Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TECO]

I'm interested in finding out more about the responsibilities and duties of university level TEFL'ers in Korea.

It's my understanding that many university instructors who post here on Dave's do not have to teach children or do summer and winter camps. Also, many of these teachers are bona fide faculty members (not university hogwan teachers who are not actually faculty) in Korea and are registered with the Ministry of Education and receive the same amount of pay, paid vacation and admin support as their Korean colleagues.

However, I have a few questions:


1. Do many university EFL teachers have to teach kids in the mornings/afternoon in addition to university credit classes?

2. Do most university EFL teachers have to do a summer or winter camp or both?

3. Do most of the teachers receive the full winter and summer paid vacations?


4. Are most university EFL teachers attached to the university hogwan or are most bona fide faculty members?

5. Do Korean universities use an academic ranking system for promotions (i.e., Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor)?

6. Are most univeristy EFL teachers eligbile for these promotions and whta do you need to do to receive these promotions (i.e., writing papers, attend conferences, school involvement)? If so, are the pay raises significant?

7. Are university teaching positions in Korea stipulated by the Ministry of Education (i.e., has the MoE set out strict guidlines for contract terms, duties and responsibilities - hours per week, monthly salary, vacation time, promotion criteria?

8. Are Korean university teachers licensed with the MoE according to their academic rank (i.e., can a PhD enter as an Assistant Professor vs an M.A. holder who might enter as a Lecturer)?

9. Do university EFL teachers actually receive a credential or license from the Moe stating their academic rank and their qualifications and that they are legally entitled to teach in Korea at that rank?


10. Do most Korean universities put caps on contract renewals (i.e., no more than 2 or 3 contract renewals)?

The reason I have these questions is because there seems to be a disparity between what posters here say about their jobs and many of the job adverts I read on the job board.

So what would the norm be - or are the conditions of university teaching in Korea so diverse that it would be hard to say?

Thanks.

[PRagic]

[quote="TECO"]

However, I have a few questions:


1. Do many university EFL teachers have to teach kids in the mornings/afternoon in addition to university credit classes?

Only at the worst of the worst university jobs!

2. Do most university EFL teachers have to do a summer or winter camp or both?

Again, only at the worst of the worst are these 'camps' mandatory.

3. Do most of the teachers receive the full winter and summer paid vacations?

You do if you have a real job and/or the right degrees.

4. Are most university EFL teachers attached to the university hogwan or are most bona fide faculty members?

If you are attached to a UNIWON, then you are not a university anything; you are an institute teacher. Most instructors in 'faculty' positions are only on visitor status, and most have term limits (usually 3 years now). A trend has been to spin the foreign staff over into a 'general education division' so that the university doesn't have to pay wages competitive with Korean Ph.D.s on staff in the actual English department.

5. Do Korean universities use an academic ranking system for promotions (i.e., Lecturer, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor)?

Yes, but very, very few foreigners are or will ever be a part of this system. According to immigration, foreigners cannot become professors in Korea. Pretty funny when you consider that some of the 'top' universities here want to become world class institutions.

6. Are most univeristy EFL teachers eligbile for these promotions and whta do you need to do to receive these promotions (i.e., writing papers, attend conferences, school involvement)? If so, are the pay raises significant?

Some universities and departments do indeed pay for papers published in qualified journals. Conferences? Sure, you can go, but they aren't going to pay, and they aren't going to give you time off to go.

7. Are university teaching positions in Korea stipulated by the Ministry of Education (i.e., has the MoE set out strict guidlines for contract terms, duties and responsibilities - hours per week, monthly salary, vacation time, promotion criteria?

Not that I know of, although there are general guidelines for the employment of foreigners. This might be a good question for the guys at EFL-Law.com.

8. Are Korean university teachers licensed with the MoE according to their academic rank (i.e., can a PhD enter as an Assistant Professor vs an M.A. holder who might enter as a Lecturer)?

Ph.D.s can and do often come on as lecturers, and this is the same as in N.America. Most universities now stipulate that foreign staff are 'visiting full time lecturers', but it is my understanding that some of the smaller schools still throw around the term 'visiting professor' as well. I agree with this. If you don't have the Ph.D., don't try to walk the walk or expect people to call you 'professor'; that title is earned.

9. Do university EFL teachers actually receive a credential or license from the Moe stating their academic rank and their qualifications and that they are legally entitled to teach in Korea at that rank?

No clue. Why would you ask?

10. Do most Korean universities put caps on contract renewals (i.e., no more than 2 or 3 contract renewals)?

This is a very disturbing new trend that is going to hollow out even the best departments in Korea really quickly. Yes, most places are going with the 3 year plan. Idiots.

The reason I have these questions is because there seems to be a disparity between what posters here say about their jobs and many of the job adverts I read on the job board.

Some of the jobs advertised are among the 'worst of the worst'. You have to consider your degrees and your experience, start your search early, keep your ear to the ground, and shoot for the best possible job you can get.

So what would the norm be - or are the conditions of university teaching in Korea so diverse that it would be hard to say?

No norm, but from what I've seen, Cheju institutions pay about the worst, and there are plenty of lower tier schools out there that advertise like they are a university, but are really running an institute-type scheme.

Thanks.[/quote]

[TECO]

Thanks.

I appreciate all of the information.