another line of ink. That's about it.
Who "certifies" the CELTA? The group that created the CELTA. So, unless I am understanding this incorrectly, the CELTA certifies the CELTA.
Do you see the problem?
It's not recognized as anything in the USA, basically. The degrees you'd need to teach there take a lot more time than a 1 month crash course in learning lesson plans and brushing-up on grammar points.
Look into Ball State University (David Letterman graduated from there, I believe), and the various programs offered in TESL there. They also have some other education-type degrees that might be worth a look. Not a bad school, and you might be able to get in with lower undergrad grades. |
bass is right. The CELTA means nothing in North America (well, the U.S. at least). However, a Master's means a lot! Besides, a Master's degree is worth a lot more than any type of certification. Just compare the two: Master's in Education or certificate in TEFL? |
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makemischief
Joined: 04 Nov 2005
Location: Traveling
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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| I'll second Cubanlord. I graduated from Shenandoah last year. Great school- that or Birmingham are both quite nice IMHO. |
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