Get A Masters Degree In Thailand?

[Bob12345]

I agree with you that Sasin may well be a good course with decent professors and nice lecture theaters. However, in my opinion, until Sasin becomes well-known and respected outside of Thailand, it would be much better to do an MBA that is well-respected globally (e.g. Harvard, LBS or Insead).

The big difference though is that you can enter Sasin relatively easy as a foreigner and only pay around 1,5 mln baht while for Harvard or LBS the costs are many times 1,5mln baht and you will have to compete with much brighter students to get in (LBS unofficially requires a GMAT of >710 while Sasin does not have a minimum).

[BigJohnnyBKK]

The big difference though is that you can enter Sasin relatively easy as a foreigner and only pay around 1,5 mln baht while for Harvard or LBS the costs are many times 1,5mln baht and you will have to compete with much brighter students to get in (LBS unofficially requires a GMAT of >710 while Sasin does not have a minimum).

I have recently attended lectures by a couple of Sasin assistant profs, and on a scale of 1-10 10 being excellent, they were a 2 and a 6.

The 2 had three overseas advanced degrees, yet both her speech and her slides were littered with enough basic grammar errors to be flamed here, 90% of the lecture was totally obvious stuff and even if not already known easily found by a quick google search on the topic (global brand marketing basics). The 6 I probably over-rated because she was very cute and had a pleasing sassy manner.

But if I'd been paying **anything at all** to attend the lectures I would have been most upset.

I think in order for an educational programme in Thailand to have any credibility at all, there would have to be a total ban on any Thai lecturers. Flame away, but if you do please provide specific exceptions that you've found informative and not excessively sleep-inducing.

[meand]

I just don't understand why people get so offended by obvious truths. I mean Ethiopia is terrible at downhill skiing, no big deal, they are good at other stuff. No need to flame out just by somebody saying that they have really really bad downhill skiers, right?

The problem as I see it, there is no market here for a good University, because Thais simply would not recognize the strength of the degree, and the rest of the world may balk at it too (even if it was in fact good). First, who would pay to go to a top notch school that paid real professors in Thailand? Second, what good would it do you even if that business did ever miraculously get off the ground? I'd bet anything an MS from this fictitious school would be interpreted equivalent to an MS from a very poor university (take your pick). Things need to change, they wont, and there will be no snow in Ethiopia, and the world will keep going round

Edited June 16, 2012 by meand

[MrHammer]

A couple of years ago Chula was ranked 64 in the world and Thammasat 120 something. I think they have slipped down some since then. But I question how many of you have actually went to these institutions in order to slag them? I studied at Thammasat Economics faculty in the English program and every professor there spoke great English and had overseas education. I also found the teaching style a lot better for actually learning even though as a slacking exchange student I got failed in one course. So those of you saying you just buy a degree in Thailand have no clue. There are plenty very intelligent and talented Thais studying at Thammasat, Mahidol and Chula and many if not most have been abroad during study. Now of course, in many European universities, students are really just a nuisance for professors who only want to research. This probably results in a better research paper production, but comes at the expense of students who just try to pass exams and not actually understand their subject.

Of course, an American degree will be valued higher than a Thai on the international market, but for who? There are many other paths in life than just text on a graduation paper. That is really just needed for the first job and as I understand it, in this economy, unless you're Ivy League a college degree in the US is close to worthless?

My advice to the OP is to study a semester or two as a non-degree student. No harm done if he doesn't want to take a full masters and he will get a good idea of what it's like to study in Thailand. And of course, good times will be had with other foreign students and Thai students.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

And of course, good times will be had with other foreign students and Thai students.

This would be a very valid reason to attend as you say without being concerned about the degree.

But the OP was about the paper.

That is really just needed for the first job and as I understand it, in this economy, unless you're Ivy League a college degree in the US is close to worthless?

Even a top Ivy sheepskin is currently "worthless" if it's in a field with little practical application.

Relevant and funny video (if anyone gets the "Eden Club" reference please enlighten):

But that doesn't mean the perceived value of the institution won't have a major impact on one's life, especially for those heading for a mainstream corporate career.

And even those of us with non-standard paths in life you never know when down the road even in the "twilight years" when that "branding" will be the thing that makes the difference for an opportunity you're truly lusting for.

Edited June 17, 2012 by BigJohnnyBKK

[GAS]

??

Actually most expat here in the oil/gas business have a degree from uk, including myself.

Many Thais ive known in medicine go to the uk, especially surgeons and pharmacists who seem to choose Scotland , for obvious historic reasons.

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Thaivisa Connect App

Not to get too far off track, but my Thai GF has a BA from Chaeng kasem, she works for a large US company in the oil and gas field, she is thinking of getting a masters in a petroleum program from Chulalongkorn to further her career.

If you only intend to work in Thailand is there a huge advantage to getting an MA from a US school as opposed to a better known Uni like Chula? (For a Thai, not farang).

I know the MA in the US would not be cheap, the program at Chula is nearly 700k!!

Edited June 17, 2012 by GAS

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Not to get too far off track, but my Thai GF has a BA from Chaeng kasem, she works for a large US company in the oil and gas field, she is thinking of getting a masters in a petroleum program from Chulalongkorn to further her career.

If you only intend to work in Thailand is there a huge advantage to getting an MA from a US school as opposed to a better known Uni like Chula? (For a Thai, not farang).

I know the MA in the US would not be cheap, the program at Chula is nearly 700k!!

If you only intend to work in Thailand **and** already have proven expertise and a track record in a given industry like your GF, then most likely little advantage, especially if her function remains at the routine admin levels.

However if she's ambitious enough to shoot for breaking through the glass ceiling into management levels where she's likely to be relocated internationally, then yes, huge advantages to getting the qualification internationally, will boost her credibility enormously and probably allow her to move over to a better/bigger company (even if only laterally to start).

Whether that's worth all the extra expense (and the tuition costs are the least of it remember) is a straightforward maths exercise, except for the risk factors on trying to predict the future. . .

[Rhys]

What about Aussie land... Seems many of the Eng Thai products are the most arrogant.  The Kiwis...cool as ice..... Like the French Thai Edu products...classy..