Colorado Technical University

Choosing the right degree program to land a high level English teaching job in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.?

Hello Everyone, I did a search and didn't find the info I was seeking so I decided to post this question to pick your brains. I apologize in advance for the long email and also thank you for your responses (the constructive ones.) I love expat life and have decided to build a career in the TESOL field. I've therefore decided to pursue my Master's degree while working in South Korea (currently in my first year in Korea.) My current goal is to become well qualitfied for a position in the UAE. My questions are these: 1- Does my degree have to be from an English speaking country? I'm a U.S citizen with a BA in Mass Communications from a U.S university so would it matter to the employers if I earned my Master's degree from a university in Korea? I'm considering studying in Korea because it would be more convenient for me as I'll be here for a few years. Of course, I'm also researching online degree programs in the U.S but it would be great if I could study in Korea. 2- Based on my research most people have Master's degree in Applied Linguistics or an MA TESOL. Just these 2 options seem limiting to me. Are they? I'd like to position myself to have options in and outside of the classroom and perhaps take some positions with NGOs, etc. Can anyone think of some other TESOL related majors that would qualify me for teacher positions int he UAE and elsewhere in the world but wouldn't necessarily limit me to the classroom forever? I'm looking at Drexel University's online program. I'm considering the Master of Science in Global and International Education program. According to the school website: " Graduates of the The M.S. in Global and International Education program will be qualified to pursue careers in higher education, ESL programs, education abroad, law firms, international education associations, accreditation agencies, local community international outreach centers, U.S. government, international development or human service agencies, non-governmental agencies, as well as act as administrators, managers, and researchers in national and international organizations, foundations, associations, and corporations. Key Program Features: •Graduates from the MS program in Global and International Education will possess skills in developing, analyzing, implementing, and evaluating new educational policies at a variety of institutions/organizations or private sector jobs by using cross-cultural perspectives in training employees and researching products. •Students will also exhibit outstanding leadership, organizational, cross-cultural, interpersonal, and advocacy skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external groups, using present and emerging communication and information technologies. Students will have in-depth knowledge regarding both public and private (non-profit and for-profit) institutions as well as small and large institutions and multi-campus institutions..." What do you think? Would this be a marketable specialization or do the schools generally want degrees that are more language oriented? Thanks again!

Public Comments

1. Interesting question so I'll honor it with brief but honest answer(s) 1. You're a US citizen; that's a huge plus in the Dubai/UAE market. There's no anti-discrimination law in the UAE and UAE employers favor Westerners and Western credentials. As you may already know, discrimination is a fact of life. So my advice would be to obtain your Master's degree from a Western educational institution. 2. On which program to enroll in, I would say you're on the right track. Fields of expertise - whatever they may be - always find relevance in the academe. You'd fare better in and out of the classroom with a course that's not narrowly focused on teaching or TESOL. And just for FYI purposes, you might find these pages helpful: http://dubaiemploymenttips.com/general/you-dont-need-a-job-in-dubai-a-job-in-dubai-needs-you/ http://dubaiemploymenttips.com/recruitment-process/ http://dubaiemploymenttips.com/teaching-education-jobs/ You'd find more information on the resource link below. Good luck! Good luck!