I am looking into studying a masters degree in Taiwan. I am aware of many MBA and Engineering type degeees here but I am interested in knowing about any masters degrees that are related to either education (in general) or ESL/EFL teaching. This degree would have to be available to foreigners and taught in English. I know of the www.studyintaiwan.org site which is very helpful, however I have found that some of the information posted about programs to be false (after talking to schools).
Does anyone have any experience with a masters program such as above in taiwan? Does anyone know where I could find some information from people who are currently studying here?
This is a list that I found in a booklet given to me by the MOE (actually a study in taiwan publication). These unis are listed as teaching education, but I can’t vouch for them of course. Might give you a point from which to do more research.
Cheng Shiu University
Chung Hua University
Diwan College of Management
Fo Guang College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Hsing Kuo University of Management
Ming Chuan University
National Chang Hua University of Education
National Cheng Chi University
National Cheng Kung University
National Chi Nan University
National Chia Yi University
National Dong Hwa University
National Pingtung Teachers College
National Taichung Teachers Collee
National Taitung University
National Taiwan Normal University
National Taiwan Ocean University
National Taiwan University of Techology
Tamkang Univesity
Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages.
Isn’t there a teachers university in Taipei too, on Heping road? Maybe I’m thinking of the college: ntptc.edu.tw/
But, in terms of the above list, many or all may just be taught in Mandarin. At least, I know that to be a fact for the National Pingtung Teachers College. They will take foreign students, but instruction is in Chinese.
Other than MBA and degrees as such, the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology has masters level programs (instruction in English) in animal conservation, agribusiness, and forestry (the last I heard). They have a lot of international students from Africa and South America. The beauty of it is that tuition is free for many international students, depending on which country you come from. They even told me that if I enrolled, I could have free accommodation and a monthly stipend! I didn’t explore it very far, and this was a few years ago, so I don’t know what the situation is for sure right now. Here is the uni link anyway, for anyone interested:
Thanks for the info, very helpful. Does anyone have any opinion as to the value (respectability?) of a degree earned in Taiwan? I’m also curious about the difference between a public and private university here. The whole free thing is the biggest attraction for me but I would hate to find out that people back home (canada) would snub a degree earned here.
For ESL? Almost nothing. That’s why Taiwanese students go abroad to study TEFL. There might be some value if you are going to stay in Taiwan – then it wouldn’t matter so much as long as it was one of the “better” universities – but if you plan to try to use this degree abroad, there would only be a handful of universities that would command respect even for a degree taught in Mandarin, let along a new program “taught” in English.
IMHO many (I’m not saying all, but many) of the “all-English” degree programs cropping up these days are cash cows. The administration knows what is attractive to Taiwanese students – “English” plus a bunch of foreign classmates to make it “truly international”, etc. etc. I’ve done an MA in Taiwan in Mandarin, and my native Mandarin-speaking classmates had little clue what was being presented half the time (frequently the prof didn’t either, to be brutally honest), and that was on a well-established and respected program. I can’t imagine how much (or how little) the Taiwanese students would get from having to do MA-quantities of reading in English each week.
but I would hate to find out that people back home (canada) would snub a degree earned here.