Online degree (WGU) can I be an international teacher?

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Wooerf1
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Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2020 7:13 am

Online degree (WGU) can I be an international teacher?

Post by Wooerf1 »

I am a 30 year old male career changer from California. I've worked for the National Park service for about 8 years, I obtained an associate's degree in my early twenty's and plan on going back to school this spring at Western Governor's University (WGU) for my B.S.ed (Secondary Biological Science). WGU is a regionally accredited university, but it is online only, with no physical campus. The degree does lead to full licensure as a teacher and I do plan on getting my two years experience in California before working abroad, however I've read some countries do not accept degrees earned via distance learning and I've yet to find anyone who is an International Teacher with a degree from WGU alone. I'm just wondering if anyone can shed some light on the viability of my plan. Will most international schools accept my degree from WGU? I do plan on also getting my masters in education eventually, but I'm just hoping to get some feedback on the viability of this plan before I get this started.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

You will have increased challenges in limitations in your marketability. Some regions for visa purposes do not accept online degrees, and WGU is not one that has a F2F/B&M option that you could circumvent. Additionally, there are ISs that wont accept online degrees, though these are more a matter of policy than regulation (in the form of visa/immigration regulation). Of the ITs that have this issue many of them are effected less by the immigration issue, because its their Masters/Advance degree that was online and they can still qualify for a visa based on their first/undergrad degree (assuming it as earned in an accredited F2F/B&M Uni). You wont have that option.
inmortus
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Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 7:55 am

Re: Online degree (WGU) can I be an international teacher?

Post by inmortus »

I essentially agree with PsyGuy. If you just have a B. (earned online) with a teaching license, there will be some limitations.

That being said, I would stress that term (limitations, not an entire deal-breaker). It would be a problem with some countries (in terms of getting a work visa) or some schools (policies) but certainly not all. The fact is that with an American Bachelor degree and teaching license (online or not) you can still find a job, and once you get some experience, then you would still have options (even if places like Qatar won't take you because your degree was completed online).

In short: limitations? Yes, but if the price and/or time involved means this particular degree is what you can get, go for it and try to improve your marketability at a later point in time (M.Ed. through onsite summer sessions or whatever).
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Discussion

Post by PsyGuy »

Absolutely agree with @inmortus and the clarification. Limitations and challenges are not barriers. Most of the time it wont even be an issue and the places where it is an issue about half of those you will be better off because of it. There are ISs that require earned degrees from F2F/B&M Unis, but its for placement on the general IT salary band. They will also have an 'uncertified' band thats at lower coin for those ITs without certification that they may use for those with online degrees, its just a way of getting cheaper ITs.
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