Best Masters Degree to Pursue? Some Advice, Please?

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klooste
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:21 pm

Best Masters Degree to Pursue? Some Advice, Please?

Post by klooste »

Hi everyone!

Thank you in advance for your advice.

Here's a snapshot of my resume:
Bachelor of Education secondary with a major in English and minor in Chinese.

I have taught for six years internationally (no IB experience at this moment, but...)

At my next international school, I will be getting my IB training and I'll be MYP and DP Language Acquisition as well as grades 9 and 10 IGCSE.

With that snapshot inside the cogs of the brain, I am wondering which masters I should obtain to make myself more marketable? As an English teacher, I know that I am worth about 5 cents a dozen.

My wife and I would like to transition to a high level international school in the next 3-5 years after we get some IB experience. I do plan to stay in the classroom as an educator for the rest of my career. I am open to being a Head of Department in the future. Here are some options I have considered:

1) Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language
2) Master of Arts in English Literature
3) Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
4) Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction
5) Master of International Education International Baccalaureate (https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/cours ... alaureate/)
6) Master of Educational Technology

Which one is the better option to pursue in terms of marketability? I am interested in all the topics listed above.

Thank you very much for your wisdom. I am looking forward to reading other teachers' responses.
IntlEducator
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Jul 22, 2017 4:31 pm

Re: Best Masters Degree to Pursue? Some Advice, Please?

Post by IntlEducator »

I think it depends on what you want to teach in the future. For example, the first option, the Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language, would seem to only increase your marketability for teaching English as a second language (eg language schools.) The last option, the Master of Education Technology, would seem to mainly increase your marketability for tech teaching jobs (although in an interview you could probably spin it as enabling you to teach language arts with 21st century technology.) I'm not very familiar with the Masters in International Education International Baccalaureate, but since your undergraduate is already in education this would seem to only increase your marketability for IB schools. The Masters in Curriculum and Instruction would seem to increase your general marketability as a teacher, although it might be more of a program for admin (eg curriculum coordinators.) The second and third options (English Lit and Creative Writing,) would increase your marketability as an English teacher.
klooste
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:21 pm

Re: Best Masters Degree to Pursue? Some Advice, Please?

Post by klooste »

Thanks for your wisdom! :)
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

The rule is a Masters or any advance degree should do more than get you into a classroom. So looking at your list the most advantageous one is:
1) Educational Technology; it would allow you work as a technology director or coordinator, a role you arent currently qualified for.
2) C&I; could lead to leadership positions such as HOD, curriculum coordinator or AP/VP/DP of academics, etc.
3) English Literature; as some ISs require the masters degree match the teaching field to qualify for the higher salary band.
4) ESOL; the most marketable outside of IE but still in edu. Even in IE there are plenty of opportunitys to supplement your coin in ESOL and Uni appointments (the most desirable) typically require an MTESOL.
5) IB; the IB degrees arent very popular but they carry some weight at foundation classic IBWSs and at the regional offices, which would give you some advantages if you wanted to work up and through the various roles in the IBEN.
6) Creative Writing; this would be the prestige and status option as an MFA in creative writing can be considered a terminal degree (despite proliferation of DFA programs) allowing you to claim the title of Master, Magister, Professor or more significantly 'Doctor', which may get you a further increase on the salary band at an IS that has one.
klooste
Posts: 82
Joined: Mon Apr 14, 2014 3:21 pm

Re: Best Masters Degree to Pursue? Some Advice, Please?

Post by klooste »

PsyGuy wrote:
> The rule is a Masters or any advance degree should do more than get you into a classroom.
> So looking at your list the most advantageous one is:
> 1) Educational Technology; it would allow you work as a technology director or coordinator,
> a role you arent currently qualified for.
> 2) C&I; could lead to leadership positions such as HOD, curriculum coordinator or
> AP/VP/DP of academics, etc.
> 3) English Literature; as some ISs require the masters degree match the teaching
> field to qualify for the higher salary band.
> 4) ESOL; the most marketable outside of IE but still in edu. Even in IE there are
> plenty of opportunitys to supplement your coin in ESOL and Uni appointments (the
> most desirable) typically require an MTESOL.
> 5) IB; the IB degrees arent very popular but they carry some weight at foundation
> classic IBWSs and at the regional offices, which would give you some advantages
> if you wanted to work up and through the various roles in the IBEN.
> 6) Creative Writing; this would be the prestige and status option as an MFA in creative
> writing can be considered a terminal degree (despite proliferation of DFA programs)
> allowing you to claim the title of Master, Magister, Professor or more significantly
> 'Doctor', which may get you a further increase on the salary band at an IS that
> has one.

Thanks for your advice. I do have to disagree with your assertion that a masters degree should be obtained for the sole purpose of getting out of the classroom. As you stated in your advice, some international schools do require teachers to have advanced degrees in the subjects that they are teaching.

Thanks again for your tips.
Smoko
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2019 1:41 am

Re: Best Masters Degree to Pursue? Some Advice, Please?

Post by Smoko »

klooste wrote:
> Thanks for your advice. I do have to disagree with your assertion that a masters
> degree should be obtained for the sole purpose of getting out of the classroom. As
> you stated in your advice, some international schools do require teachers to have
> advanced degrees in the subjects that they are teaching.
>
> Thanks again for your tips.

I don't think I've ever seen an international school require a masters in the subject they are teaching (although maybe there might be a couple out there?). The main benefit for the vast majority of teachers would be to get a raise, move into a new position, or just out of personal interest.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@klooste

I didnt state that "a masters degree should be obtained for the sole purpose of getting out of the classroom", but that it should do more than get you into a classroom, because there are so many easier and far less costly ways of getting into a classroom as an IT than the advance degree route when considering that certain roles in IE effectively only have the academic route to entering, and given the cost of advance Uni study.

Yes there are ISs that require the advance degree be in the teaching area to qualify for higher band on the salary scale or for immigration/visa purposes. Its not common though and those number of ISs are comparatively small and few in number.
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