Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TECO]

Hi,

I just finished a Distance M.A. degree with USQ in Applied Linguistics.

As some of you may know, I applied for a university teaching job in Taiwan and was rejected because they do not recognize distance degrees.

I am now trying to make a list of countries that refuse to recognize distance M.A. degrees. This is the info I have collected.

TAIWAN
UAE (conflicting reports)
ARGENTINA
COSTA RICA
MEXICO (conflicting reports)
CHINA (conflicting reports - some universities won't recognize them).

I would recommend people going to do the on-campus/in-residence format for the 2 semesters or so that it takes to get the degree instead of doing it through distance format.

Is Korea still recognizing distance M.A. degrees - sounds like they are? Anyone here expecting the universities to not recognize distance degrees in the future?

[rok_the-boat]

Some do not like distance MAs, but they are the wave of the future. I have one and have had some positive and some negative vibes. In the future, people will have to interview more carefully to ascertain that the recruitees actually learned something. I really got a lot out of mine and quite enjoyed it. Accordingly, I won't let anyone put me down.

[rapier]

The average cost of tuition, living, accom, etc etc for one year at an American university, if you are a foreigner, I calculated at around 24 M won.

There must be more productive long term ways to use this amount of money. start up a business? Travel the world? what?

[TECO]

[Mankind]

Does your degree say it was from distance? Most good schools don't list that. If thats the case don't tell them, thats all. I personally respect distance more than in school degrees. Work take care of a family and study. Little support or help. Takes more commitment.

HAND

[VanIslander]

All distance degrees are not created equal.

The Australian degree mills are less of an investment of time and money than the British, American and Canadian distance Master's, and USQ is part of the wave of new institutional structures in the nineties in response to the increased demand, with feedback and grading coming from people without even doctorates in the field.

That said, someone who does the degree is, all other factors being equal, demonstrating to an EFL employer a greater commitment to the profession than a one-month certificate grad. I would consider hiring an USQ or Macquarie grad to teach, because I don't think the learning of practical teaching skills is much different in general between distance and non-distance (and even between the relatively new ESL departments and the longstanding academically reputable ones), only on a case-by-case basis.

I think the only detraction to a degree mill distance education at a relatively new academic department is the reliability of the degree as a sign of preparation for doctoral-level studies. If I was on a grad school admissions committee (as I was before in my role as grad rep in my Master's program) I would look more closely at the Master's thesis that was written and the research courses chosen, because these choices at USQ and Macquarie are not optional at many reputable old-school ESL departments. And I'd have to rely less on the recommendations of professors compared to those who were on campus nearly every day.

[posco's trumpet]

Save your money. Do an on-campus graduate degree. Find a school which will give you a scholarship. Get one.

(If you can't get a scholarship perhaps you should reconsider graduate school.)

[Zed]

[shawner88]

That's a shame TECO. I still appreciate you showing me around Taiwan, what a night

Hope things work out for you. Sounds like a lot of money down the tubes, but who knows...may serve you in the future. [/ end cheesy pep talk]

[TECO]

[TECO]

Shawn,

Yeah, it kind of sucks. I was hoping for an increase in good teaching opportunities but it looks like that won't happen in Taiwan.

They only recognize M.A. degrees done on-campus and that is the law there in both private and national universities and colleges. It sounds like they have a lot of university jobs open to be filled because they cannot get people who meet the MOE's standards re M.A. degrees.

Sounds like Korea doesn't discriminate against distance M.A. degrees. I hope this doesn't change either. Unfortunately, I have recently learned that other countries have followed suit.

Hey, that was a fun night - You should come down to Taiwan again sometime if you have to do another visa run!

But I guess there are also more exciting places to visit like P.I. or Thailand or H.K. though aren't there.