MA TESOL

[bermondburi]

Hi, I've done a search online but I'm looking for some up to date info, or first hand experiences. I'm considering doing an MA TESOL in Thailand. I looked at Thammassat but it's two years so that's out. I saw Payup, which is one year and cheaper, which is a better option. I would prefer to be in Bangkok though for various reasons. What one year courses are availalble in BKK? How long is Chula's course? What other unis can anyone recommend? Any tips or advice about the application process?

I am currently working at an international school in Saudi Arabia and would be looking to start in the 2015/16 program.

Thanks in advance(hopefully).

[casualbiker]

Quick question .. why do you want to do the MA in TESOL?

[bermondburi]

So I can get a higher paying job.

[casualbiker]

Ok

[paully]

Chula appears to do an MEd TEFL course and not an MA TESOL course. I don't know if the exact title of the degree is important to you but have a look here:

http://www.chula.ac.th/en/admission/international-programs/faculty-of-education

[Slip]

2nd question. Why in Thailand as opposed to online?

[paully]

^ Time and expense? MA TESOL web-based at Nottingham Uni is two years and £14420 in fees. Ouch.

Edited December 11, 2014 by paully

[ChrisWen]

Quick question .. why do you want to do the MA in TESOL?

Quick answer ... you can get a better paying job

[bermondburi]

I did look at Chula and send them an e-mail. They haven't go back to me yet though. The reason why in Thailand and not online is because I don't think I'm suited to online study. I'd be working at the same time and I have 2 kids as well. I'd rather put myself right into it. The second reason is that, because I\m based in the Middle East, rightly or wrongly, a lot of places won't accept online qualifications. Also, after 4 years in Saudi Arabia I wouldn't mind a bit of Thai time.

[Fatty123]

^

What a about Framington Uni? They already do MEds etc but need a few more applicants to start an M.Ed in TESL. I know cos I 've already asked them (but I'm not ready to start until 2016) It's based in BKK and you get your Master's cert from an American uni not a Thai one. It's pretty much a campus of an accredited American uni.

Term times are a bit awkard if you aren't working to the western school calendar. It's actually quite cheap too (about 3,000 pounds English or 5,000 US doillars or so for the whole course). It seems you can 'pay as you go' as well (the courses are modular) and go at your own pace or at the pace your financial situation allows.

I've heard decent things about their courses, but perhaps you need to contact them via their page as it's some time since I got my info from them.

http://www.wells-school.com/framingham/

Edited December 15, 2014 by Fatty123

[Rhys]

Generally, it is luck of the draw... Your profs and the program curriculum are the issues.

Some programs, especially new MA TEFL or TESOL that wish to increase the "international" student ranks... sadly are not prepared...are you prepared to do graduate education, from Ph.Ds, that graduated from the west, with a baggage chip on their shoulder? Are you prepared to have your thoughtful questions, dished away?

Obviously, cost is an issue, generally it may be cheaper, but that may reflect quality.. If you are going to teach in Thailand, then the MA from a Thai university, will work just fine from MOE..

The BKK universities like Chula and the like are more established, and you might find an international gathering..

However, in class discussion about English teaching topics, you might experience a lack the sufficient mature discussion, because your Thai MA classmates cannot express themselves "sufficiently" in English.

Lastly, the graduation process, at times can be subjected to bias, what ever the Thai MA or PH.D students experienced in the west, you may experience the receiving end of payback, especially with the committees that are composed of this mindset, whatever the Thai must comply graduation requirement so should the westerner.

If you are not a native speaker of English, you may need to take a Thai language test. Fair game.. but.. this needs to be made clear at the BEGINNING of the program, not at the last meeting for graduation approval... Or the processing will be held up.. Does not matter if this is MOE approved, which is questionable, depending on who you talk to about the situation. You will take a Thai test because the Thai when in the west, suffered when they studied and stressed out for the TEFL 600 plus required scores..

However, the experience of higher education, studies in Thai.. can be interesting.. There are some excellent MA instructor out there.. yet, it does not compensate for the ones that sit behind their computer and read out the power point, and ask for a paper and a means of a learning experience... without any discussion..

Cheers.

MA Grad from the Thai system

[femi fan]

The payap program will take more than one year. You need one year to cover all the taught courses, well, two semesters, and then you embark upon your thesis. So technically speaking you can start the program in late (i think) august and finish the taught courses in may the following year. I think you'd realistically need a good six months to get through all the thesis procedures (as well as actually writing it!), perhaps a bit more. You might be able to count on taking a year and a half. Roughly.

I'd personally be interested in hearing about any other unis in thailand which have ma tesol (or similar) courses available, taught in english of course. Some are taught in thai!!

Chiang Mai is a very nice place to live in…!

[SheungWan]

If you want something on the cheap and on the quick, are not too bothered about quality of course, then there are a number of paper mills around. I hear Philippines is quite good for that sort of thing. On the other hand those who make some connection between better pay related to being able to deliver a better product based on their applied studies, will take the necessary time required for full-time study and that is longer than one year. Take your pick.

[phil2]

the graduation process, at times can be subjected to bias, what ever the Thai MA or PH.D students experienced in the west, you may experience the receiving end of payback, especially with the committees that are composed of this mindset, whatever the Thai must comply graduation requirement so should the westerner.

However, the experience of higher education, studies in Thai.. can be interesting.. There are some excellent MA instructor out there.. yet, it does not compensate for the ones that sit behind their computer and read out the power point, and ask for a paper and a means of a learning experience... without any discussion..

Cheers.

MA Grad from the Thai system

Correct from my own experience.

[Rhys]

Thus double standards..

[sandbox]

It is a pity I did not see this post a few weeks earlier but perhaps I can still contribute to the topic.

With respect to the MA TESOL at Payap University, some things to be considered is that recently most of the international students on the programme made organised representation to the academic management about the low academic standards and programme delivery. Requested formal staff/student meetings were squashed and in the end many students had to make individual issue to the VP level of academic management.

One student, whose parents had encouraged her to persue her complaints about programme duration/cost and failure to apply even their own academic rules, received from the president a letter informing they were going to sue them for making wild, unfounded accusations while at the same time, denying them a formal, safe forum to properly voice the complaint and present the evidence.

A point made earlier by others is that you may be better off considering an online programme offered by a western university. In a recent review and analysis of the best universities in the world, not a single Thai institution fell within the top 200 and Payap university is certainly not the best in Thailand.

[Rhys]

It appears it must be .. and always appears, to be in the way your approach the ADM folks, charging in ... accusing this and that will only get you into a...revenge mode by those in power... On-line still does not offer the best way, but face to face instruction generally is better...you still have creeps on-line even as MA students..

What is needed is more research and of course, the university in BKK are a better selection.. S, M, T,

All in the name of higher education, however we must remember, it is there... concept of higher education..