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wicked mouthful
Joined: 11 Oct 2015
Location: USA
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 Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 4:49 am Post subject: Question about Degrees and Majors |
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So, I'm still working on my degree right now, but I'm very interested in teaching English in Korea after I graduate.
Recently, I've come to a crossroads where I have the opportunity to choose one major or another. I can proceed forward with my Business Management degree, or I can switch to a degree in Psychology with a concentration in Early Childhood Education.
I'm weighing my options against a number of variables, not just this one (this is my whole life we're talking about here), but I was curious if anyone knew what the most useful degrees for teaching abroad are.
I know that recruiters are looking for native speakers who have degrees in any subject, but are there degrees that get a higher preference over others? |
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Overture1928
Joined: 12 Jan 2014
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 8:58 am Post subject: Re: Question about Degrees and Majors |
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| wicked mouthful wrote: |
So, I'm still working on my degree right now, but I'm very interested in teaching English in Korea after I graduate.
Recently, I've come to a crossroads where I have the opportunity to choose one major or another. I can proceed forward with my Business Management degree, or I can switch to a degree in Psychology with a concentration in Early Childhood Education.
I'm weighing my options against a number of variables, not just this one (this is my whole life we're talking about here), but I was curious if anyone knew what the most useful degrees for teaching abroad are.
I know that recruiters are looking for native speakers who have degrees in any subject, but are there degrees that get a higher preference over others? |
Choose the degree that is going to help you when you go back to your home country. Recruiters/schools are not going to care, especially since you have no experience in Korea. Don't plan on making a living teaching English in Korea for the rest of your life, it is not lucrative in the long run. Do it for a year or 2 then move in to bigger and better things, most likely in your home country. Early childhood education MAY get you quicker in the door over here in Korea, but that is really about it. Don't let teaching English in Korea have the slightest influence on your choice of majors. The only thing would be having a master would allow you to teach at a university, but that is not as great as it sounds. Again, think about the big picture. |
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wicked mouthful
Joined: 11 Oct 2015
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 10:30 am Post subject: |
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I knew that I would get almost exactly this response, which is why I tried to stress that I'm not making a life-altering decision based on a desire to teach abroad. I appreciate your concern, but I am approaching this with the reality of my situation in mind and the knowledge the teaching abroad is really more of a hobby.
I have lots of PROs and CONs for both majors, and this ranks very low on both lists. (I'm not overly fond of either option, if I'm honest, but my online options are limited.)
It's curiosity, mostly, because I'm interested to know what sorts of things recruiters look for. More than anything else, it might help me pick a few extra curricular activities that might make me more attractive to recruiters. |
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Keeper
Joined: 11 Jun 2012
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 2:49 pm Post subject: |
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| OP: Are you serious? Gave me a good laugh though either way, thanks! |
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pmwhittier
Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Location: Korea
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Pick whichever degree will allow you to graduate as a young, blond, and pretty north American female. That's what recruiters are looking for. |
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Malislamusrex
Joined: 01 Feb 2010
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| I can't figure out if this is a real post or internet 'trolling' (I think is the word). It's difficult to say. |
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drcrazy
Joined: 19 Feb 2003
Location: Pusan. Yes, that's right. Pusan NOT Busan. I ain't never been to no place called Busan
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| Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2015 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Malislamusrex wrote: |
| I can't figure out if this is a real post or internet 'trolling' (I think is the word). It's difficult to say. |
Hi.
I am a college student in the USA and I hope to practice medicine in the future. After I graduate, should I go to medical school, or continue to go all the way to the doctoral level in my undergraduate major? I am a theater major.
