Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Samurai Blur]

Hey everyone, I've been hanging around and reading for a couple of weeks now, when I finally decided to join up. I have a question that I just cannot find an answer for and was hoping some of you experienced people could share your insight.
I'm currently working on my BS in English and will continue on to get my MA. So what I'm wondering is, really, what good will the MA do for me? I realize that with the economy being so bad that it's best to be well qualified for a job, and with the foreigners in Korea being able to teach with a BA in Philosophy and such I thought maybe I could stomp out some of my competition by going on to grad school before I bother to go there and teach. What good will this do for me? Will it help me in the way I expect it to, and will it land me a higher wage? I mean, surely it helps to have an actual English degree instead of some nonsense one, right?

[iggyb]

A BS in English? Science of English?

Anyway, an MA will open up a better opportunity to get a university job.

[Samurai Blur]

[latereducator]

Well, in my case, I did my MA before coming to Korea. Having the MA earned me a higher wage and qualified me for university jobs, which typically offer better conditions (i.e. salary, hours, vacation) as well as, in my opinion, a better overall experience than the alternative. What's more, these days more and more people going over to Korea have a higher level of education, so, in the interests of keeping up with the market, it may be prudent to go for it.

I'd say, if you're already thinking of doing an MA and you have the stomach for another year or two of study, stick with it. It's awfully hard to go back to school once you're out earning a living for a while. You'll also reap richer rewards as a result.

Good luck!

[Samurai Blur]

Latereducator, if you don't mind me asking, how much do the universities pay these days, and how much vacation time do you get versus the pay and vacation at an academy. Also, I want to work somewhere that has adult students (I don't really like kids). Are there places to start and get experience (like the academies) where I can teach adults. I assume I can't just get a uni job fresh off the plane with an MA and zero experience..

[DCJames]

Even having an MA won't guarantee a good job in Korea. It will greatly increase your chances though.

[latereducator]

You'd be surprised. I've been involved in hiring several times, and in one of those cases, a complete newcomer was chosen over several candidates with experience. It all depends on the school, so never write yourself off just because you don't have a lot of (or any) experience. Besides, if you do an MA, you should have a chance to do some teaching as a TA, which should give you a little resume material.

As for academies, there are jobs that cater to adults, but, as they are academies, most of them have higher classroom hours (often 30 + preparation periods) and shorter vacations (usually 2 weeks). In my reckoning, universities are generally preferable based on the number of class hours (usually 20 or less per week) and the vacation period (anywhere from 4 weeks to full semester breaks off). One huge advantage to academies, though, is that they tend to offer housing more often than universities do.

As for what to expect, it's a little hard to break it down easily, as there are so many post-secondary schools in Korea, and they occupy so many different strata, not to mention so many different cities and regions in Korea. To boil it down, though, you can probably expect anywhere from 2 million to 3+ per month at most schools, depending on the prestige of the school, where it is located, the department you'll be joining, the type of courses you'll be teaching, the number of hours you have to work, etc., etc.

I'll give you a rundown of my own experiences. I worked at an academy my first time, teaching middle school students and was paid 2.3 million/month for 40 hours/week with 2 weeks vacation and housing. My second job was at a national university in Gyeonsangnam-Do, where I taught 18 contract hours/week (+ overtime) for 2.5 million/month with full summer and winter vacations and housing. My current job is with a private university in Seoul, which pays me around 3 million/month for 9 hours/week (+ overtime) with full vacations but no housing.

To really get yourself started, try doing a search of the Korean Job Board with Messages Posted By 'University' and 'College' and compare the results. Check what is required by each school against your qualifications, then apply. However, you should be wary, as many universities have affiliated language academies on campus, which should not be confused with actual university departments. You'll see what I mean once you do a little digging.

Hope this helps.

[buildbyflying]

If you're set to get an MA I'd go with applied linguistics. You an take that in several directions. The English degree is actually quite versatile, and even considering a general English MA wouldn't be a bad idea either.
You could teach ESL, linguistics, composition, grammar, reading, etc.

[bassexpander]

Another thought is to consider how long you will plan to stay in ESL. If it's under 5 years, then I'd get an MA in something that will prove more useful to you when you return home. An MA/TESOL is great, but if you don't have the teaching certifications for back home, it doesn't do you much good.

An MA in anything is currently enough to help you get your foot in the door for an interview at a university in Korea (or at least get you looked at). Many schools seem more concerned that you just have a higher level of education.