Korean Job Discussion Forums

[paulandamy]

Are night classes available for graduate programs at SNU? I could call and find out but I thought maybe people would know... if not, do they possibly allow for a teaching job + classes?

[Trevor]

It's been done before. Koreans value foreign degrees more than local one's though, and back in your home country, it is unlikely that your Korean master's degree will be worth much. You may want to consider a distance program, though I don't know your personal circumstances and perhaps there is some reason why it may be worthwhile to do one at SNU.

What field/program are you interested in?

[paulandamy]

We're at a FLHS and an international middle school and thinking about staying for the long term.... and so figured a masters at SNU would be better than a mid-level online program somewhere... plus working while getting the degree would be nice.

[kiwiana]

Working while getting a degree is feasible if you are dedicated. I did my Master's in Education via coursework/thesis online while teaching full time in South Korea. There is nothing on my academic transcripts or degree that states that my masters was an online one. I would rate my mid to high tier university degree from back in New Zealand over a degree from a Korean Uni any day, especially for its value outside of Korea.

[pkang0202]

If the degree is accredited in yoru home country, then of course it will be useful.

Its all about how you sell it. A SNU masters is definitely more interesting than "Average State U" Masters. YOu get that job interview, and you tell them the things you learned and experienced that you wouldn't have experienced doing your masters at home.

[PRagic]

OP, follow your first instinct: call the school or at least check the web site. When it's that easy, why not just go to the source?

[Chamchiman]

If I were considering staying in Korea for the long term, I'd think about the Sookmyung program. But the last time I looked, they don't offer ANY part of the program as an online option. Surely the experience of being in the classroom and doing the master's degree "hands-on" is valuable, but just as surely, some of the coursework could be done from home. For me, working full-time and doing the entire program on campus is not feasible. Why they don't make the coursework options of their master's programs more flexible is beyond me.

[paulandamy]

Thanks for the useful advice. I think I might have to think harder about this... although I would like to get the masters ASAP.... Has anyone done their masters at SNU?

[bassexpander]

I can tell you this... a lot of what you're calling "mid-level" distance degrees are from schools ranked higher internationally than Seoul National is.

If you're returning home at any point in the future, you'll want a degree from back home. Most people hiring back home would look at a Seoul National University degree with about the same value as Ethiopia National University -- it won't be worth much of anything. They'll want a degree that conforms to certain local, or at the very least, international standards.

And those who actually know something about Korea from living here might actually hold it against you for having it.

[Bucheonguy]

I was under the impression that Korean degrees aren't recognized internationally. Is that true or am I wrong?

Either way, after doing several university assignments for Korean students I can tell you the uni is a total joke here. It's amazingly simple. Final assignment for a fourth year class is a 2 page opinion paper on something Korean? What a joke.

Save your money and don't do a masters at SNU.

[paulandamy]

[sligo]

SNU is number 51 in the world, anyone who see SNU on a CV will search and no doubt be impressed. Here is the top 100 list:

uni list

[paulandamy]

Damn... just realized my brother's and sister's degrees are worth more than mine

[paulandamy]

BTW - has anyone taken an SNU degree back to the US/NZ/UK/CA?

Edit: Additionally, I'm really interested in the masters program. I've heard that the undergraduate programs here are a joke, but I was under the impression that at least for a PhD, you would still be required to submit to international journals.

[RedRob]