Korean Job Discussion Forums

[leewchris]

I will be getting a B.A. degree from Korea, and I heard that EPIK program only allows degrees from the U.S.

I was wondering if it would be worth it to get another B.A. back home (U.S.) to participate in the EPIK program and also to get a better chance in hagwon.

But some say that gyopos (F4 visas) have hard time getting into EPIK anyway and I also heard that I can teach at a hagwon with a Korean degree.

I'm just confused about what I should do. If I apply to business hagwon or whatever hagwons are up there that allows apartments and so, will I have a chance to get into it with a Korean degree? What if I get a M.A. degree in the U.S.?

If you were in my situation, what would you do?
I'm seriously thinking about living in Korea.

[northway]

I would never get a degree - any degree - with the express purpose of teaching English in Korea. There are way too many ways that one can blow up in your face, and the pay just keeps getting worse.

[cheolsu]

Please, please, I don't know who you are or what your situation is, but spending four years doing anything full-time to be able to teach in Korea is not worth it, since you almost certainly won't even spend four years teaching in Korea.

If you want to live in Korea, consider a year of language study, a year exchange, graduate school or teaching on an F4 visa with whatever degree you have.

When you make decisions on further education, make them in mind with what you want to be doing 5 or 10 years from now. If you don't know that, don't shy away from it, think about it and be true to yourself. Don't just say that you don't know.

[Overture1928]

Just seconding what everyone else is saying. Don't make teaching English to kids a career goal. It should be just something you do after you graduate for a year or 2 then you move on or work on opening your own school. I came to Korea thinking I would probably be here for 5 years. Korea is a cool country and all, (food, language, girls, cheap crap) but what a friggen headache this country is to work in. You can't move up to higher positions, your pay scale maxes out quickly, being at the mercy of hagwon owners and parents for the rest of your life will be a nightmare. Get in, get out, or become the boss so you can just dump the parents who try to run your school.

[PRagic]

You can teach at any hagwon with an F4 visa and a Korean degree, but you almost definitely won't be offered the plane ticket or housing (or housing allowance). Forget EPIK.

It might not be a bad idea to try this and to see if you actually enjoy teaching enough to make it a career decision.

IF you do try it, and IF you do decide you enjoy teaching, THEN you could think about getting your MA or MEd back in the US.

You never mentioned your major.

[wonkavite62]

You might consider getting a higher degree for a career goal in the U.S. for example, rather than here. Don't get me wrong-there are advantages to being here if you find a decent employer. But even with a great qualification you could end up at a bad school, and be unhappy-or be forced to quit early. To avoid such troubles, you need to vet each school carefully.
Might it be possible for you to gain qualified /registered teacher status in the US? That way, you would certainly be possible for you to move into that profession in the US. Or work at an international school in China, where they give you free accommodation and 30,000 dollars a year. This is better than Korea. China is not so obsessed with seeing white faces and American accents in the classroom as Korea seems to be.
If you do want to teach, come here now. Or go to China and teach there. Public school is usually better in both countries. Teach now and you will know (a) whether you like it and (b) whether you have any teaching ability. You may also save money while here. I wish you luck, and hope you make the right decision.

[Shanghai Noon]

The OP got his BA in Korea. He won't be allowed to teach in China.

[Yaya]