Korean Job Discussion Forums

[The Floating World]

Okay. Friends back home are telling me it really is tough economically. Rising costs and rents yet wages not keeping up etc and job being tougher to get (even pt.)

Well in the short term this does not affect me as my immidiate plan is 1 more yr in SK, then live soley on my savings for a year undertaking a personal project. When that year is up however, I will likely be broke. I am thinking rather than toughing it out for some admin job or sales job back home or returning to TEFL to another entry level job - is not a good plan and it would be much better to come back to tefl with an MA in AL or TESOL / ELT etc.

Yes it won't be cheap (around 9 mil won) but I will be coming back here (or other parts of the world) after my year long sabbatical in line for better conditions at least than the current 2.3mil 30 hr contract hakwan job and would have better options in the UAE or Europe for example.

SO - anyone know of a good MA to do by distance learning that is affordable AND has a good reputaion? Reading university is looking very sollid at the moment.

A friend suggested doing one IN KOREA at a Korean Uni and that in order to attract foriegn students they are offering a lot of discounts and scholarships these days. Anyone know of any MA programmes in tefl or realted subjectsd at Korean unis that are well regarded in the tefl industry and that you can do by distance learning?

Know of any non UK unis that offer simillar qualifications at better prices and are still well regarded in the tefl industry (not degree / diploma mills, thank you?)

Also, any other factors or things to consider - please chime in if it's constructive!

[The Floating World]

Oh, I've also seen postgrad certificates (v short study period) and post grad diplomas in tefl / al / elt offered. The certs look like they wouldn't be any better than a 120hr tefl for Korea - but what about the longer diplomas? Pretty sure the MA is the standard for the higher rungs of the ladder though. I mean isn't a diploma such as this essentailly just 'half of an MA?'

http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/courses/taught/dipelt.aspx

[Vimfuego]

University of Birmingham
Aston University

both have stands at KOTESOL today at Sookmyung Women's Uni. You can visit the exhibitors area without paying in. They're both in the Centennial Hall.

[SNR83]

I'm half way through my masters with the Institute of Education, University of London. The fees are fairly high (approx �7,000 total over 2 years) but you'll struggle to find a distance course from a uni with a better reputation.

[zappadelta]

Birmingham, Nottingham, Reading, Leicester, Warwick, etc. all have really good reps in the TESOL world. I cant comment on the cost of any of them, but you should be easily able to round that up with a quick search.

[The Floating World]

Very constructive replies thus far, thanks.

SNR83 - that sounds good, but 5k gbp is my limit.

Vimfuego - I'm not in Seoul but have checked both online and they look good.

Also - am looking if there are Korean unis offering simmilar course but their websites are terrible, doesn't seem to be many distance learning opportunites at all.

[livinginkorea]

The University of Birmingham is 820 pounds (1,470,000 won) per installments for the six modules (one every four months) and then 2460 pounds (4.4 million) for the dissertation. Makes it a lot easier to budget than paying 6 or 7 thousand pounds per year.
Also if you have the cash then after the third module you can go to Bham and study there, thus reducing the time a lot which is a nice option.

[bish]

I really think that if you are going back to the UK for TESOL work then your best option is the Cambridge Delta. Schools looking for DoS or Academic Managers view this much more favourably than an MA.

It's also much cheaper and can be done in 8 or 9 weeks (very demanding to do it like that, I hear).

Check the jobs in the UK on TEFL.com and you will see the MA might not be worth it for UK teachers...

[bish]

I really think that if you are going back to the UK for TESOL work then your best option is the Cambridge Delta. Schools looking for DoS or Academic Managers view this much more favourably than an MA.

It's also much cheaper and can be done in 8 or 9 weeks (very demanding to do it like that, I hear).

Check the jobs in the UK on TEFL.com and you will see the MA might not be worth it for UK teachers...

[The Floating World]

[ttompatz]

[bish]