Korean Job Discussion Forums

tuna007az · Joined: 18 Jan 2004

Was up ...hope everyone is doing well in the land of morning calm. I am currently in NJ who is attennding his final year in school. I was wondering if it is in my best interest to get my Ma in TESOL or just ocme over and get my feet wet. Personally i think it is better to get my MA so i know what i am doing just wanna hear some advice. Also i am currently taking the language to help adjust anyone do like -wise// WHo craves a philly cheese steak there Idea

kangnamdragon · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea

Welcome to the forum. If you can get your MA, then do it. You could get a better job for more pay and more vacation time. It would be worth the extra time you spend in school.

waterbaby · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

How long will it take to complete your MA? I can see advantages for doing it now, but I can also see advantages for taking a year out for some experience first Confused

Listen to your instincts.

Paji eh Wong · Joined: 03 Jun 2003

tuna007az · Joined: 18 Jan 2004

I think the most it will take 2 yrs tops hopefully but i want to get it done maybe in ayear if ican. I do not have any teaching experience but right now i am planning to have an esl internship at my school. I am a sociology major so i fgured it would be better to get it. I do worry though that i will recieve a job in a hagwon and it is true my ma will not matter but we will see thank for the feed back and eat a dman cheese steak

The fool wanders, a wise man travels

Ryst Helmut · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 1:16 pm Post subject:

Tuna,

Since you've no teaching experience, I would hold off on paying so much money and time for something you may end up not utilising. Many of us wanderlust edumakators aren't in it for the long-haul, so such a degree is nearly pointless. I would try out the field to make sure you think you can do this for many years to come.

In addition, after X number of years of experience, writing your thesis will be much easier. Also, you need to choose a program that has professors that are knowledgeable in your field....in my state, only 1 university has a professor that can really guide me in my interests, and for me, that is important.

Shoosh!

Ryst

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

First, come over to Asia and look for a job.

Then, after you have a few thousand dollars saved up, contact one of the Australian universities (e.g. University of Southern Queensland).

Apply for admission to an M.A. Education, Applied Linguistics or TESOL program. These degrees do not require a thesis and can be completed within a year and a half while you work. Also, you won`t find more affordable programs than the ones coming out of Australia.

Do it through distance study. There are a lot of us out here who have and are doing it this way.

Tuition is going up quite rapidly every year it seems, so I`d recommend anyone interested to start soon if they wanna save a lot of money.

I think tuition has doubled for some schools offering TESOL degrees within the last 5 years or so.

Ryst Helmut · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 7:17 pm Post subject:

I agree with TECO, in that, you ought to go overseas first.....however, I do not agree with attending an Australian school.

Why?

Well, you can look up the reason in my other posts about what Korean English professors (the ones that hire us) think about distance degrees (especially those gained by Americans....hinting at that we couldn't get into a program in our home country).

As for what I've found out while being here....I've spent the last month trotting about and checking out several univerisities and their TESOL/Ap.Ling/Ling/MMEd.... programs. Most offer the non-thesis track as well, but those tracks are for those who do not wish to advance to a higher degree. Also, one uses a portfolio..which, is hard in transferring into a Ph.D if you wish later on. I've been a bit chummy with a director, and asked about me getting a degree from Australia. He simply reinterated what the Koreans and other professors (from other unis nationwide) said... It'd be best if I get my advanced degrees here.

Shoosh,

Ryst

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

If 2 years is nothing to you.. and you don't mind it.. I'd definetely do it now.

It gets harder and harder to do each year that goes by, particularly when you start 'getting your feet wet' and get the abroad/travel bug in your system.

ajstew · Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Location: Korea

Tuna,
If you studied Sociology, why not do a Master's degree in it? It's value will be as good in Korea as any other Master's degree you get. If I'm you, I wouldn't do a Master's in language just because you want the experience, because chances are, you won't get the job you are really looking for until you have some experience teaching in Korea anyway (even if only one year).

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

I'd do the MA.

You'd easily get a great job in Korea. Experience teaching kids in a hogwan isn't really the same as having a linguistics or tesol masters when it comes to applying for university jobs.

In addition, if you don't like Korea, you can take that degree nearly anywhere in the world and get a good uni teaching english job!

tuna007az · Joined: 18 Jan 2004

I agree tiger i think it is beeter option to recieve the Ma so if i dont like Korea I do have the option to go anywhere i would like. A Ma in Sociology really does do that much it basically make my window of options smaller

Jensen · Joined: 30 Mar 2003 Location: hippie hell