I recently discovered that there is a Masters of Arts in International Studies - China, which allows students to earn their degree, obtain a TESOL, and teach abroad in China. It seems to be the perfect match for me. My major is currently International Studies and I’ve taken numerous courses in Chinese language, literature, and culture. My only concern is would having my Masters in International Studies grant me the opportunity to teach in the states as well?
My ultimate goal is to teach abroad soon after I graduate for a few years and from there obtain a Masters of Arts in Teaching or a teaching certification and become a teacher in the states.
Wow! That sounds very cool! The world needs more smart and impassioned teachers! What if you start with the end in mind? Could you call or visit the US school you have in mind where you ultimately want to teach and ask their opinion? Perhaps call more than one US school as this is such a new degree to make sure that this is the right path?
And I know you know that you have to keep student debt under control!
There are many programs that will allow you to teach abroad with any degree, and even earn your TESOL certificate with the program. In fact, most of the teaching abroad programs I’ve seen require only a bachelor’s degree in any field and native English proficiency. On the other hand, there are very specific requirements to teach public K-12 school in the states. So if your goal is to teach K-12 in the States eventually, my recommendation would be to either
Go teach abroad right after college through one of those programs, and then come back and get the MAT or M.Ed in the area you want to teach in, or
Get the MA or M.Ed first and then go teach abroad for a few years, and then come back and teach here afterwards.
1 is a better option if you don't want to teach English or ESL in the States. If you wanted to teach, say, history or math - then you can teach abroad for 1-3+ years and then return to do your graduate education, then transition into teaching jobs stateside. That allows you to take advantage of the networking and professional placement your M.Ed or MAT program would assist you with in the last year.
If you do want to teach English or ESL, your teach abroad experience would be more valuable to employers and would actually count for something with them. Moreover, there are some teach abroad programs that promise more immersion or skill-building, but the trade-off is that they require some teaching experience or graduate education in teaching. So for these, you’d get the master’s first, then go abroad and teach and develop those deep skills. Then bring them back here to teach English or ESL.
A master’s in international studies doesn’t qualify you to teach anything in the U.S. You’re going to want to look for an M.Ed in social studies education. (And in fact, an MAT is not the right fit for you either - MAT programs are usually one-year programs designed for people who already have an undergrad major in the teaching field, like English or history. As an IS major you’d probably need more content education than those programs offer, so an M.Ed is the better bet.)