MA Degree in China

[Flickserve]

Yes, I definitely understand your point.

Consequently, this is the reason why I am looking to immerse myself in a fully Chinese MA for.. a few years.

I understand that I will never be a Chinese, nor their command of their language.

But after 3-4 years of daily practice, I should somehow have a certain mastery of the language. And this is where it becomes valuable... isn't?

Helpful yes. Valuable? Who can say

A lot of vocabulary is picked up on the job. So if you have the basics, picking up the 'industry jargon' related to the field you are working in will come pretty quickly by sheer frequency of occurrence.

[thechamp]

I have some experience related to your issue here.

 

I spent a long time in China doing a string of various jobs ranging from teaching to cooking in a surf hostel...and I have an HSK 5 in Chinese. After that I got a job in financial services in Shenzhen but the company was weird. A 平台 (basically a fund - but they are unregulated and informal in China).

 

I also have friends working jobs in China ranging from advertising executives to lawyers. I have two friends that have worked at the American and British Chambers of Commerce. I also have a friend in the foreign office who worked at the British Embassy in Beijing, but is now posted in the Middle East.

 

Basically, unless your Chinese is awesome and by that I mean really really amazing then it'll be little more than an excellent party trick at work drinks. The two friends who work in advertising and law speak and read Chinese to a standard far far higher than even HSK 6, and graduated from the best Chinese department in the UK many years ago. Also, it's worth noting that it's their skills in advertising strategy and legal advice that are probably more useful to them. They just love Chinese!

 

When I was working in a Chinese business job mostly what I was doing was laboriously translating documents (even with HSK 5 level Chinese this is a huge struggle) and going to client meetings that were basically a 'hey look we have a foreigner who can speak Chinese! Cool right? Now let's get down to business'.

 

It's also worth noting that Chinese hiring is very snobby about academics so just get into the best school you can at home unless you can get a really generous funding arrangement that you can't get at home.

[Angelina]

He has applied already.

I think he should wait and see what happens. Yes, Chinese hiring is very snobby about academic achievements, if he gets into a good program he should go for it.

However, seems like he applied 随便, so I am not sure if any decent place would accept him at this point. My advice is to accept the scholarship for a one year language course. Then think well before choosing an MA program, no matter the country. Plus, once he is in China he can try to visit schools and talk to faculty.

Flickserve is right, don't be resting on your laurels. Good to keep that in mind. Excellent suggestion.

[thechamp]

I agree with the above but you have to be really careful about how transferable you Masters is if you are to try and take it home. Chinese academics and business experience don't translate back home, but Western academics and business experience do translate (I'm not sure that's fair but it's the reality).

 

Also, even Western firms that have operated in the region for decades don't hire foreigners with local qualifications. I used to live with a guy at Swire and am friends with a guy who did the Jardines graduate scheme - both of them have UK degrees. The friend I mentioned in advertising is at a big multinational agency and was hired locally but has a UK degree.

 

Check out the kind of firm you'd like to work at and look at their hiring practices. Many firms operating in China (e.g. Swire) won't even hire non-PRC citizens for their mainland operations (they transfer from HK).

[Angelina]

Yeah, someone from my region (where I grew up) who I met through the British Council invited me to Twitter back when you were free to choose your name (@angelina), he ended up getting a UK degree now. Those kinds of esoteric groups of people prefer their own degrees. Even when they recruit foreign talent, they prefer UK educated. The Chinese have their own circles.

Why do you have to care about entering those elite circles? Granted, there is a lot of elitism in China.

[Angelina]

When I think about it, if you do want to be part of an elite, go where the elite goes.

[thechamp]

It is what it is. It's only the biggest internationals that recruit in China and those internationals prefer Western qualifications (usually even for their Chinese hires).

 

If you want to get into Chinese business it's a whole different story. When I worked for the financial services firm the only recruitment process was a translation exercise I had to complete in the office, and then two interviews.....I could have totally bullshitted them about my qualifications because they never even asked to see my certificates or anything. Also, I would say that working in a Chinese style office is very weird for a foreigner even if you speak the language fluently (for various reasons).

 

Some of these guys are not really all that elite though. The Swire friend is basically a civil engineer who worked with the hotel property arm of Swire. 

 

China is awesome and such a wonderful country and language, but there is a lot to consider before embarking on a 2 year qualification that may not be all that useful. (I'm right now looking at potentially doing a Comp Sci PhD in China or Taiwan - after a year's more work in the UK).

[Angelina]

http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/events/2016/04/xjtlu-open-day-2016

http://www.xjtlu.edu.cn/en/find-a-programme/?lev=masters

[thechamp]

Thanks, but i'm currently in central London so can't attend this!

[Angelina]

ok

[Breaknet]

Yeah, from what you told me on this topic, I have to remain extremely vigilant and aware that studying in China isn't as meaningful as I thought it would.

It seems to be a sort of ''boom or bust'' situation: either you are able to reach full proficiency and graduate from an excellent university or you get a worthless piece of paper and skills that aren't transferable elsewhere.

I will make up my mind and think about it.

Thanks a lot

[thechamp]

Hiya,

 

That's not totally what I mean about boom or bust. Learning Chinese is awesome and a hugely rewarding experience - not dissimilar to learning a musical instrument or advanced maths - you'll learn a lot about yourself and your abilities (awesome thing to discuss in an interview too, btw) BUT I wouldn't dive into it thinking it's a get-rich-scheme. Far from it. It never was and never will be.