I'm living in Thailand on a long stay visa. I hold a BBA, and would be interested in getting a B.Ed.. Are there any good options. Cost and being accepted by school districts in the US would be critical. However, if it is a really good program, and it could get me a good paying job here, China, or elsewhere; I would certainly consider it. I know an ex-military guy that is going to Payap, and Uncle Sam is picking up the tab. Good move on his part. Don't know what the Teacher Licensing agencies in the US would say about it.

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As for the OP, I really don't know about online choices for someone in your position. You didn't tell us what kind of visa you are currently on. We don't know about your experience or background. There are a number of online programs out there. Most of them have been discussed extensively on this forum. I don't have any first-hand knowledge of them myself because I am not fully convinced that they will be beneficial in the long-term for teaching here. It seems the so-called goalposts are moved back and forth more often than I can keep up with myself. I don't know many people who have completed one of these courses, so who knows how the MoE or DoL will view them. Calling the powers that be doesn't seem to help, as the answer you get can vary widely from one person to the next. I am interested to see what kind of replies you get here, so I am subscribing to the thread to watch and see how it progresses.

In the meantime, I would use the search function and go through the many threads about the online programs out there. Ultimately, the decision seems to be a bit of a roll of the dice. I would be interested to know which of these programs you are most interested in and how you came to that conclusion. Even more valuable than that, I would like to see more people actually enroll in one of these courses and give us a "play-by-play" account of how the course progressed. Finally, I would love to hear about the aftermath when it has been completed and how things go regarding paperwork, teacher licensing, employment opportunities, and all of those other issues that concern teachers living and working here with the intention of doing so for the long-term. Whatever you do ultimately decide to do, please keep us updated. There isn't enough information out there like this which makes it difficult to give advice or make a personal and costly decision which has very serious repercussions, especially for those of us with long-term financial commitments and families here in Thailand.

Good luck!

I didn't say I was teaching English. What soi did you get your degree on Mr. Sirchai? My visa is O-A, to the Embassy, where I obtained it; it is called "long-stay." I'm actually more interested in attending in person. There are some good online programs in the US, but they are expensive....500 USD per credit hour.

I know of some two-year colleges in southern California which accepted a Taiwanese teacher who had an MA degree in English from a university in Taiwan. California colleges now require an ESL certificate in addition to the degree. I can't say about HS and JHS. I think that a degree from Payap would probably be accepted. Why don't you ask some of the current American teachers at Payap what the situation is now? I left California in 1996 so I'm not up to speed on the latest qualifications. I'm going back for a visit in August and I'll ask about it then. Certainly the degree from Payap would be worthwhile. You just need to keep moving forward with your education and jump through the next hoop if it's put up. Good luck!

Inflammatory post and replies have been deleted or edited. Please stay on-topic.

I know of some two-year colleges in southern California which accepted a Taiwanese teacher who had an MA degree in English from a university in Taiwan. California colleges now require an ESL certificate in addition to the degree. I can't say about HS and JHS. I think that a degree from Payap would probably be accepted. Why don't you ask some of the current American teachers at Payap what the situation is now? I left California in 1996 so I'm not up to speed on the latest qualifications. I'm going back for a visit in August and I'll ask about it then. Certainly the degree from Payap would be worthwhile. You just need to keep moving forward with your education and jump through the next hoop if it's put up. Good luck!

The friend is studying Thai at Payap; not education. I mentioned it because it apparently is recognized in the US, by some agencies. Community Colleges have a lot more flexibility than the K-12 systems, so that is not surprising. Someone with a B.Ed. would be the exception; not the rule, in the university systems. The spending cuts have hit the community colleges hard (the teachers, that is). Many aren't even considered employees, and are paid on a per course basis. OTOH, K-12 teachers with a Bachelor's, start at 48,000 per year in the DC area.