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rt
Joined: 27 May 2009
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 Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 1:12 am Post subject: did your MA in linguistics require a practicum or thesis? |
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My USQ (Australia) MA in applied linguistics required a one semester teaching practicum at the end of the 8 required courses(this was back in the late 1990's). I had already been teaching ESL of for 5 years at that time, so it wasn't really a problem.
A thesis option was available as well, but it wasn't required, as many people have no interest in/use for academic research.
Has this practicum requirement changed? I think it would be very beneficial (perhaps even necessary) for someone with no teaching/professional development experience. |
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Thiuda
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Location: Religion ist f�r Sklaven geschaffen, f�r Wesen ohne Geist.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject: Re: did your MA in linguistics require a practicum or thesis |
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| rt wrote: |
My USQ (Australia) MA in applied linguistics required a one semester teaching practicum at the end of the 8 required courses(this was back in the late 1990's). I had already been teaching ESL of for 5 years at that time, so it wasn't really a problem.
A thesis option was available as well, but it wasn't required, as many people have no interest in/use for academic research.
Has this practicum requirement changed? I think it would be very beneficial (perhaps even necessary) for someone with no teaching/professional development experience. |
I wrote a dissertation for my MA in linguistics. Standard stuff: research+75 pages. |
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Hank the Iconoclast
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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| I have to write a disseration for my MA in TEFL/TESL from Uni. Birmingham. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: did your MA in linguistics require a practicum or thesis |
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My degree requires either an action research project or thesis, depending on what track you take or what you plan to do with the MA. They are equally as difficult. Coursework is approximately 1 1/2 years FT (about 11 classes), plus the thesis or research project. It's not the easiest program out there, and it's not the hardest. Mid-level big 12 conference US university. Put your time in, finish the work, and it's not too bad. I've learned a lot, but wish there were more human interaction. I'm going PT, so it'll be just under 3 years total for me.
| rt wrote: |
| My USQ (Australia) MA in applied linguistics required a one semester teaching practicum at the end of the 8 required courses |
How long does it take to complete the 8 required courses at USQ? I've heard under 8 months.
And no thesis or project required there? Wow... get your MA in no time with no thesis required.....? Seems like a big red flag to me.
What do these people do when the school hiring them asks to see their thesis/research project? Not that my current workplace is a high-level school, but if they are interviewing you for a job and ask you about your thesis (and they do), and you respond that your MA doesn't require one, they'll probably hire someone else.
Sort of off topic, but we had a guy who was working here, and made the honest mistake of mentioning that he never graduated from high school, but went back and got his GED. It ended up being his undoing. From a Western perspective, we might say, "Good for you... you went back and got it done.. then went on to earn a higher education." The Korean staff just couldn't wrap their head around it, and let the guy go.
Last edited by bassexpander on Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Thiuda
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Location: Religion ist f�r Sklaven geschaffen, f�r Wesen ohne Geist.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:16 pm Post subject: Re: did your MA in linguistics require a practicum or thesis |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
How long does it take to complete the 8 required courses at USQ? I've heard under 8 months.
And no thesis or project required there? Wow... get your MA in no time with no thesis required.....? Seems like a big red flag to me. |
Coursework MAs in the Commonwealth are between a year and and a year and a half in length. Many US universities also offer one year coursework MAs - Central Washington University: MA English - TESOL for example.
The USQ MA in AL is a two semester program and takes about a year to complete if it is done full-time and if one does not complete a thesis (or eight months if one doesn't factor in semester breaks and other holidays). With the thesis option the MA takes between a year and a half and two years.
Bass you need to learn the difference between professional MAs and academic MAs. A professional MA does not (usually) allow one to continue ones studies at the doctoral level, only academic MAs (research+diss) allows one to do that. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: did your MA in linguistics require a practicum or thesis |
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| Thiuda wrote: |
Bass you need to learn the difference between professional MAs and academic MAs. A professional MA does not (usually) allow one to continue ones studies at the doctoral level, only academic MAs (research+diss) allows one to do that. |
I do know the difference.
