Korean Job Discussion Forums

[acornrevolution]

**I posted this in the ESL Cafe Int'l Forums too, but just to gather a wider array of opinions I'm posting here, plus I work in Korea**

Hi!
I am getting my papers, essays, and work together to start applying to distance MA programs based in the United States. I have looked at a lot of programs, US and int'l, and have picked a few US schools, but I am having difficulty deciding which one to put more hope or emphasis or excitability on, and was wondering if anyone here can offer info regarding these schools, especially quality of education and reputability?

--Shenandoah University - http://www.su.edu/sas/tesol/
Pros: I like their coursework, and they seem to have a good distance ed. medium
Cons: They require 120 hours of class observation and to defend the portfolio in Virgina. They are also a small, perhaps not well know university.

--Indiana University - http://site.educ.indiana.edu/Default.aspx?alias=site.educ.indiana.edu/langdist
Pros: Coursework seems good, offers ability to take electives
Cons: Obscure course titles, would have to start in Spring, would like to start in Fall.

--University of Mass. - http://ccde.umb.edu/degree/apling/courses/
Cons: Would have to wait until next Fall to begin.

--University of Southern Mississippi - http://www.usm.edu/matl/
Pros: Decent university, nice coursework.
Cons: sloppy website, housed in the Foreign Language department, not education. Its a MA Language Teaching.

Any advice on these schools or OTHER schools in the US would be great! I look forward to reading responses. So far, I'm learning towards Shenandoah.

~Acorn~

[pkang0202]

I would pick the school with the higher ranked program. May not matter so much overseas, but when you ever decide to go back to the US, it will matter.

If you don't know the rankings, then pick the bigger/better recognized school. Of that list, I know that Indiana University is a pretty good school. Plus, a lot of people know it from College Basketball. With all things being equal, always pick the more popular school.