Which degrees would you be most interested in?

[brucetefl]

As was briefly discussed in another thread, the university I work for will soon partner with a US University to offer degrees in Thailand. There will actually be a few options here:

get 2 degrees, one from the time University and one from the US university at a cost of roughly 400,000 baht.

Get the degree exclusively from the Thai university at a cost of about 150,000 baht.

We will begin with a bachelors of business administration in August of this year. We have three other programs that are in development and I'm interested to know which of the three seem to be the most attractive:

A degree in music and the music industry: this degree is for people who want to be musicians and study music but also includes the business of music; things like how to promote the concert or how to sell music online. So it's somewhat of a combo degree.

Restaurant management and international cuisine: this degree Will not only teach the student how to cook 10 international cuisines, it will also teach them all aspects of managing and running a restaurant, including how to open up their own restaurant.

Masters of Science in Education. This is obviously pretty self-explanatory. The fees would be approximately 170,000 baht for a jointly issued degree from the Thai and US University.

Constructive comments welcome.

[richard10365]

Will the degrees be accredited by the Ministry of Education in Thailand?

[richard10365]

Will the degrees be accredited by the Ministry of Education in Thailand?

Never mind...I saw the other thread. Congrats!

[Scott]

Off-topic post and reply deleted.

[Stradavarius37]

People without expertise in music education should not be opening degrees in the field - those of us in the profession have enough trouble without dealing with fly by night start ups with no clear curricular outcome and professional objectives.

[brucetefl]

Just to let you know, every degree at a Thai University must have five registered instructors with masters degrees in the field of study. This degree will be no different.

I'm always surprised at how snarky message boards tend to be. Doesn't it make more sense to ask questions than just make negative assumptions?

People without expertise in music education should not be opening degrees in the field - those of us in the profession have enough trouble without dealing with fly by night start ups with no clear curricular outcome and professional objectives.

Edited March 25, 2014 by brucetefl

[Stradavarius37]

I know exactly how much it has cost to create the world class music program that Mahidol hosts. I also know how much moneyware it costs to supply the hardware, software, and peopleware to develop music quality. Anyone posting on a TV forum asking "is this a good idea" doesn't have one.

There are 76 university music programs in Thailand - 75 of them are severely underfunded and lack even the most basic equipment to make a go of music. If you have 100 million for the basics, then my apologies. If not, stick with a less cost-intensive major area of study. How's that for snark?

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Edited March 25, 2014 by Stradavarius37

[brucetefl]

Sounds like someone who did not really read the description of the program:

"A degree in music and the music industry: this degree is for people who want to be musicians and study music but also includes the business of music; things like how to promote the concert or how to sell music online. So it's somewhat of a combo degree."

This degree does not have aspirations of being a "world-class Music program". Because, quite frankly, most people who graduate with degrees strictly in Music cannot find decent work. There are two choices: play in a band in local restaurants and pubs (and the career on that is inconsistent and probably ends in 10 years) or work as a music teacher for KPN or Yamaha, getting paid 50% of whatever the student pays. Sure there are a few other career paths (like become wildly famous) but nothing with mass openings. This aims at giving "Music" students a much broader career path.

So, in summary, this degree will not be in direct competition with Mahidol. You are comparing apples to oranges.

And I would love to see a cost list for 100,000,000 in music equipment. For a new program that would have less than 50 students. That kind of made me laugh. But thanks for the input, I guess.

Now I do not know you and you do not know me. Even if you know who I am you probably do not know much about my long-term background--what I have done and what connections I have.

Based upon this, here is a general suggestion: Its probably best to not make assumptions about people on these forums. What we can and cannot do. Like the BA TESOL that so many people claimed was not accredited and recognized my the MOE, you can often be proven wrong in the end.

Just a suggestion.

Edited March 25, 2014 by brucetefl

[Stradavarius37]

Creating another underfunded "for profit" music program is not what the country needs. Also, your idea of what music students do after graduation is woefully uninformed. What is the money for? Equipment - basics (chairs, tables, music stands), specialized (instruments - pianos, percussion, etc) and computers for the "music business" component you want to offer. Facilities - practices rooms, small ensemble rooms, large ensemble rooms, sheet music, a library facility to support your students, or at the very least, subscriptions to basic online databases for your students. (or maybe you better plan to pay for a subscription to our music library for each of your students,which would help your profit margin). Then you need instructors - a full music curriculum of 50 students with 5 instructors? Sure, if you want to hire the best barstool "Jack of all trades", "I got a music degree in the 60s while I was a hippy" group. But you wont be getting anything in terms of quality, which means your training will be substandard, and your students will suffer in the short term from lack of resources and educational opportunities, and in the long term from a lack of substantial skill and knowledge training that will allow them to succeed. Also, private lessons are taught individually, which means you have to have a large list of adjunct hourly instructors to begin to cover all the instruments (unless you are only teaching guitar and drums to future rock stars).

Frankly no quality student would go to a program as you describe, because students can judge quality, so you are feeding upon the students who couldn't get accepted to Mahidol Silpakorn, Rangsit, Payap, Kasetsart, Chula, Srinakarinwirote, Bansomdej Chaophrya etc. The chances of a student with miminal or no musical talent (which is what you would be getting) becoming a success in a program like yours with no resources to speak of is a flight of fancy. You would be stealing their money, nothing more.

Stick to a discipline that can be taught in larger groups (business administration, etc) with minimal overhead, at least there you have a chance to give students and education that is moderately non-terrible.

