Master’s (Titulo Propio) from Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona?

[lincolnlawyer]

Hi everyone, 

I have been looking at an unofficial Master’s (Titulo Propio) offered by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona for teaching purposes. https://www.uab.cat/web/postgraduate/mas...1-3092_en/

Following the advice from BJCHEUNG I’ve updated this section using the recommended format. 
Because of my situation I left some parts vague to avoid the possibility of being identified. 

[b]Your Location: East Asia[/b]
Your Age: 28
What kind of degree do you want?: 
Accredited Master’s degree in Education/English/Communication
Current Regional Accredited Credits: 

Bachelor’s Degree from National University in Japan: 
129 Japanese undergraduate credits (never evaluated in the US)
LL.M. From third-tier ABA accredited US law school: 
30 graduate-level credits

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: None
[b]Any certifications or military experience? [/b]None
Budget: Under approx. $10K to complete the entire degree. The cheaper the better.
Commitments: None other than semi-full time work. I am especially free during spring and summer breaks so full-time study is not impossible.
Dedicated time to study: 20 hours per week and more during spring and summer breaks. 
Timeline: As fast as possible; preferably within 12-18months. 


I live outside the US and have been able to teach English as an adjunct using my Master’s. Eventually, I do want to finish a PhD and work in higher education. 

Unfortunately, stipends aren’t common in PhD programs in my field, and I have been struggling to save up with my pay as an adjunct. I can live comfortably, but to save up for a PhD program will take years. 

Alternatively, if I have a Master’s in Education/Communications, there are employers who are willing to take me as a full-time, non-tenured faculty. 

Since I have a Master’s already, I don’t see the need to invest a whole lot in a TESOL degree via distance learning. The Spanish Titulo Propio I found was relatively cheap and can be completed within a year (approx. 11 months). 


My Concerns:
1. If I decide to apply to a PhD program in the US or the UK, would this be a set back because it is a “non-official” degree? So far the discussion I’ve found is mostly on whether it would be accredited by an agency like WES, but are there any implications on the admission process?

2. If I want to continue adjunct teaching in the US, is this degree likely to be recognized?

Any thoughts or comments are much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Kalas]

Have you considered UOC? Unless I'm missing something their tuition is under $1000/year for titulo oficial degrees that should evaluate to RA equivalent. Programs that collaborate with other schools are much more expensive though. They have a titulo oficial master in Technology-Mediated Language Teaching and Learning that sounds like it could meet your needs. https://www.uoc.edu/en/studies/masters/m...e-teaching

Assuming your master's is the equivalent of a titulo oficial you could just get a doctorate from them for a couple thousand bucks. From everything I've read it's pretty rigorous. https://www.uoc.edu/en/studies/doctorate...cation-ict

[lincolnlawyer]

Have you considered UOC? Unless I'm missing something their tuition is under $1000/year for titulo oficial degrees that should evaluate to RA equivalent. Programs that collaborate with other schools are much more expensive though. They have a titulo oficial master in Technology-Mediated Language Teaching and Learning that sounds like it could meet your needs. https://www.uoc.edu/en/studies/masters/m...e-teaching

Assuming your master's is the equivalent of a titulo oficial you could just get a doctorate from them for a couple thousand bucks. From everything I've read it's pretty rigorous. https://www.uoc.edu/en/studies/doctorate...cation-ict

Interesting enough, UOC was how I found out about these Master’s programs in Spain. 

Does UOC have a good rep though? All I can find is their reviews on Google, which is a total mess, and that was a major let down for me. 

Plus I’m not an EU resident so I’d have to pay around 4K in euros, while UAB only costs 3.7k.

[bjcheung77]

Welcome to the board, that's a great start to get the conversation going and the ball rolling on deciding what degree/institution options you have. However, without much more details such as the info asked for in the addendum and template, it's going to be hard to see the full picture of your scenario. Each person would have different budgets, commitments, study habits, etc, with a clearer overview, we'll be better equipped to provide you a more concrete answer. Link: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

[lincolnlawyer]

Welcome to the board, that's a great start to get the conversation going and the ball rolling on deciding what degree/institution options you have.  However, without much more details such as the info asked for in the addendum and template, it's going to be hard to see the full picture of your scenario.  Each person would have different budgets, commitments, study habits, etc, with a clearer overview, we'll be better equipped to provide you a more concrete answer. Link: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

Thanks so much! I’ve just updated my post according to your advice. 
It’s nice that there are others like me seeking for cheap and fast options for a degree

[xianbd]

Hi everyone, 

I have been looking at an unofficial Master’s (Titulo Propio) offered by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona for teaching purposes. https://www.uab.cat/web/postgraduate/mas...1-3092_en/

Following the advice from BJCHEUNG I’ve updated this section using the recommended format. 
Because of my situation I left some parts vague to avoid the possibility of being identified. 

[b]Your Location: East Asia[/b]
Your Age: 28
What kind of degree do you want?: 
Accredited Master’s degree in Education/English/Communication
Current Regional Accredited Credits: 

Bachelor’s Degree from National University in Japan: 
129 Japanese undergraduate credits (never evaluated in the US)
LL.M. From third-tier ABA accredited US law school: 
30 graduate-level credits

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: None
[b]Any certifications or military experience? [/b]None
Budget: Under approx. $10K to complete the entire degree. The cheaper the better.
Commitments: None other than semi-full time work. I am especially free during spring and summer breaks so full-time study is not impossible.
Dedicated time to study: 20 hours per week and more during spring and summer breaks. 
Timeline: As fast as possible; preferably within 12-18months. 