I thank you in advance for a serious answer to my serious question. |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005
Location: Boo-sahn
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| Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2015 5:34 am Post subject: |
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| A BA in English Literature or TESOL/TESL/TEFL/WHATEVERL will be seen as a bit better. But none of them are really any better than the other in reality...at least not at the bachelor's level. I think it actually depends on the applicant, their education, and work experience...among other factors. Some of the worst teachers and biggest DBs I've met are ones who have a PhD in whatever is "better". |
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drcrazy
Joined: 19 Feb 2003
Location: Pusan. Yes, that's right. Pusan NOT Busan. I ain't never been to no place called Busan
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| Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2015 6:21 am Post subject: |
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| denverdeath wrote: |
| A BA in English Literature or TESOL/TESL/TEFL/WHATEVERL will be seen as a bit better. But none of them are really any better than the other in reality...at least not at the bachelor's level. I think it actually depends on the applicant, their education, and work experience...among other factors. Some of the worst teachers and biggest DBs I've met are ones who have a PhD in whatever is "better". |
 I have been in Korea since the 90's. Every place I have been, I have always been the only Native speaker with a PhD. I have always had the highest student evaluations. I always feel that because I have a PhD they expect me to be the best, so I do all I can to be the best. I imagined all PhD's would be like that, but I believe your experiences are true. It is also true that my PhD did not make me better because of what I learned. But it does help because, as I stated above, I think they think I should be the best because I have a PhD.
Any posters here with PhD's feel the same as I do, and if needed, about kill yourself to get the best evaluations? Our evaluations at my current university converts into a grade (a percent) with 100% being the highest. Every semester for several years now I have never had less that a 95% in a class, and always have a couple of 100%. My "GPA" for my 5 years here is 98.65. Our chair told me last semester (but did not mention the name) that second place has a 85.50, and the department average is 79%. |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005
Location: Boo-sahn
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| Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2015 9:44 am Post subject: |
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| drcrazy wrote: |
| denverdeath wrote: |
| A BA in English Literature or TESOL/TESL/TEFL/WHATEVERL will be seen as a bit better. But none of them are really any better than the other in reality...at least not at the bachelor's level. I think it actually depends on the applicant, their education, and work experience...among other factors. Some of the worst teachers and biggest DBs I've met are ones who have a PhD in whatever is "better". |
I have been in Korea since the 90's. Every place I have been, I have always been the only Native speaker with a PhD. I have always had the highest student evaluations. I always feel that because I have a PhD they expect me to be the best, so I do all I can to be the best. I imagined all PhD's would be like that, but I believe your experiences are true. It is also true that my PhD did not make me better because of what I learned. But it does help because, as I stated above, I think they think I should be the best because I have a PhD.
Any posters here with PhD's feel the same as I do, and if needed, about kill yourself to get the best evaluations? Our evaluations at my current university converts into a grade (a percent) with 100% being the highest. Every semester for several years now I have never had less that a 95% in a class, and always have a couple of 100%. My "GPA" for my 5 years here is 98.65. Our chair told me last semester (but did not mention the name) that second place has a 85.50, and the department average is 79%. |
o.k., "doc". Let's have a teach off on saturday morning in bucheon in Pusan at 10am. I'll be there. Will kick UR smartish a$$ fer sure! You probably don't know what I'm talking about because you're SO $mart!!! |
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PRagic
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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| Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2015 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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My buddy and his wife are relocating back to Korea after 15 years or so back in the US. His wife is in IT and had a great career, but she's apparently a bit burned out and misses the mother land. They're definitely not hurting for coin.
He knocked out his Ph.D. a few years ago in lit/philosophy from a top-tier, big name university, and is looking at any number of jobs here. While not ruling out ESL, he would like a TT or full time teaching gig in his field.
