Hi:
I am an assistant professor of English with six years higher education teaching experience, and an MFA in Creative Writing. (I also have an MA in English.)
If I want to teach overseas, does my terminal degree have any value in foreign countries?
I would like to know before considering employment opportunities.
Thank you very much for your time,
Bill
How is my MFA perceived outside the United States?
I'm assuming you're looking into K-12 international schools and not colleges? Most reputable K-12 schools are going to require you to have teaching certification from your state (e.g., grades 7-12). College teaching doesn't always count as experience (although, if it were a high-demand field like higher math or science, you could probably find work fairly easily). A Master's is always a plus, but you still need that certificate.
Depends
The answer to that depends on a lot and what your expectations are.
Higher Education:
In europe the Bologna Process and accords categorize all degrees into 3 categories based on contact hours and years of study. Your MFA would fall into category 2 and be equivalent to other Masters. The Bologna accords do not distinguish a terminal degree for a non terminal degree (incidentally there is now such a degree as a D.FA). Depending on the country and institution your seeking appointment at and your experience, you would find yourself either appointed as a lecturer or senior lecturer with a term or continuing contract (the equivalent of tenure) or less likely as a term contract Assistant Professor.
In Asia, doctorates are very rare, they have no use outside of a few professional fields (mainly medicine) and in academics. In the arts National awards and titles from recognized academies and organizations can confer the equivalent of doctoral status on a receiver. Your MFA would be seen as a masters degree, but it would depend on the institution if your rank/title and type of contract and if that contract would make you eligible for tenure.
An MFA in creative writing isnt going to honestly be considered any different, or in any greater demand then a Masters in Lit degree.
Primary/Secondary:
You basically have a master in english, and for step/salary purposes if a school had a doctoral level step it could go either way. You would have to sell them on putting you on the doctoral step. At the very least you could argue (successfully) that the extra degree is worth an extra year on the step scale. International schools only consider years of experience post certification teaching. You may again be able to argue an extra year or maybe two for your higher education teaching experience (1 year I can see 2 not so much).
More importantly is English isnt really in any high demand, and you would have to get certified to teach at the secondary level to be eligible. In addition you typically need a minimum of 2 years post certification to be considered for an IS school. A school may (MAY) count your 6 years higher ed in meeting this requirement. Typically they want to see some evidence that you have worked with kids. It would be more likely in a DIP program, or 6th form program, or an al upper secondary AP program, but you would need experience in those curriculums as well.
Higher Education:
In europe the Bologna Process and accords categorize all degrees into 3 categories based on contact hours and years of study. Your MFA would fall into category 2 and be equivalent to other Masters. The Bologna accords do not distinguish a terminal degree for a non terminal degree (incidentally there is now such a degree as a D.FA). Depending on the country and institution your seeking appointment at and your experience, you would find yourself either appointed as a lecturer or senior lecturer with a term or continuing contract (the equivalent of tenure) or less likely as a term contract Assistant Professor.
In Asia, doctorates are very rare, they have no use outside of a few professional fields (mainly medicine) and in academics. In the arts National awards and titles from recognized academies and organizations can confer the equivalent of doctoral status on a receiver. Your MFA would be seen as a masters degree, but it would depend on the institution if your rank/title and type of contract and if that contract would make you eligible for tenure.
An MFA in creative writing isnt going to honestly be considered any different, or in any greater demand then a Masters in Lit degree.
Primary/Secondary:
You basically have a master in english, and for step/salary purposes if a school had a doctoral level step it could go either way. You would have to sell them on putting you on the doctoral step. At the very least you could argue (successfully) that the extra degree is worth an extra year on the step scale. International schools only consider years of experience post certification teaching. You may again be able to argue an extra year or maybe two for your higher education teaching experience (1 year I can see 2 not so much).
More importantly is English isnt really in any high demand, and you would have to get certified to teach at the secondary level to be eligible. In addition you typically need a minimum of 2 years post certification to be considered for an IS school. A school may (MAY) count your 6 years higher ed in meeting this requirement. Typically they want to see some evidence that you have worked with kids. It would be more likely in a DIP program, or 6th form program, or an al upper secondary AP program, but you would need experience in those curriculums as well.
Thank You!
Thank you so very much for your detailed reply. I am truly grateful.
Please be well and enjoy your day,
Bill
Please be well and enjoy your day,
Bill