CM uni BA in social sciences

[mccw]

Hi

Has any one done or know anything about the CM uni BA program in social sciences?

It's international program.

I've read the website.

It's 120k bht per year. But it is not clear how many hours on campus study it is per week. Does any one know?

I have family and biz to take care of so not sure I can be at it like going to school. But if like a British uni with classes / lectures a couple hours a day here and there then it's be fine.

To head off the negativity that some are bound to throw about I just point out that this would be for my personal interest and nothing to do with bla bla bla what western employers might want or not, or salary expectations or what not.

Cheers

[mccw]

I sent them an email but no response.

I would like to hear about how it is there from a student perspective too.

Cheers

[mccw]

What I really interested in is the MA courses but I didn't finish my BA so guess they'd want me to do that first.

BA still looks interesting but a bit long at 4 years.

[zeichen]

I know of some Canadians, and some other Asians that attended the masters program. They enjoyed it. The fees seem quite high for bachelors. Fees should also be per semester and not for a year. I would assume that the hours are more demanding than just part time though. Also depending on your age, it might be strange to be in a Bachelor's program. Non traditional students usually don't go to CMU for bachelors.

[Mousehound]

I went to Uni to do a BA at 53. I had a ball! Great to be with loads of young people. I had a much stronger work ethic than most and found it very easy. Go for it.

I should add I had my own business at the time. I needed about 20hrs a week for study but often found I put in more as I was enjoying it so much.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Mousehound

[mccw]

I know of some Canadians, and some other Asians that attended the masters program. They enjoyed it. The fees seem quite high for bachelors. Fees should also be per semester and not for a year. I would assume that the hours are more demanding than just part time though. Also depending on your age, it might be strange to be in a Bachelor's program. Non traditional students usually don't go to CMU for bachelors.

Hi

Fees are 60 per semester

2 per year so 120k per year. They show both ways on web site. Can pay as you go I think.

I'm 30 so wouldn't feel too out of place; not that I think it matters anyway. This time I be concentrating instead of party and miss most of study like before. I'm married with two kids do not in it to hang out with young ladies (which my wife's most worried about) or get on a party social. Point is for a bit of brain stimulation and pursue an interest in the area; probably move on to MA and even PHD in sufficiency economy; "Dr" before I'm 40 isn't a bad target for this decade.

After/ during learning I would like to apply the knowledge to some charity and sustainability projects I have of my own or others I would like to support.

Cheers for the info though anyway - did the people you know happen to mention how many hours on campus they had per day generally?

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Usual fees for Thais are 8k-15- per semester (two in a year).

So you are being asked quite a premium.

Edited July 21, 2014 by AnotherOneAmerican

[mccw]

I went to Uni to do a BA at 53. I had a ball! Great to be with loads of young people. I had a much stronger work ethic than most and found it very easy. Go for it.

I should add I had my own business at the time. I needed about 20hrs a week for study but often found I put in more as I was enjoying it so much.

Thanks for that. Good on you.

When I was at uni first time around there were several older student (or mature student to give the official UK term, haha, seriously- like the average students are all immature)

Was the in Thai or UK- US?

I expect about 20 hours total inc self study ; maybe more. But time on campus or actually in lessons is the question as Thailand might be different to our western type lecture and self study and course work approach.

Guess I'll just have to pick up the phone or visit them in person

[mccw]

Another thing I wonder about; is if it might help to secure the Thai permanent residency and eventual naturalisation as a citizen- this is a long term dream of mine.

My wife and kids are both UK and Thai citizens so I would like to be equal and finish with the visas etc one day.

If I study must I change to an ED visa or can just carry on with the O

(Or What if one is doing B biz but study at same time?)

Cheers

[mccw]

Usual fees for Thais are 8k-15- per semester (two in a year).

So you are being asked quite a premium.

It's the international program taught in English.

Unfortunately my Thai is not good enough for the Thai courses.

If it were I would be down the technical colleges or skills training programs as I know they have great deals on all sorts of useful stuff.

£5000 to train to be a plumber, welder or spark in UK ; here it's probably a few hundred bht.

But anyway- I am not Thai- we are farang , that's the way it is.

To study in the UK academic Uni as a UK resident is subsidised and costs about 3 to 5 k £; while the same uni's for foreign students cost around 20 to 30 thousand pounds.

Thailand study is a good deal.

[mccw]

Point is not price anyway.

Course content of this specific region is not available in UK; apart from maybe at LSE, not sure.

Add cost of living in London to those UK fees and ouch.

I live here already. I would not like to go back west either.

