Hi all,
I’m an incoming freshman at university with my heart set on teaching English language in Japan.
I’m ping ponging between 2 different uni’s with different graduate degree programs, and I was wondering if I could get some advice on what kinds of qualifications would hold more merit.
Does a graduate certificate in TESOL compare to a M.A. in TESOL for, say, a university teaching job? Public high school? Private?
How about a B.A./M.A. Linguistics + grad cert in TESOL vs. B.A. Linguistics + M.A. TESOL?
Thank you for your time!
5 comments
You could also ask in r/UniTeachinginJapan.
Generally, an M.A will usually look better on a CV, especially for uni positions (and overall educational history). for international schools and others, an advanced cert is ideal.
In addition, if you decide to pursue a Ph.D, an M.A goes a long way. I’m not sure if a “graduate certificate” can be used as part of the requirements.
I was under the impression that to be a licensed teacher in Japan you need a Master’s.
The MA in TESOL will serve you better than an MA in linguistics with a TESOL cert if your goal is to be an English professor.
If you are looking for university level teaching, the minimum will almost always be an M.A, and that is for a part time lecture position. A graduate certificate is not considered equivalent.
Source – partner is an associate professor and is part of the commitee who interviews/hires new English lecturers for their department.