MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Online) alumni profile
Carlos describes his experience of the course and how it has helped him to develop professionally.
Carlos Murillo-Miranda
Year of Graduation: 2020
Home Country: Costa Rica
Carlos answers specific questions about the course below, but you can also hear him talk in more detail in his video profile.
Why did you choose to study at the University of Nottingham?
I chose to study at the University of Nottingham (UoN) for several reasons. The first one was that I wanted a quality distance learning masters and UoN is consistently highly ranked in the university league tables. To be even more specific the School of Education in 2017 was ranked in a very high position in the QS World University Rankings.
Added to the prestige, the core modules were extremely relevant for my day-to-day teaching practice.
How has the course helped you in your career?
During the course I had a very high teaching load. I spent ¾ of my time as an English Teacher, I then accepted an opportunity to work part-time as an Academic Consultant for a relevant publisher. After this I was offered a teaching position in Costa Rica's highest ranked university in the Faculty of Education.
Working three jobs while studying the masters was a big challenge. However, the modules are so well-structured and relevant for my teaching practice, that I found time for them because of my high motivation. I was also able to access them in my own time as they were available on demand. In addition, these job opportunities were in part thanks to the fact that I was taking the course at the University of Nottingham.
I am now looking for teaching opportunities abroad and focusing on EAP. The course has also influenced my teaching lot. There was a great focus on analysing theory, reading research articles and contextualising them so that they aid my every-day teaching.
Was there a particular module that you enjoyed the most?
It would be unfair to mention one specific module because all of them helped me expand my knowledge. As well as opening up a world of curiosity in the field of language teaching and even educational leadership.
What do you want to do now you’ve completed your degree? / What are your plans for the future?
In terms of my future plans, I am looking forward to starting a PhD and finding a job abroad. I am from Costa Rica and I would like to put the knowledge I acquired into practise in different contexts.
What was the best part of your course?
The best part of my course were my tutors, the core materials for each module and being able to learn from a wide variety of peers who expressed their opinion from vastly different contexts. Even though my MA was taken online, I felt extremely close to my peers and my tutors. Communication was excellent with my tutors and I was humbled by their approachability and willingness to help when needed or required.
Why do you think students should come to Nottingham to study this course?
I’m sad to have concluded the course because it was a great experience for me as a teacher, learner, and human being. Anyone who decides to do this course can be confident that they will receive quality treatment, education and knowledge from UoN.