I live outside the US and have been able to teach English as an adjunct using my Master’s. Eventually, I do want to finish a PhD and work in higher education. 

Unfortunately, stipends aren’t common in PhD programs in my field, and I have been struggling to save up with my pay as an adjunct. I can live comfortably, but to save up for a PhD program will take years. 

Alternatively, if I have a Master’s in Education/Communications, there are employers who are willing to take me as a full-time, non-tenured faculty. 

Since I have a Master’s already, I don’t see the need to invest a whole lot in a TESOL degree via distance learning. The Spanish Titulo Propio I found was relatively cheap and can be completed within a year (approx. 11 months). 


My Concerns:
1. If I decide to apply to a PhD program in the US or the UK, would this be a set back because it is a “non-official” degree? So far the discussion I’ve found is mostly on whether it would be accredited by an agency like WES, but are there any implications on the admission process?

2. If I want to continue adjunct teaching in the US, is this degree likely to be recognized?

Any thoughts or comments are much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

A Titulo Propio is not for those looking for further academic careers.
There are a lot of online master programs in education, both accredited and inexpensive, that may prepare you for the pursuit of a PhD. 
check University of Southampton, reputable, costs less than £10k.

[Messdiener]

If you're looking for Master of Education degree at an inexpensive price, you may want to consider Acacia University:

https://www.acacia.edu/masters-degree/

The one 'catch' is that it's nationally accredited. While some say that this no longer matters, certain nations may view such accreditation differently than what American universities and government authorities may. So your mileage may vary!

[lincolnlawyer]

Hi everyone, 

I have been looking at an unofficial Master’s (Titulo Propio) offered by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona for teaching purposes. https://www.uab.cat/web/postgraduate/mas...1-3092_en/

Following the advice from BJCHEUNG I’ve updated this section using the recommended format. 
Because of my situation I left some parts vague to avoid the possibility of being identified. 

[b]Your Location: East Asia[/b]
Your Age: 28
What kind of degree do you want?: 
Accredited Master’s degree in Education/English/Communication
Current Regional Accredited Credits: 

Bachelor’s Degree from National University in Japan: 
129 Japanese undergraduate credits (never evaluated in the US)
LL.M. From third-tier ABA accredited US law school: 
30 graduate-level credits

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: None
[b]Any certifications or military experience? [/b]None
Budget: Under approx. $10K to complete the entire degree. The cheaper the better.
Commitments: None other than semi-full time work. I am especially free during spring and summer breaks so full-time study is not impossible.
Dedicated time to study: 20 hours per week and more during spring and summer breaks. 
Timeline: As fast as possible; preferably within 12-18months. 


I live outside the US and have been able to teach English as an adjunct using my Master’s. Eventually, I do want to finish a PhD and work in higher education. 

Unfortunately, stipends aren’t common in PhD programs in my field, and I have been struggling to save up with my pay as an adjunct. I can live comfortably, but to save up for a PhD program will take years. 

Alternatively, if I have a Master’s in Education/Communications, there are employers who are willing to take me as a full-time, non-tenured faculty. 

Since I have a Master’s already, I don’t see the need to invest a whole lot in a TESOL degree via distance learning. The Spanish Titulo Propio I found was relatively cheap and can be completed within a year (approx. 11 months). 


My Concerns:
1. If I decide to apply to a PhD program in the US or the UK, would this be a set back because it is a “non-official” degree? So far the discussion I’ve found is mostly on whether it would be accredited by an agency like WES, but are there any implications on the admission process?

2. If I want to continue adjunct teaching in the US, is this degree likely to be recognized?

Any thoughts or comments are much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

A Titulo Propio is not for those looking for further academic careers.
There are a lot of online master programs in education, both accredited and inexpensive, that may prepare you for the pursuit of a PhD. 
check University of Southampton, reputable, costs less than £10k.

I thought that would be the case. 

I just need a Master’s in one of the related fields to teach for a few years before I can move on to a PhD, which is unlikely to be TESOL related. 

As such, I’m trying to do it as cheap as possible. Will the Titulo Propio still be worth it in this context?

---

If you're looking for Master of Education degree at an inexpensive price, you may want to consider Acacia University:

https://www.acacia.edu/masters-degree/

The one 'catch' is that it's nationally accredited. While some say that this no longer matters, certain nations may view such accreditation differently than what American universities and government authorities may. So your mileage may vary!

Wow this is amazing! The price seems absolutely doable (only slightly more expensive than the Titulo Propio I found). 

Why would it be a ‘catch’ though? Isn’t being nationally accredited better in general..?

[Messdiener]

From what I understand of the American accreditation scene, regional accreditation has often been seen as a higher level or superior standard.

If memory serves (and don't count on it!), you couldn't progress from a nationally accredited degree to a regionally accredited in years past. With some changes in US government regulations in recent years, this may not be as strict as in the past.

Likewise, depending on what country you're in, this may be totally irrelevant though.

[lincolnlawyer]

From what I understand of the American accreditation scene, regional accreditation has often been seen as a higher level or superior standard.

If memory serves (and don't count on it!), you couldn't progress from a nationally accredited degree to a regionally accredited in years past. With some changes in US government regulations in recent years, this may not be as strict as in the past.

Likewise, depending on what country you're in, this may be totally irrelevant though.

Hmm, I never thought about it that way, but come to think about it most big-name US universities seem to be regionally accredited. 

Will it reflect negatively on my application to a PhD program even if I apply to a field unrelated to my TESOL degree? I’m only considering English teaching as a short-term plan so I don’t want it to interfere with my long-term career..