Master's degree options while in Asia

aridion
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Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by aridion »

Hi All,

I am a certified teacher currently teaching in Vietnam.

I want to further my pedagogical understanding by doing a Master's degree in education (international education, technology and design, or similar).

Do any of you know of an online course that offers such a path?

Regards,
Ari.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

University of Portsmouth in the UK offers a M.Sc in Ed.Ld and an M.Rs in Ed.Studies both available fully online by distance education. The M.Sc is a 2 year part time program and the M.Rs is one year full time or two years part time. Fees for both programs regardless of time is £4500 for the full program. The M.Rs program is an interdisciplinary program that you can tailor to your individual goals, but its research component is more involved than that of the M.Sc.
shadowjack
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Re: Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by shadowjack »

TCNJ has a global program out of Bangkok that offers courses throughout the year - can take other courses on other campuses over the summer months or in December over Christmas break.
aridion
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Location: United Kingdom

Re: Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by aridion »

Thanks for the responses.I am particularly interested in the University of Portsmouth Masters. Thanks for the suggestion PsyGuy.

I know that TCNJ offer their course in Saigon also. However, there is quite a lot of evening/weekend class time involved.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

TCNJ is around USD$25K and Portsmouth is around USD$6K.
shadowjack
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Re: Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by shadowjack »

aridion - keep in mind that there are countries where an online masters will disqualify you from working in the country. And countries can change their rules to refuse to recognize an online masters at any time. Crazy but true.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

Concur with @SJ.
cms989
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Re: Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by cms989 »

That's not quite correct. Those countries will not recognize an online master's degree. Having an online master's degree will not itself disqualify you from working in those countries. Quite a big difference between those two things. Also those countries are in the minority, I don't see anything suggesting it will be a growing trend. If you are a certified teacher you should still have a job market and since you aren't leaning on your online master's to get a visa in the vast majority of cases, it shouldn't matter (most countries would want to see your bachelor's degree and maybe your teaching certification).

I mean if we make a list it's something like some middle east countries and Taiwan. And then out of those countries, which ones find a certification alone acceptable. What you're left with is the cost of an online masters - not working in Oman? Or something. Just a guess on that.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@cms989

Thats not quite correct either. While I understand and appreciate the difference, it can disqualify you, even if your first/undergrad degree was from a F2F brick & mortar Uni.
Thats not true, their are ITs whose entire marketability is vested in their masters degree, especially leadership.
Yes, they are in the minority, but neither @SJ or myself claimed or supported that they werent, only that it is a consideration and for some a concern.
I agree, I dont see any indication of this changing in the near future, but my crystal ball needs to be shaken and then only gives vague predictions like "future not clear". China could one day out of nowhere enact regulations that online and distance learning degrees for foreigners are no longer acceptable, and no one would really see it coming. They could effectively do whatever they want, with devastating consequences.

Which all might be an important issue for that IT with the online Masters and Oman, which is all @SJ and I are claiming that it may be a serious concern for some ITs.
National
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Re: Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by National »

Question: How do they tell it is an online Masters?

I understand in cases where there is no brick and mortar university, but when there is...
I have a Masters that I completed online but through a state university in the US. No where on any documents (transcripts or diploma) does it state that anything was completed online. All paperwork is identical to my undergrad which was completed face to face. No one knows it was an online program unless I tell them. My partner has the same thing from a different university. Just wondering if we’re exceptions.
cms989
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Re: Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by cms989 »

It can't disqualify you. If it could the school would simply not submit the master's diploma to the government. A master's degree might not count but it doesn't make you a leper to have one.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@National

Three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead. All they do is pick up the phone or write an email to your Unis register and ask to confirm the date of conferral, the degree, major field of study, commitment (FT or PT) and the method of delivery (classroom or distance). No forensic documentary ana1ysis needed.

@cms989

Some ITs professional entrance into education is entirely summed up in their graduate (Masters) program. They either got an they either got a qualification or they completed an EPP/ITT program that resulted in a credential or both. If the credential was earned entirely based on online/distance study than the credential can be rejected, in addition to whatever qualification (degree/certificate).
cms989
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Re: Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by cms989 »

We're talking about certified teachers. Certification comes from the governing body for education, not the online master's program. And again this is a different issue than saying an online master's degree itself will disqualify you. A country may require a master's degree, and that must be from a brick and mortar institution, but that isn't what I was clarifying.
PsyGuy
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Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

@cms989

First, who is "we" do you represent some group or consortium as a representative? Its not me, Im talking (yes this is speech) about ITs and DTs, I dont use terms like certificate when I mean something else like a credential.

Second, do you really want to go there? I looked at your join date, you arent a noob to the forum, you have a not insignificant post count. Maybe you werent here for one of the great long thread on what is certification, and qualifications and credentials and licensure, and what the difference is because a lot of organizations issue certificates. You really want to argue that the DT/IT with a degree and an IB workshop certificate (this is kind of a bad example) who spends 6 hours a day tolling 14 and 15 year olds through algebra is less a "certified teacher" than the DT/IT who has a QTS certificate? What about all those ITs working in the third tier who have only a PGCEi, or those DTs and ITs who work in private/independent DSs/ISs who only have a degree, even if that degree is a B.Ed? What about those primary Montessori DTs/ITs who have been extensively trained and certified by their organization, despite many of those organizations the IBO, ACSI, the PTC, etc. not being "governing bodies of education" I think what you might mean is a regulating authority, a body actually having a mandate and authority to regulate by limiting the scope of practice or title within a profession.

Credentials are authorized by regulating authorities, and typically in the US those agencies require recommendation of a candidate by completion of an EPP/ITT program which may/can be incorporated as part of a Masters or other post graduate course of study. If the course of study provided by the degree in obtaining that credential is not acceptable than the resulting credential may be designated as invalid or not fit for purpose. A regulating authority in one jurisdiction is not required or obligated to accept the credential of another regulating authority from an external jurisdiction. The Kingdom and Peking can stipulate that a credential obtained vie online or distance study is not acceptable, and there is nothing in that premise or conclusion that would make that statement untrue. No regional or national jurisdiction must admit to practice any external or foreign practitioner, professional or otherwise on the basis that some other jurisdiction whether it be the US/UK/CAN/AUS/EU because the originating jurisdiction and regulating authority deems it so. They do not need the permission or approval of the USA, not does the USA dictate global policy, rules and regulations, despite believing that they do.
cms989
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Re: Master's degree options while in Asia

Post by cms989 »

Try as you might obfuscating the issue won't address the point I made. You're right I'm not a noob, I've seen this song and dance enough to know to when to bow out.

Making up vocabulary doesn't make you right, in the United States a certificate is commonly what is issued to allow one to teach for public schools and is what is referred to when talking about a 'certified teacher.' As you were responding to me it is relevant what I was actually saying, that is, what you were responding to.

To return to the main point, there is no checkbox similar to 'have you ever been convicted of a crime,' that says 'have you ever taken an online master's degree' which would disqualify a certified teacher from working in a country that didn't otherwise require a master's degree.

That's all I have to say about this, anyone confused by your replies may check the relevant information themselves and make a decision about which program is right for them.
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