Doing a masters before retiring.Would that be crazy?

acequion

Over the past few days I have made the decision that I will retire in four years. The pension will be very small and I had hoped to do more than four more years,but like many of us,I'm utterly sick of it. Not of the teaching which I've always enjoyed, but of what the job has become.

Anyway I will still be too young to completely stop working and will need an occasional top up in income so,as I've always loved languages I've been looking at the possibility of doing a masters in French online,just to give me more options. You can't do a masters online in this country,it would have to be on campus,which for me would necessitate a year out. So there is a university in France ["Horizons",if any one has heard of it?] which offers an online programme.

My question is does anyone know about this sort of thing? Would this degree be recognised in Ireland? I would only want it as an option of part time lecturing,translating or whatever might come up and also for my own pride as I've always intended to do a masters,the time was just never right.

So,if anybody knows anything or has any advice it would be much appreciated.

irishgrover

sorry I can't be of any direct help with the detail of the questions that you asked.... however in principle, with regards to the core of your question, is it crazy to do a masters at any point in life...hell no, if it is something that you think will challenge you and hold your interest, and be of potential benefit down the future then go for it! It might also be a nice segue into the next stage of your career/life and give you the extra confidence to make that transition more easily....

best of luck with whatever you do...

Greenmachine

What ever floats your boat. Vice principal in my school returned to school to either a master or a PHD in Trinity not sure which. Think a masters. She had been teaching for 30+ year and had been a nun before that but it was something she really wanted to pursue. If it will give you a sense of fulfillment it is worth do doing even if it doesn't further your career. Education can be something for yourself. That my take on it.

eeguy

You can do evening masters in some ITs.

Bluebrick.ie usually has the full list, but I think most of the course acceptance deadlines have passed so they're gone from the site.

acequion

eeguy wrote: »

You can do evening masters in some ITs.

Bluebrick.ie usually has the full list, but I think most of the course acceptance deadlines have passed so they're gone from the site.

Had never heard of Bluebrick so thanks a lot for that info. It's the kind of information I'm looking for. Thanks as well to the other posters for the encouraging replies.

My problem is that I live way down the country in a small town,though could make evening lectures in either Cork or Limerick. So if anybody has any more info,much appreciated.

Also, I went right though all the courses on bluebrick and no sign of an MA in French which is what I want. So that's why an online programme with a French university would be very convenient. But what would worry me there is the accreditation in this country. So again any one who knows anything please post. I am started to get a little excited about it now.

katydid

acequion wrote: »

Over the past few days I have made the decision that I will retire in four years. The pension will be very small and I had hoped to do more than four more years,but like many of us,I'm utterly sick of it. Not of the teaching which I've always enjoyed, but of what the job has become.

Anyway I will still be too young to completely stop working and will need an occasional top up in income so,as I've always loved languages I've been looking at the possibility of doing a masters in French online,just to give me more options. You can't do a masters online in this country,it would have to be on campus,which for me would necessitate a year out. So there is a university in France ["Horizons",if any one has heard of it?] which offers an online programme.

My question is does anyone know about this sort of thing? Would this degree be recognised in Ireland? I would only want it as an option of part time lecturing,translating or whatever might come up and also for my own pride as I've always intended to do a masters,the time was just never right.

So,if anybody knows anything or has any advice it would be much appreciated.

I did my masters in French and Comparative Literature at the age of 48, because it was something I had always wanted to do. It isn't of any specific value to me in terms of my job, although it did hone my research skills, which has proved useful. But I was so glad I did it, because it was personally challenging, and it was lovely going back and being a student again, even if it was part time. Mind you, I did it on campus, so I had the student experience, meeting with others, exchanging ideas, spending time in the university library and so on.

If you want to do it, do it. I'm not sure how useful it would be to you when you retire. There are a lot of people out there with PhD's doing part time lecturing, these days a masters mightn't get you that far. And you certainly don't need it for translating; for that, you'd be better off doing a specific translating course. Unless you have one of those, you can't do certified translations. But you can do uncertified translations any time, no need for a masters. But the pay is appalling, and work is hard to get, as most agencies find their translators in countries where they can pay them peanuts. (My husband is a translator, I see it every day)

If you want to do it, do it for yourself. If you get work out of it after you retire, look on it as a bonus!

gaiscioch

The younger me would have said follow your heart. Now, however, I'd ask: what will that master's get you in terms of topping up your income? Could there be a better master's to achieve this end, and leave French as your passion - attend Alliance Française, French meet-ups, etc? If it's the discipline and structure of a master's that you'll find beneficial, then that's a different thing and I can fully relate to the benefit that structure gives.

You need to sit down at a desk, take out a piece of paper and jot down in point form how doing that masters will allow you to top up your income. Actually, I'm doing that for loads of options these days (one of the career guidance people suggested this to me, and it does help get clarity).

Additionally, have you looked at the time of the day the master's will start at in your local university? You may be able to do it. The master's I'm interested in is the day master's, but course lectures start at 4pm or 5pm each day. So, check that. Can any of the Alliance Française courses help you achieve a practical end? (they may be cheaper and still give you the structure).

A master's is very expensive when you're paying for it out of your own pocket - think of how many dysfunctional classes you have to teach to get such take-home pay. Regarding the finances, claim the tax back and of course the Teachers' Refund Scheme if you can argue it will help your teaching. Through both of those sources, I covered about 50% of the final cost of my course a few years ago.