I've been out of the ESL game for so long that I don't have a clue what to tell him. He does have ESL teaching experience in Korea from way back when, and has taught consitently in the US on adjunct status (pretty much dead job market for academics there). Years and years ago, almost any ESL program would jump at the chance to hire a Ph.D. Now, however, I get conflicting information. |
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drcrazy
Joined: 19 Feb 2003
Location: Pusan. Yes, that's right. Pusan NOT Busan. I ain't never been to no place called Busan
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| Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2015 11:41 pm Post subject: |
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| denverdeath wrote: |
| drcrazy wrote: |
| denverdeath wrote: |
| A BA in English Literature or TESOL/TESL/TEFL/WHATEVERL will be seen as a bit better. But none of them are really any better than the other in reality...at least not at the bachelor's level. I think it actually depends on the applicant, their education, and work experience...among other factors. Some of the worst teachers and biggest DBs I've met are ones who have a PhD in whatever is "better". |
I have been in Korea since the 90's. Every place I have been, I have always been the only Native speaker with a PhD. I have always had the highest student evaluations. I always feel that because I have a PhD they expect me to be the best, so I do all I can to be the best. I imagined all PhD's would be like that, but I believe your experiences are true. It is also true that my PhD did not make me better because of what I learned. But it does help because, as I stated above, I think they think I should be the best because I have a PhD.
Any posters here with PhD's feel the same as I do, and if needed, about kill yourself to get the best evaluations? Our evaluations at my current university converts into a grade (a percent) with 100% being the highest. Every semester for several years now I have never had less that a 95% in a class, and always have a couple of 100%. My "GPA" for my 5 years here is 98.65. Our chair told me last semester (but did not mention the name) that second place has a 85.50, and the department average is 79%. |
o.k., "doc". Let's have a teach off on saturday morning in bucheon in Pusan at 10am. I'll be there. Will kick UR smartish a$$ fer sure! You probably don't know what I'm talking about because you're SO $mart!!! |
SMART????? WHO ME????????. I am far from smart. Everyone always said I was stupid and I knew it was true. That motivated me to go as far as possible as far as degrees. So, now, they can still call me stupid, but they have to call me Dr. Stupid.
PS: You, however, might also be stupid as I am due to the fact that my post had nothing to do with me being smart. If I were, maybe I would not have to about kill myself to succeed as well as I do. |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005
Location: Boo-sahn
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| Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2015 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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| drcrazy wrote: |
| denverdeath wrote: |
| drcrazy wrote: |
| denverdeath wrote: |
| A BA in English Literature or TESOL/TESL/TEFL/WHATEVERL will be seen as a bit better. But none of them are really any better than the other in reality...at least not at the bachelor's level. I think it actually depends on the applicant, their education, and work experience...among other factors. Some of the worst teachers and biggest DBs I've met are ones who have a PhD in whatever is "better". |
I have been in Korea since the 90's. Every place I have been, I have always been the only Native speaker with a PhD. I have always had the highest student evaluations. I always feel that because I have a PhD they expect me to be the best, so I do all I can to be the best. I imagined all PhD's would be like that, but I believe your experiences are true. It is also true that my PhD did not make me better because of what I learned. But it does help because, as I stated above, I think they think I should be the best because I have a PhD.
Any posters here with PhD's feel the same as I do, and if needed, about kill yourself to get the best evaluations? Our evaluations at my current university converts into a grade (a percent) with 100% being the highest. Every semester for several years now I have never had less that a 95% in a class, and always have a couple of 100%. My "GPA" for my 5 years here is 98.65. Our chair told me last semester (but did not mention the name) that second place has a 85.50, and the department average is 79%. |
o.k., "doc". Let's have a teach off on saturday morning in bucheon in Pusan at 10am. I'll be there. Will kick UR smartish a$$ fer sure! You probably don't know what I'm talking about because you're SO $mart!!! |
SMART????? WHO ME????????. I am far from smart. Everyone always said I was stupid and I knew it was true. That motivated me to go as far as possible as far as degrees. So, now, they can still call me stupid, but they have to call me Dr. Stupid.
PS: You, however, might also be stupid as I am due to the fact that my post had nothing to do with me being smart. If I were, maybe I would not have to about kill myself to succeed as well as I do. |
Fair enough. Don't be so successful. Think most of us would like you to stay around for a lot longer. |
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