Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Linda868]

My husband and I are planning to go back to school in 1.5 years. I already have a BSc in Chemistry. If I wanted to work at a university what would be better: just a bachelors of education, Bachelor of Education and Masters of Education or a BA of some sort?

Is there discrimination hiring at universities as well? I am a Chinese-Vietnamese Canadian (born and raised in Canada). Would it be difficult for me to find a job compared to hagwons or harder? (When I was looking for a job it took me a while to find something here because I was not white. I received less job offers)

What the chances of a university needing two teachers at the same time?

Thanks for any help that can be provided!

[PRagic]

The Master's degree is the best option if you want to be employable at the university level in Korea. ESL and/or education related degrees might give you a let up. Some people get jobs at lower-tiered universities with just a BA, but they're on shaky ground from the get-go, and for the most part, they were hired out of convenience.

Most universities like to hire people with in-country experience, and they like to conduct personal interviews and teaching demos. If you have a passport from an English-speaking country, you're fine. They have a tough time trying to find women who want to work in Korea for more than a year or two.

Getting hired as a couple is a different story. Some places like to hire couples, some will not. Some think that a couple will be more responsible. Some think that if there's a problem with one, it will automatically become a problem with two. I'd say just apply to any place offering positions and let the chips fall where they may.

Good luck to you. But you won't be coming over for another 3.5 years? Who knows what the ESL university employment system will be like then!

[DAC]

I'd recommend a BEd, it's useable in both Korea and Canada, but only if you plan to use it for something when and if you return to Canada. Otherwise get a BA.
I've got a BEd, (no MA yet) and it's given me another plus when people consider me for work.

[D.D.]

Ya BEd is the way to go so you can in public schools in Canada, universities in Korea and international schools as a science teacher. I know people with BEds teaching in Korean universities.

[iggyb]

I don't know about Canada, but here in the US, I just did a MA Teaching (English) that certifies me to teach English Language Arts in secondary schools. It is designed to pull in new teachers out of the work force - while the MA Ed is for already certified teachers.

The TESOL certification add-on is easy to get - at least in my state. I'm qualified through course work taken as a BA in English.

So, the MA-T gives me a better chance of getting teaching jobs in the US, boosts my pay grade, and helps me when applying for university (or other) jobs in Korea.

[Konglishman]