In my mind, any so-called Masters Degree program that can be finished in a mere 8 months, minus a thesis, is sub-par semi-degree-mill level. If you went the longer route, then good on you -- you're fine. You actually have a thesis to show for it. I sure as heck wouldn't consider an 8 month wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am MA program with no thesis/project as meeting MA requirements for a position, however.
I don't care if the program is in Australia, the UK, the USA, or wherever. Lines must be drawn somewhere. As the market becomes flooded with these sub-par MA's from down under, or wherever, I sincerely hope the Korean educational powers come to realize that some of these MA's are a joke. They should hire with this in mind, and know what schools to look out for.
It seems you've worked hard with a mind to continue your studies. You didn't take the easy way out. That's great. In the same breath, I'll say I'm sorry that your school has decided to offer a quick/easy route to others who aren't interested in putting forth the effort you have. That cheapens the name of your school, and must upset you. It sure would upset me if my school did that.
The lure of easy money for the school is apparently too difficult for some academic institutions to look past. |
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tired of LA
Joined: 06 Nov 2006
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:01 pm Post subject: Re: did your MA in linguistics require a practicum or thesis |
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| bassexpander wrote: |
| Thiuda wrote: |
Bass you need to learn the difference between professional MAs and academic MAs. A professional MA does not (usually) allow one to continue ones studies at the doctoral level, only academic MAs (research+diss) allows one to do that. |
I do know the difference.
In my mind, any so-called Masters Degree program that can be finished in a mere 8 months, minus a thesis, is sub-par semi-degree-mill level. If you went the longer route, then good on you -- you're fine. You actually have a thesis to show for it. I sure as heck wouldn't consider an 8 month wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am MA program with no thesis/project as meeting MA requirements for a position, however.
I don't care if the program is in Australia, the UK, the USA, or wherever. Lines must be drawn somewhere. As the market becomes flooded with these sub-par MA's from down under, or wherever, I sincerely hope the Korean educational powers come to realize that some of these MA's are a joke. They should hire with this in mind, and know what schools to look out for.
It seems you've worked hard with a mind to continue your studies. You didn't take the easy way out. That's great. In the same breath, I'll say I'm sorry that your school has decided to offer a quick/easy route to others who aren't interested in putting forth the effort you have. That cheapens the name of your school, and must upset you. It sure would upset me if my school did that.
The lure of easy money for the school is apparently too difficult for some academic institutions to look past. |
I'm sure you're much more qualified to determine whether a school is a degree mill than universities and academic accrediting organizations.  |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject: Re: did your MA in linguistics require a practicum or thesis |
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| tired of LA wrote: |
| bassexpander wrote: |
| Thiuda wrote: |
Bass you need to learn the difference between professional MAs and academic MAs. A professional MA does not (usually) allow one to continue ones studies at the doctoral level, only academic MAs (research+diss) allows one to do that. |
I do know the difference.
In my mind, any so-called Masters Degree program that can be finished in a mere 8 months, minus a thesis, is sub-par semi-degree-mill level. If you went the longer route, then good on you -- you're fine. You actually have a thesis to show for it. I sure as heck wouldn't consider an 8 month wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am MA program with no thesis/project as meeting MA requirements for a position, however.
I don't care if the program is in Australia, the UK, the USA, or wherever. Lines must be drawn somewhere. As the market becomes flooded with these sub-par MA's from down under, or wherever, I sincerely hope the Korean educational powers come to realize that some of these MA's are a joke. They should hire with this in mind, and know what schools to look out for.
It seems you've worked hard with a mind to continue your studies. You didn't take the easy way out. That's great. In the same breath, I'll say I'm sorry that your school has decided to offer a quick/easy route to others who aren't interested in putting forth the effort you have. That cheapens the name of your school, and must upset you. It sure would upset me if my school did that.
The lure of easy money for the school is apparently too difficult for some academic institutions to look past. |
I'm sure you're much more qualified to determine whether a school is a degree mill than universities and academic accrediting organizations. |
Seriously... it's common sense. |
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Thiuda
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Location: Religion ist f�r Sklaven g | |
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