[Mousehound]

I went to Uni to do a BA at 53. I had a ball! Great to be with loads of young people. I had a much stronger work ethic than most and found it very easy. Go for it.

I should add I had my own business at the time. I needed about 20hrs a week for study but often found I put in more as I was enjoying it so much.

Thanks for that. Good on you.

When I was at uni first time around there were several older student (or mature student to give the official UK term, haha, seriously- like the average students are all immature)

Was the in Thai or UK- US?

I expect about 20 hours total inc self study ; maybe more. But time on campus or actually in lessons is the question as Thailand might be different to our western type lecture and self study and course work approach.

Guess I'll just have to pick up the phone or visit them in person

We only had about six hours a week of lectures over two days. Rest was up to me. I went to Curtin Uni in Perth, Australia. As a kid I got offered a place at Cambridge to study literature but could never have afforded to go. At the time I also wanted to spend a couple of years traveling the world. I regret not going. So I guess finally going to University was a dream fulfilled. So all the sweeter for that. Even if it wasn't Cambridge I enjoyed the experience.

[zeichen]

"I went to Uni to do a BA at 53. I had a ball! Great to be with loads of young people. I had a much stronger work ethic than most and found it very easy. Go for it."

I assume this was not in Thailand. Thai students will feel uncomfortable working with people that much older. Because the cultural respect for age it is hard for them to work in projects with those that are considerably older. The OP is only 30 but still a big difference from 18 year olds especially in Thailand. One of the most important aspects of university are the social relationships and networking. Part time students and Non traditional students usually miss out on this.

CAMT at CMU offers English programs in software engineering that were only 45k a semester.

Your schedule will be heavier than 20 hours a week including studying. You will take 5-6 classes that meet 2 times a week for 1 hour and 15 minutes each. you will also have projects and group meetings. Average students need to spend about 30 minutes- 1 hour outside of class for every hour in class for studying, writing papers, etc.

If you are going to do it, you will need to commit. Make sure that you have the full support of your family because it will be rough if you don't.

[mccw]

I've met several Thais in Thailand who have gone back to uni a little later due to work or family commitments getting in the way at normal time. Mid to late twenties, couple in early 30s.

Networking and socialising -

It is possible to do both with out boozing it up, jumping around at some teeny pop concerts.

Not sure why you think this is such an issue ziechen.

I imagine I might be able to find some good staff or colleges for the future as a bonus even.

[mccw]

Thanks for detail on course load ^

I'll have a look in to it deeper on timings etc and post in case other might be interested

[harrry]

Why do you not consider doing a degree with RAM which you can do a lot of at home or there is another university in Issan the name of which I forget now that teaches online. A traditional university in Thailand is not like one in Australia. they expect you to bond together as a group and you generally must live on campus for the first year with very very few exceptions among the official universities.

[mccw]

What is RAM?

CMU was just first place I looked at as local.

Happy to hear other thoughts and suggestions.

Online be ok. But I do kinda like having a bit of structure.

But living on campus is impossible. Just realised - I need to don a uniform too?

Why do you not consider doing a degree with RAM which you can do a lot of at home or there is another university in Issan the name of which I forget now that teaches online. A traditional university in Thailand is not like one in Australia. they expect you to bond together as a group and you generally must live on campus for the first year with very very few exceptions among the official universities.

[harrry]

Ok Ramkhamaeng is a uni in bangkok which is open entry and does not rely on class attendances. It has colleges in other cities to give support and the work is mainly done by correspondance. A University or its students being pretty are not really good indicators of its suitibility as a place of study for you if you wish to be successful. More important to take into account is that CMU is strucutred as a a Thai uni which means it really needs full time attendance and is most sutied for those in the appropriate age group who can participate fully in the compulsorary extra curricular activities. You appeared to be looking more for part time study rather than a full time on campus (which means living on campus experience.

Edited July 22, 2014 by harrry

[zeichen]

"It is possible to do both with out boozing it up, jumping around at some teeny pop concerts."

I don't know how you got that from my comments. I am purely talking about being able to do a group project with your classmates. Typically at CMU friends are made within their departments. You might find it hard working with students as their equal when they culturally have to show you more respect. In graduate departments it isn't an issue and there are a lot of students from all walks of life but first year undergrads might feel uncomfortable.

After being a teacher for over 15 years in Thailand I have witnessed a lot of how students relate to each other.

There are also many distant learning programs from universities in your own country. I would actually do that and take the occasional course at CMU.

[mccw]

"It is possible to do both with out boozing it up, jumping around at some teeny pop concerts."

