James from the UK
James finished his MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL in 2019 and presently works as a EAP Lecturer at Northumbria University. Read more about James’ journey
About James's career
Describe your current occupation:
I currently teach EAP on the International Foundation Programme at QA Pathway College, Northumbria University. The programme is designed to help international students develop their English language and academic skills before they begin their chosen undergraduate degree.
As well as teaching, I lead the English for Foundation module, which is aimed at helping students get to the required IELTS banding needed for their chosen degree course. Being a module lead also involves designing materials and coordinating exams for hundreds of students across different cohorts.
There’s not a day goes by when I don’t apply something that I learned on the MA in the classroom.
Studying Linguistics at Newcastle University
What was your work/study experience before joining this course?
Before joining the course, I had around five years of teaching experience in South Korea, Sudan and China. I had also undertaken an undergraduate degree in Sociology and done my Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA).
How was the course for you?
The course was great. It made me think about language learning in a completely different light and really refined my teaching approach.
How has studying Applied Linguistics and TESOL at Newcastle helped you in your career?
Without undertaking the MA, I wouldn’t be in the job that I am now. Having an MA, or equivalent qualification, was one of the requirements of the job. More importantly, there’s not a day goes by when I don’t apply something that I learned on the MA in the classroom.
What advice would you give to a student interested in studying Applied Linguistics and TESOL?
My first piece of advice would be that you should do it. My second would be to treat it like a full-time job. Go into university every morning, regardless of whether you have any lectures, and head straight to the library. I used to spend most of my days in the library doing the reading for that week’s seminars. Then at night and on the weekends, I could spend my time however I wanted. Having read up on the topic beforehand really meant I got the most out of the seminars and the MA as a whole. The more you put in, the more you will get out.
What was the best thing about studying at Newcastle?
The expertise of the staff. They all had a wealth of expertise in different areas which complimented each other. My dissertation supervisor, Chris, was really helpful and made the process so much easier.