Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Suwon23]

So I'm looking at graduate schools in the USA right now. I'd love to come back to Korea and study there, however, so I've started doing some research into Korean universities. I wonder if you might help me out a little. My Korean isn't great, and although I can easily get back to a conversational level, classes and assignments entirely in Korean would be nearly impossible, so I'm basically limited to the English-language programs. I'm pretty flexible about what area of study I choose, and I don't mind if I can't get all my credits in Korea. I can fill in the rest in the States, probably. The main problems are:

1) Finding programs. I know about the major schools that offer English programs, like Yonsei, but are there any lesser known programs that an internet search might miss?

2) Evaluating programs. I know a lot of schools in Korea aren't so good, and it's important that my course work be good enough to be worth something in the states. I need some smart people to help me pick the good programs from the bad.

[jugbandjames]

[Thiuda]

[Suwon23]

You're a life-saver, Thiuda. Good news about accreditation, bad news about the cost.

As for the area of study, I don't mean to say I have no interests. My undergraduate degree was in history, and I've continued studying for pleasure over the years since. I'm also interested in economics, political science, and legal theory. I would certainly choose an area of study from one of those. But the university I get into would determine what direction I want to go. If I get a chance to study at a big school in China, for example, my choice might be different than if I study at a small school in Japan. If I say "I only want economics" I might miss out on a great poli sci program, or vice versa. Basically, I want liberal arts, preferably one of the areas I mentioned. I've been working harder than a team of mules at a job I don't even like for the last few years, so I'm cautiously optimistic that I can handle a challenging graduate program and even enjoy immersing myself in it entirely without pulling my hair out.

[kpmth00]

I'd also like to get more information on this , too

[Thiuda]

[jugbandjames]

It's not the same as working at a job you don't like. Think of it more like taking the GRE all day. If it's a subject that stimulates you, then it's not so bad. If it's something that bores you, then you won't be able to do it.

I'm not trying to discourage you from going to grad school. I'm trying to encourage you to figure out what exactly it is you want to study so that when you get there you don't fail out (and failing out means lower than a B average). When I started my MA program, there were 8 incoming MA candidates. Only 3 of us completed our coursework and thesis on time. Two completed it late (meaning their funding didn't cover the last bit, so they spent a bit of money), one failed out because he made a D in one class, and another transfered to an easier program because she almost failed out. The two who completed their program late did so because, even though they knew what they wanted to study course-wise, they didn't know what they wanted to research. Because they didn't jump right into the research for their thesis in the first year, they weren't able to complete it on time. The ones who failed or transfered did so not because they were bad students but because they weren't prepared to specialize in linguistics. One had a lit background and wasn't able to handle the physics and statistics. He made A's in most of his classes, but got a D in the one that was physics and statistics heavy.

There are also other benefits to knowing exactly what you want to do before entering grad school. For instance, I started doing research my very first semester (partially because I had a research assistantship instead of a teaching assistantship, so it was required) and this allowed me to write several quality research papers that I presented at conferences in the spring. As a result, it was easier to get the best people on my thesis committee.

The best approach is to figure out what interests you, figure out what research is being done in that area, and then apply to schools where those researchers are. Don't just go to a school because there is a good program--there's lots of good programs. That doesn't mean you'll graduate from them.

[Thiuda]

[OiGirl]

[Thiuda]

[kinerry]

Try Australia

[katsu]

[Suwon23]