Lastly - i don't know you, and nor do I wish too. Its your own narcissism in thinking that I am making assumptions about "you". I was simply pointing out that the idea presented, to open a music degree program is a non starter with no potential to produce anything resembling a quality standard.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Stradavarius37

[brucetefl]

Apparently you still failed to read the summary course description...

100,000,000 baht would buy 100 Yamaha keyboards... per student! lol

Anyway you have your opinion and you obviously feel passionate about that. Thanks for your input.

Edited March 25, 2014 by brucetefl

[Stradavarius37]

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Apparently you still failed to read the summary course description...

100,000,000 baht would buy 100 Yamaha keyboards... per student! lol

Great - now purchase 1 baby grand piano for performances (and maybe 2 more for faculty offices), and at least 10 upright pianos (probably closer to 20-30 if you have individual practice rooms, which I am sure you do right?) Cost for that - closer to 30 million. You planning to open a university level degree program using yamaha keyboards? International standard indeed

[brucetefl]

It was actually you that mentioned the yamaha keyboards.

I went to the Shanghai Musical Instruments show last October, biggest in the world now, bigger than Germany. Last June I also visited dozens of instrument manufacturers in China, including places like Huizhou (not easy to find even on a map). So (like I said about not knowing people and making assumptions) I might know a bit more about what I am talking about than you might think.

But like I said, I appreciate your input and your passion.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Apparently you still failed to read the summary course description...

100,000,000 baht would buy 100 Yamaha keyboards... per student! lol

Great - now purchase 1 baby grand piano for performances (and maybe 2 more for faculty offices), and at least 10 upright pianos (probably closer to 20-30 if you have individual practice rooms, which I am sure you do right?) Cost for that - closer to 30 million. You planning to open a university level degree program using yamaha keyboards? International standard indeed

Edited March 25, 2014 by brucetefl

[Water Buffalo]

Will you offer any master degrees?

[brucetefl]

Working on an MS ED

Will you offer any master degrees?

[Dave 74]

I guess the Bachelor of Bus. Admin would be the most popular.

What type of study schedule do you plan to have for it? For example full-time Mon-Fri or weekends?

I think Ram or another uni has the option for both and the students can choose which scehdule they want, for example those working Mon-Fri will do the weekend one.

Also, where will the place of study be?

Well done and good luck.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Dave 74

[thepool]

All this is no more than tub-thumping until the "secret" is revealed.

Which august seats of learning are involved ?

Why the shyness ?

[wolf5370]

MBAs is the usual stocking filler for cheap degrees (not knocking you - just mean people will probably be looking for such quals when researching your uni) - it's one of those default type Masters degrees.

Languages would also be a good area I think - not much needed with respect to specialist equipment - and a Degree in English from an American Uni with go down well here.

Just my thoughts

//Edit: If you are going to do a Restaurant Management qualification, then might as well include Hotelier too - plenty of overlap.

Edited March 25, 2014 by wolf5370

[brucetefl]

Right now, as we anticipate most of the demand to be from Thai students (or ASEAN) looking to finish a degree in 4 years, we are looking at sticking to the traditional university schedule and calendar.

I guess the Bachelor of Bus. Admin would be the most popular.

What type of study schedule do you plan to have for it? For example full-time Mon-Fri or weekends?

I think Ram or another uni has the option for both and the students can choose which scehdule they want, for example those working Mon-Fri will do the weekend one.

Also, where will the place of study be?

Well done and good luck.

[wolf5370]

Bruce are you also looking at opening it up online - in the States and Europe (UK) distance learning degrees is becoming ever more popular and profitable for brick and mortar unis (hard for people in the North to get to BKK and vice-versa). TCU is one I have heard of (though I don't think they are B&M - just online Thai Uni). This would help your decision as to courses - Music and Chemistry is much harder online of course, and MBS/Languages/Law/Humanities/etc are easier, for example.

[Water Buffalo]

BA English always gets a big crowd. It tends to be popular with Thais and westerners who want to be English teachers.

BBA is popular with westerners.

Will you have mostly Thai teachers or westerners?

[tollo]

M.A. in ASEAN studies, weekends and/or evenings would be success.

They have one at Thammasat, but it costs c.a. 350k baht is too high so some.

I think there are no other international programs for ASEAN?

[richard10365]

There are 76 university music programs in Thailand - 75 of them are severely underfunded and lack even the most basic equipment to make a go of music.

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I believe you are mistaken.

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[Scott]

The thread is "Which Degree Would You Be Most Interested In". Please stick to that topic in the discussion.

[Thafoma]

How about starting a thread about music degree so this issue will be extensively dealt with?

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[SheungWan]

The one course of the three suggested I find interesting and doable is the one re Restaurant Management and International Cuisine. It offers the possibility of two-way student movement assuming the curriculum is delivered in English and the restaurant management side of the course involves placement opportunities and is not just theory based.

[Som wat]

^ Wouldn't WP's be needed for non-Thais for that work placement within Thailand.

[SheungWan]

^ Wouldn't WP's be needed for non-Thais for that work placement within Thailand.

Don't know. Something for the OP to enquire re student status. If a problem then 'thin' sandwich with unpaid work might be explored. If exchange too problematical drop it as not a deal-breaker IMHO. However, would be interested to know whether US uni staff involved in any aspect of the delivery (similar problem) or is just a sign-off accreditation with course notes provided. Edited April 28, 2014 by SheungWan

[philliphn]

A degree in Computer Programming. A degree in Computer repair. A degree in Robotics. Thai Language degrees.

Edited April 30, 2014 by philliphn

[Stradavarius37]

There are 76 university music programs in Thailand - 75 of them are severely underfunded and lack even the most basic equipment to make a go of music.

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I believe you are mistaken.

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Your belief is incorrect

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