Education - I Need More

:help: I work a full time job and can’t afford to do a Masters Program (English) full time.

Anyone recommend part time evening courses in Taipei that could improve overall job prospects?

Ever do an on-line Masters program whilst in Taiwan…how was it?

Location, cost, quality, duration of course…etc.

Please let me know your experiences!

Thanks :notworthy:

www.nsula.edu has a great set of very very inexpensive online programs.

Although, you should be warned that the Taiwanese Ministry of Education doesn’t accept online degrees, so doing an online MA wont improve your job prospects in Taiwan.

Well, the ministry doesn’t accept them, fine, but some employers might well see it as valuable, especially if it’s from a reputable university. You won’t be able to use it to get a work permit, but then I presume the OP has a first degree anyway, so he’d be ok on that score.

I’m not sure that all institutions actually differentiate between the online degree programs and on campus ones. I’m not positive it says such on the degree.

Both points by Taffy and SAF are valid.

However, if you wish to apply for a post at any University with an online or distance degree you’re out of luck. They check with the relevant University, require transcripts and in most cases, published work. And furthemore, to have more than a fair shot at a Uni job it’s becoming more of a requirement that you have a PhD.
For non-tertiary education jobs, sure, it may be a plus.

Some Uni’s only offer distance education, such as the University of South Africa (UNISA) and Pheonix. They may have a library, physical buildings and offer a first rate education, but they’re still online or distance and as a result are not accepted by the Taiwanese Government (not just the Ministry of Education).

I’m not saying you shouldn’t go for it. I’m just stating the facts related to Uni jobs and the government pertaining to distance and online degrees. I myself am doing a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) with Chinese as an extra through UNISA. As Taffy stated, I don’t need it for a work permit, as I have a previous degree anyway. I don’t need any work permit in any event as I have a JSRV with an attached work permit (as is the case with a Permanent ARC). But it is a qualification that is accepted in any other major western country, most particularly the ones I’m interested in possibly working in. And whatever you study, it’s never a waste. Just make sure what your particular goals are and whether online or distance education is the best for you.