This weekend I have the joy of traveling two and a half hours away from my lovely neighborhood in the northeastern part of Seoul, down to Suwon… which is at the complete opposite side of the city. This trip, even after a long week of teaching, sure beats taking multiple flights and traveling for over 24 hours to get to Redding, California.
At this point, you may be curious as to what this post is about. Now that I have your attention (BAM! just in case I didn’t have it before, capital letters always grab my eyes, then again the title of this post probably gave away any form of suspense you may have had…shoot) I would like to introduce you to my graduate program. As teachers, we are also lifelong learners, am I right? In order to keep my teaching license valid (I have a teaching license from the State of Michigan), I discovered a way to get my masters in Korea without taking online courses (I am a 100% in-person, visual learner). A program that flies professors over from the USA, so that students can take their classes in person. Now THAT, is commitment!
This program is through Simpson University. I am getting my Master in Education, Curriculum and Instruction for English Language Learners, with an emphasis on Leadership. Yes, it is a mouthful. The classes in this particular program have given me a lot of amazing insight, as the majority of my students (if not all) are English Language Learners (ELL).
Next year, Simpson University is also planning on offering a program to certify teachers in Korea. Which is great if you are here in Korea without your teaching license, and you want to break into the international school community.
The program is two years in length, and classes will most likely be offered at a university in Seoul next year (not Suwon, of course this is after I graduate…). The program begins in January and August of each year. For more information contact Dr. Richard Harris at rharris@simpsonu.edu.
Here are a series of pictures of me and two friends working on a class project in the dorms at GSIS (where classes are held in Suwon). Why? Because pictures are fun!
two apples a day 
Love the photo series and of course the post as well! 🙂
Great advice, thanks for posting.
You are very welcome! Thanks for stopping by two apples a day ^^
Hi there,
Just found this and was wondering if you have finished? How was the experience? How have you used your degree? cost? I’d really appreciate the info.
Hello Susan, I apologize for how long it has taken me to get back to you. I finished my masters in a year and a half, so I was done June 2012. It has helped me be on a higher pay scale at my job, and the cost of the degree was between 18,000-20,000 dollars. The program I went through here in Korea is no longer available though, or if it is… it is all online and not face to face anymore.
Best of luck!