Korean Job Discussion Forums

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

I have been teaching in the UK for about a year now (since returning from Korea) and am thinking about doing an MA English Language Teaching (ELT). However, I would like to know what opportunities are available for those that have done an MA in TESOL/ELT/TEFL.

I am hoping to do the course at Sussex University. Are there any users here that have an MA? What sort of jobs do you have? When I return to Korea in 2012, I would be eligible for an F2-1 visa as my wife is Korean.

Any advice would be appreciated.

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

vaticanhotline · Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 4:42 am Post subject:

Is this a rhetorical question? Go for it. It'll bump you up the payscale and you'll be guaranteed a better placement than the standard, especially with your F2.

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

Good. Thanks for the advice so far. I'm starting the MA ELT course this September and will graduate in 2 years time. The wife and I are a bit tired of the UK now and we are making arrangements to save up for 2012 when we come back to Korea.

We would like to come back long term (20 years plus) with support to offer education for our only son. He is nearly seven now. Good to see that I am going in the right direction.

How can I get a Uni place? Can I go straight to unis?

afsjesse · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Location: Kickin' it in 'Kato town.

Good to see you back Whistleblower! Very Happy

I left Korea last July to pursue my MATESL here in Minnesota, US. I have similar plans that you do. ie: Return to Korea for an unspecified amount of time to work at the Uni level.

Contrary to what I heard from people, I am actually learning a lot of valuable information in my program. I'm really excited to return and put a lot of my new found knowlege into practice.

Good luck with the MA!

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

Thanks Jesse. Good luck also.

I think it is nice to have a break from Korea after a few years and pursue other things.

afsjesse · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Location: Kickin' it in 'Kato town.

I agree. Being back in the states gives you an interesting perspective on everything that one loved and hated about Korea. I enjoyed it a lot and am anxious to return and possibly move on to other places in the coming years. The best part of having a real credential is being able to go where the jobs are and not where they hire any ol' joe.

SteveJobs · Joined: 12 Mar 2010

I've only got my B.A in International Studies and German language (minor) at the moment and will be teaching for the first time in korea hopefully later this year. Right now I'm a bit burned out from the universities having spent a year at a German one, which was the biggest challenge of my educational career lol.

So MATESOL programs are usually two year programs? bummer. I'm much more interested in doing a 1 year MA program then maybe doing a CELTA. I could be wrong but couldn't I get about the same pay with that education with having my MA in a field un related to education? My goal is to end up in the Middle East at some point, after I've gotten enough experience to meet requirements.

bucheon bum · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

SteveJobs · Joined: 12 Mar 2010

livinginkorea · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Location: Korea, South of the border

I thought that MAs were one year? Two years in Korea but back in Europe it's a year. The University of Birmingham is a year. Maybe the OP means two years with summer/winter breaks or part time?

Satchel Paige · Joined: 29 Dec 2009

afsjesse · Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Location: Kickin' it in 'Kato town.

While I can't speak about the economy and life in general in the UK, I can speak about it in the US. If 'grass is always greener syndrome' has infected me if wanting to come back is a symptom. Things back here aren't very pretty and i'm only surviving because of my teaching assistantship and a part time job I have. Not very fun.

Whistleblower · Joined: 03 Feb 2007

To clarify, the MA ELT course is a two year course at Sussex University (part-time) and am planning to start this year and graduate 2012. It is affordable.

I have suffered from the "grass-is-greener" syndrome since arriving and have to scrimp and safe for any progress or development that I want in the UK. High tax, lack of disposable income, recession, possibility of 20% VAT etc all weigh against the UK at the moment.

Onwards and upwards.

Thiuda · Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:35 pm Post subject:

I think doing an MA is the best thing you can do for yourself. It'll make you a better teacher and open many doors. But, why do an MA in English Teaching? Have you considered doing an MA in Applied Linguistics? In my opinion both MAs provide you with a great qualification, but the MA AL has a broader range of application; i.e. editing, forensic linguistics, corpus linguistics...etc. If you ever decide to switch careers an MA in ELT might seem a little specialized.

In any case, doing an MA in a related discipline is the best thing an individual can do to improve professional practice and enhance ones job prospects.

For those teachers already in Korea, I suggest doing the online/distance programs on offer by reputable institutions like Birmingham U., Macquarie U., The University of New England, or UMass, among many other good unis. Good distance programs provide great value for money and are in my experience no worse than residential programs.