If you were single and unattached I'd say take a month out in our next holiday to get an ACELS-accredited tefl, get a job teaching English (Business English is the best paid) in a French-speaking country and learn French that way. Indeed, you could get a job in an English language stream of a French school, or an English language secondary school in a French-speaking country as a means to earn money while delving deeper into the language.

acequion

@katydid and @gaiscioch,thank you both so much for taking the time to give such detailed advice.Very much appreciated. Every snippet helps and I hadn't thought of checking out Alliance francaise.

You see I already have a very high standard of French,having lived in France for eight years and it's also one of my BA and teaching subjects. So it's not like I need to improve it but I would like a higher qualification in it. As much for my own satisfaction as for anything else. Thanks for telling me about needing a PHD for lecturing. I guess it figures. Nowadays you almost need a masters for second level. But with my high standard of French,and years teaching experience I think a masters would make me somewhat more competitive if an opportunity arose.Surely better off with one than without.

At this stage of my life though there is no way I'd go off studying something that didn't hugely interest me. I'd rather have all my teeth pulled at the same time :eek::D than do one of those masters in education,full as those courses are of the all the modern waffle that's being forced upon us in schools.

So French is top of the list in what I'd find easy and enjoyable. But accreditation,recognition and even getting tax relief in Ireland from studies at a private French college could be a problem.

katydid

acequion wrote: »

@katydid and @gaiscioch,thank you both so much for taking the time to give such detailed advice.Very much appreciated. Every snippet helps and I hadn't thought of checking out Alliance francaise.

You see I already have a very high standard of French,having lived in France for eight years and it's also one of my BA and teaching subjects. So it's not like I need to improve it but I would like a higher qualification in it. As much for my own satisfaction as for anything else. Thanks for telling me about needing a PHD for lecturing. I guess it figures. Nowadays you almost need a masters for second level. But with my high standard of French,and years teaching experience I think a masters would make me somewhat more competitive if an opportunity arose.Surely better off with one than without.

At this stage of my life though there is no way I'd go off studying something that didn't hugely interest me. I'd rather have all my teeth pulled at the same time :eek::D than do one of those masters in education,full as those courses are of the all the modern waffle that's being forced upon us in schools.

So French is top of the list in what I'd find easy and enjoyable. But accreditation,recognition and even getting tax relief in Ireland from studies at a private French college could be a problem.

I'm not saying you need a PhD for lecturing, you can lecture with a masters. What I mean is there are a lot of people out there with PhDs looking for lecturing hours - at the end of the day, it would depend on your specialism.

Always better to have a qualification than not to have it, but I suppose what I'm saying is that if the purpose of doing it is to lecture or to translate, it might not be the right path. With your level of French you don't need any qualification to be a translator, and to be certified the masters probably wouldn't help you unless it was in translation studies.

But on a personal level, I've never looked back from doing my masters. It's given me great confidence - and helped focus my reading and my thoughts. If I won the lotto I'd do my PhD.

Dickie10

is the h dip you did not a masters? what is the PME then?

acequion

Dickie10 wrote: »

is the h dip you did not a masters? what is the PME then?

No idea. The H.Dip is the higher diploma in education. That isn't a masters.

Dickie10

PME replaced the h dip but is it a masters in the sense of other level 9 masters? , why the sudden need in 2013 to have secondary teachers have masters when for decades before they had a higher diploma, surely it dosent make a better teacher at the end of the day?

spurious

Dickie10 wrote: »

PME replaced the h dip but is it a masters in the sense of other level 9 masters? , why the sudden need in 2013 to have secondary teachers have masters when for decades before they had a higher diploma, surely it dosent make a better teacher at the end of the day?

'Money, Money, Money' as the Swedish philosophers said.
You can get a fair few bob more out of the punters if you call it a Masters rather than a Higher Diploma.

Dickie10

ah i knew it! 2 years intead of 1 as well! secondary teaching though is a job that people have a kind of calling or passion for be it throough there subjects or working with young people or both hopefully, its not the type of masters anyone will be taking such as some business or engineering ones to get a higher paid job or security, its just a part of becoming a qualifed teacher so it really seems unfair and may even put off some people who could be brilliant teachers but just wont stretch to pay the colossal fee and wait an extra year, which is a lot to ask of someone who is mid 20s and in college for 3 years already with loans etc

Mardy Bum

Dickie10 wrote: »

PME replaced the h dip but is it a masters in the sense of other level 9 masters? , why the sudden need in 2013 to have secondary teachers have masters when for decades before they had a higher diploma, surely it dosent make a better teacher at the end of the day?

A lot of professions have changed to masters' degrees e.g. architecture and engineers because of the new European framework.

katydid

Dickie10 wrote: »

, its just a part of becoming a qualifed teacher so it really seems unfair and may even put off some people who could be brilliant teachers but just wont stretch to pay the colossal fee and wait an extra year, which is a lot to ask of someone who is mid 20s and in college for 3 years already with loans etc

Well, in fairness, you have to do some kind of post-graduate teaching qualification after your three year (or more likely four year) degree. Two years is tough, because it means a six year college career in total, but you have to have at least a one year course.