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How Many Expats Have a Masters Degree and/or PhD (they are not using)


Pilotman

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Masters in special education, 105 credit hours beyond that, decades of experience. Retired.

I'd be willing to be a consultant on best practices and so on. Would not particularly like to be just another teacher (nothing wrong with that, but wouldn't be best use of my skills etc)

Would be happy with transportation and accommodation expenses while on the road.

Oh, and probably some pay to cover expense of "calmatives" so my head or heart doesn't explode when dealing with petty administrators

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PhD in molecular genetics and did research in that field for 30 years. Now retired and the degree is no use at all - and would be of no use to anyone else because in the more than 20 years since I retired the field has moved on.

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I have a PhD from Australia, which provided access to a tenured academic position in Australia.

 

I would have liked to have taught again in Thailand, and indeed I was approached by staff at several universities in Thailand and asked if I would like to teach again here ("I would consider it" was my general reply).  But, once all the paperwork required from Immigration became clear to the people making the verbal offers, no formal offer was made.

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I have a PhD in Bull<deleted>ting from Newcastle  University of life,

comes in handy sometimes,

No really,I was not so good in the education field,but still did

very well,retired at 42,have had a good life,and still happy.

regards worgeordie

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The point of a higher level degree (masters or better) is not that you "use" it but that the training and skills acquired will help you no matter what employment or business you engage in. I know a PhD who got her job because the employer knew the work and "stick to it" character required to complete that advanced degree.

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25 minutes ago, alien365 said:

I didn't think master's degrees were that common. The ones who continued to study after my degree course told us they did so because they weren't ready for a proper job and enjoyed student life. I finished my degree and couldn't wait to get a job and earn my own money.

i was told that a first degree teaches the basics of a speciality; a Masters Degree teaches you to master and use the specially and a Doctorate qualifies  you to teach the speciality. You stop at the point that matches your particular career needs and ambition. 

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I hold a Master's degree in computer science that I've never used in the sense that I've never been employed in that profession since graduating, neither in Thailand nor elsewhere.

 

Personally, I don't see this as a waste. I loved studying, both the challenges thrown at us and campus life, and I'm still very much interested in my subject of choice, it just so happened - due to personal circumstances unrelated to my studies - that I didn't need to seek employment after graduating.

 

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Just now, EvetsKram said:

Mine is in health but I'm told I am too old to even teach English to Thais! (I'm 62) I have a few years teaching health subjects & others to adults both in university & through large NGO's

and the is the close minded stupidity that is so annoying. 

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32 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

i was told that a first degree teaches the basics of a speciality; a Masters Degree teaches you to master and use the specially and a Doctorate qualifies  you to teach the speciality. You stop at the point that matches your particular career needs and ambition. 

I wish I had been taught the same way. Moving internationally, away from my small town environment in the UK has highlighted how useful a master's would be and how many people have them. I am considering doing one now. One that I could use; hence, my potentially off topic response to this thread.

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22 minutes ago, EvetsKram said:

Mine is in health but I'm told I am too old to even teach English to Thais! (I'm 62) I have a few years teaching health subjects & others to adults both in university & through large NGO's

I've worked in universities with guys aged 75, 78 and one part-time guy who was 87.

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1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

i was told that a first degree teaches the basics of a speciality; a Masters Degree teaches you to master and use the specially and a Doctorate qualifies  you to teach the speciality.

I was told. Those who can do, those who can't teach! 

 

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20 hours ago, Pilotman said:

I live here, sure, but I am only too well aware that to the Thai immigration, I am a temporary guest, limited each year to just 12 months of certain residency.  That is not much motivation to put in a great deal of effort learning a language that is only spoken by Thais.

You are a guest if you want to be, you can be a permanent resident if you want to be. You can even be a citizen if you want.

I really cant agree that working and living in Thailand isn't a motivation to learn Thai. Learning Thai gives you freedom and opens many doors, such as quality private gigs, translation work etc. If you want to network, of course you need to speak the language, but some prefer to be employees all their life. 

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I have a Masters in General Studies, with concentrations in Public Administration and English Literature. My B.A. degree is in Communication. I fail to see how that would qualify me to do anything, except what I am doing, which is being retired.????????

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16 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

I was told. Those who can do, those who can't teach! 

 

 

I did both. I was doing and lecturing part-time, at the same time for 10 years.

 

The students told me that there was a bid difference between lecturers who were practitioners and those that were pure academics.

 

I found a big difference between the part-time students who had full time jobs and were studying and the full time students to.

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5 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

The result is they all avoid me like the plague! They say my accent is 'too British" and they're not used to that

I know that feeling. .....They all talk to my wife only. Only in cases of "emergency" they would address me....

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On 6/2/2020 at 11:58 AM, Baerboxer said:

I have a Masters of Business Administration degree (MBA) from a UK university, graduating in 1993. I am a Honorary Life Member of one Chartered Professional Body and a Fellow of another. I also hold qualifications in Law and financial accounting.

 

Whilst pursuing a business career I was a part-time visiting lecturer for 10 years at a University business school on two courses; designed a course for B-TEC and also examined for them. 

 

I also mentored a Headteacher at a British secondary school and delivered several presentations to groups of aspiring headteachers as part of Blair's Business in the Community initiative.

 

I have delivered presentations at 2 Thai universities, delivered keynote speeches at a Thai University conference, and the British Council, and moderated panel discussions at several conferences at the UN in Thailand. All this was several years ago.

 

I was asked to help a Thai Master's Degree student with his thesis which had to be written in English. The level of English in his draft was poor and the actual content wouldn't have met the standards required by the UK. But we got him through.

 

All of this work and experience, and the deep knowledge that develops, is now completely wasted. Ageism is rife everywhere. People believe only the young can be dynamic and up to date. 

 

Several of my daughter's classmates' parents encourage their children to speak with me to practice their English. The result is they all avoid me like the plague! They say my accent is 'too British" and they're not used to that ????

How can your accent be "too British"?  I am American and a British accent would seem to be the standard for spoken English, in my view. Who makes these stupid rules?? You are spot-on about the ageism here. At seventy, some form of teaching is probably ALL I could do, but Thai culture considers me a vegetable. ????????????

Edited by blackcab
Fixed Quote
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I have a Bachelors Degree in Computing, a Graduate Diploma in Data Communications, and a MSc (Computing) from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Monash is the 6th top university in Australia and in the top 100 world wide. I am now retired and have no use for any of my qualifications, and even when I was working in data communications and intranet development, I had little use for my Masters Degree. My course leader recommended I do a PhD in computing but I decided not to drop my salary to 30% of what I was getting, and in any case, could not see any use for it in my career path at the time. As far as Thailand is concerned, zero benefit, since I am not working here.

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