I don't know how you got that from my comments. I am purely talking about being able to do a group project with your classmates. Typically at CMU friends are made within their departments. You might find it hard working with students as their equal when they culturally have to show you more respect. In graduate departments it isn't an issue and there are a lot of students from all walks of life but first year undergrads might feel uncomfortable.

After being a teacher for over 15 years in Thailand I have witnessed a lot of how students relate to each other.

There are also many distant learning programs from universities in your own country. I would actually do that and take the occasional course at CMU.

Ah I see what you mean now.

In UK it is classes and self study and course work- rarely work in groups if at all. Depends on the subject but social sciences is basically a solo exercise other than discussions during class.

But in Thailand they use a lot of actual group coursework / assessment on group activities do they?

[mccw]

Distance learning from the UK, like Open university, looks a bit expensive for what it is. I can read books and research with out needing or wanting the qualification especially.

The value in studying it here is learning directly from local experts on local topics that interest me.

I will have a look around the net though.

Do you happen to know of any on line courses with a SE Asian focus? On topics of IR, Sustainable development and the like?

[scorecard]

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

Another thing I wonder about; is if it might help to secure the Thai permanent residency and eventual naturalisation as a citizen- this is a long term dream of mine.

My wife and kids are both UK and Thai citizens so I would like to be equal and finish with the visas etc one day.

If I study must I change to an ED visa or can just carry on with the O
(Or What if one is doing B biz but study at same time?)

Cheers

Regarding PR & citizenship:

- One of the 'normal' requirements for both is advanced education, but there are many other requirements which are 'more important', for example:

- By the published regulations you need to prove that you have held a work permit for a minimum of three years and need to prove that your Thai taxes have been finalized for all three years. But the immigration service will generally not look at your application unless you have had WPs for say 7 years and of course taxes all paid. Also, by the regulations, the work area must be something which contributes to the development of Thailand.

- You need to prove that you have some form of long-term investments or similar which make a strong case that you will always be able to fully support yourself, till death.

- You need to prove that you don't have a criminal record in Thailand and in your country of origin.

- You need to pass a Thai language test, but this is where my info. is out of date. In my day it was a verbal only Thai language test. Not sure if it now includes a writing and reading test.

- You need to look the part.

There is an alternative route for PR: Come to Thailand and start a business employing a large number of Thais, and with a proven capital start up cost of many millions of Baht, which provides technology transfer to Thailand. (That's the simple version.)

The possible downside is that by the regulations if you close the business you forfeit your PR status.

Good luck.

Edited July 22, 2014 by scorecard

[mccw]

Thanks for that.

Something to work towards as a ten to 15 year plan.

I think I can meet all of those requirements in that time frame.

A couple at least I can meet already.

And then how many years to citizenship after that by law?

When I met a lawyer about it previously they just laughed and said basically impossible to become Thai- but then the other day I read an opinion piece by a British guy who had become a naturalised Thai citizen And do I reconsidered that maybe it is possible on a long term; at least I start with a view to it now there could be a chance at least. Most I will be doing anyway. But with view to future simple things like making sure I do back to back visa extensions with no breaks would avoid a scuppering

Another thing I wonder about; is if it might help to secure the Thai permanent residency and eventual naturalisation as a citizen- this is a long term dream of mine.

My wife and kids are both UK and Thai citizens so I would like to be equal and finish with the visas etc one day.

If I study must I change to an ED visa or can just carry on with the O

(Or What if one is doing B biz but study at same time?)

Cheers

Regarding PR & citizenship:

- One of the 'normal' requirements for both is advanced education, but there are many other requirements which are 'more important', for example:

- By the published regulations you need to prove that you have held a work permit for a minimum of three years and need to prove that your Thai taxes have been finalized for all three years. But the immigration service will generally not look at your application unless you have had WPs for say 7 years and of course taxes all paid. Also, by the regulations, the work area must be something which contributes to the development of Thailand.

- You need to prove that you have some form of long-term investments or similar which make a strong case that you will always be able to fully support yourself, till death.

- You need to prove that you don't have a criminal record in Thailand and in your country of origin.

- You need to pass a Thai language test, but this is where my info. is out of date. In my day it was a verbal only Thai language test. Not sure if it now includes a writing and reading test.

- You need to look the part.

There is an alternative route for PR: Come to Thailand and start a business employing a large number of Thais, and with a proven capital start up cost of many millions of Baht, which provides technology transfer to Thailand. (That's the simple version.)

The possible downside is that by the regulations if you close the business you forfeit your PR status.

Good luck.