ELIC Blog

4 Ways Your Non-English Degree Equips You to Teach English Overseas

Written by weareelic | Jun 27, 2024 6:24:56 PM

You don’t have to have an English degree to teach English overseas. Quality teaching is an important priority, but the degree you already have—in science or math or philosophy or art—has done a lot to prepare you.

1. You’ve learned how to learn.

You can’t get any college degree without learning at least one thing: how to study new skills and information. With that lesson under your belt, you’re well prepared for the graduate-level TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate you will receive as a part of our training/orientation process. On top of that, your experience will help you equip your students with good study tactics to help them succeed. 

2. You still had to write papers.

Whatever you studied, you did it in English. You use high-level English every day. Not only are you fluent, but your raw, native-level English skills have been refined in the fires of academic writing standards. The tools are already there, and we’ll help you learn how to explain the mechanics to your students. 

3. There are English teaching jobs in other fields.

English classes at universities aren’t limited to general English skills. Many universities are hiring for positions in other departments. Is your bachelor’s in business? Teach English for Business in Mongolia. What about Engineering? You’d be perfect for a job at a technology institute in China. Spanish major? Join a Foreign Languages department in Turkey. There are teaching positions available for all kinds of academic backgrounds! You’ll find the one that puts your skills to good use. 

4. It’s not just about English.

We teach English because it makes a real difference in students’ lives. It helps university students study abroad and get jobs that give them influence to build a better world. It gives refugee families a chance to better the lives of their children. It equips local English teachers with the tools to bring these opportunities to their students in remote areas where we can’t teach. It’s so much bigger than English…it’s about people.

So now that you know your degree is actually perfect for teaching English overseas, you can start exploring the possibilities. Click here to find out about the beautiful places where we teach.