Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hfrancis]

I'm curious to know the value in Korea of online Masters programs. Can anyone comment specifically on The University of New England's (UNE) Master of Arts in Applied Liguistics? "Complete in as little as one year!" they claim. What about Univ of Birmingham's Masters in TESOL? Would a degree from either one of these schools meet the requisites of what seems to be almost half of the jobs available in Korea, and for which I and everyone else with only a lowly BA do not qualify? Also, is there anyone out there that knows about WooSong U.'s (Daejeon) TESOL-MALL program? Any useful comments would be appreciated.

[bassexpander]

The first two are probably fine. Most unis here currently recognize them. We have another thread on this stuff right now.

As for something TESOL... doesn't having TESOL and MALL in the same sentence kind of make you nervous?

[Young FRANKenstein]

[Pyongshin Sangja]

What makes UNE better than USQ? Both are Aus., external and can be done in one year. In fact, as of this year, Macquarie has been reduced to 8 courses from 10. They are all becoming the same length.

[purple_buddha]

Instructors with distance MA's in TESOL or Applied Linguistics are already abundant in Korea, which decreases their earning potential. While a graduate diploma from UNE, or Birmingham, or another recognized distance program may help you with job security at a Korean college or uni, it certainly isn't going to pay for itself any time soon. (The Framingham State College diploma would, as it's quite reasonably priced.)

You really need to look at the big picture (i.e. life after Korea). What are the major reasons for you getting an MA in the first place? (Earning a distance degree from a 3rd or 4th tier grad school won't help you much anywhere IMO, although it's better than not having one at all.) If you're going to study in hopes of landing one of the few decent uni gigs left in Korea, the line starts over there. Korean administrators by in large still don't have a great deal of respect for distance or online programs. Having a degree from such a program will open some doors (i.e. interview possibilities), but I wouldn't count on any tenure-track positions with it.
Again, spending the coin and time depends on your motivation for earning the credential.

As far as completing a program in one year, it's possible if you bust your ass trying to get it finished - quite difficult (if not impossible) with a full-time teaching schedule (unless full-time for you means less than 20 hours of teaching a week).

[Thiuda]

I hold the MAAL from UNE, and a PGC in Linguistics Research from Macquarie. Although the UNE MAAL can be done in a year, if you do the thesis option it takes two years. Macquarie just reduced the courseload of their MAAL to bring it in line with UNE and USQ, who offer coursework coursework MAs that take only a year to complete if you study full time - unlikely if you're working, better bank on two years part-time. Previously, Macquarie did not offer a non-thesis option, hence it took longer, and thus they garnered a smaller share of the pie.

My advice; do the thesis option. A lot of people have the MAAL and it's a good degree, but without the thesis option you're not going to get the same benefits as you would if you did the thesis. Good employers will ask you to submit your thesis when you apply, and if you don't have one you're not going to look very good. Also, the non-thesis MA does not allow you to go on to do your PhD, while if you have the thesis MAAL you can go on to do a PhD.

My MA cost 12 million Won. I graduated in 2006; I've earned that money back in spades since. Having an MA opens a lot of doors for you, not only because you are more qualified, but because an MA signals to the employer, "Hey, this person cared enough to get more qualified. Hmm, maybe they have a work ethic and don't just want cash for doing as little as possible." Every tool and their Chia-pet have a BA, if you want to show a potential employer that you've advanced a step beyond the Chia pet stage, get an MA.

[Thiuda]

[indytrucks]

[sea2sea]

I was wondering if anyone has taken courses with the Univeristy of Phoenix and if so, how you found it?

[TECO]

Australian M.A. Applied Linguistics / TESOL programs are a fucking joke. 6 - 8 courses and no thesis research component is a complete discredit to the Master's degree. Not to mention, there is no in-class teaching observation or teaching practicum.

6 courses can be done in less than a year. So can the 8 course Master's degree. That's only 3 - 4 courses per-semester. A semester is only like 3 1/2 months long. So that's like 7 to 8 months to earn a Master's degree! Where in the world, other than Australia, can you earn a Master's degree in 7 or 8 months! Even the Master's level courses in Korea, Japan and Taiwan are more intensive and stringent than those in Australia. I respect Master's degrees from Japan or Taiwan moreose than what I see coming out of Australia.

Unfuckingreal!

Back in Canada, that's no more than a one year certificate level program (8 courses) at a community college. A diploma level course takes like 16 credits or 2 years to complete.

WOW!

Macquaire reduced it's course load because it wants to jam its face in the trough next to USQ, UNE and Monash also! Big bucks to be made from Asian students and those Canadian/American/British EFL teachers in Japan, Taiwan, China and Korea.

Australia, in my opinion, has seriously discredited the Master's degree and I can see why many American schools would not recognize Master's degrees from places like USQ, UNE, Monash, etc. - they're nothing but degree mills!

[Pyongshin Sangja]

[indytrucks]

[TECO]

my suggestion if you've decided to do an Australian Master's:

1) do a thesis component.

2) do at least one semester on campus.

Will lend a whole lot more credibility to your degree.

[Thiuda]

Teco, your post is inaccurate.

All MAs offered through the Australian universities that you mention take at least one year to complete, and while the Monash MAAL is only six units, it takes 1.5 years of full-time study to complete (http://www.monash.edu.au/study/coursefinder/course/3239/#details).

The MAs under discussion are also accredited in the US, UK and Canada (UNE accreditation), so I'm not certain why you would claim that Australian MAs are less credible than Canadian MAs, especially given that several Canadian Universities also offer one year, non-thesis MAs in AL (Concordia and Brock, for example).

I agree with you that anybody considering doing an MA in AL should do the thesis, though I don't think an on campus component is necessary - given that the degrees under discussion do not reflect whether or not they were completed on campus.

In the end, the value of an MA, be it an MA from Australia, the US, or Canada, lies in its ability to help you secure better employment and a place in a PhD programme (if one so desires), and I am certain that both the UNE and Macquarie MAAL do both.

[hari seldon]