MANILA, Philippines — The COVID-19 pandemic has sent the global economy into a downward spiral, making the job market increasingly competitive. To stay on top of the curve, you must continuously expand your skill set and broaden your experience.
For Eulalia Curaming, who knew she wanted to pursue a master’s degree even before graduating from her bachelor’s program in a teacher-training institution in the Philippines, it was instinctive.
“Early on, I gathered that the more I learn, the more I sense how little I know,” she said.
Having moved from one country to another as a result of her husband’s work, she also realized the limitations of her local educational qualifications in terms of global competitiveness. Hence, she decided to pursue the Master of Arts in Applied Linguistic program at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NIE NTU, Singapore).
“NIE was my top choice because I envisioned it to be part of a reputable institution that has a long tradition of excellence and academic competence. NIE offers the Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics program, which was perfectly in sync with my intention to better understand language-related inquiries,” she shared.
One of her most memorable experiences in NIE was having thought-provoking sessions with top-notch scholars, such as Dr. Phillip Towndrow and Dr. Christine Goh, who pushed the boundaries of her intellectual capabilities.
“Our lively discussions and scholarly debates were a seabed of critical explorations,” she added.
In addition to the faculty members, Curaming found NIE to have a warm and inspiring learning environment, which made her feel at home.
“Everyone I met at NIE was open-minded, with an admirable level of respect towards people of diverse backgrounds,” she said.
“NIE promotes an atmosphere of excellence,” she added. Although the expectations were high, and everyone would come to class fully prepared for critical and analytical discourse, there was a support system in place, especially with professors who were dedicated and passionate about their field.
Upon taking the master’s program, Curaming also realized how vast and wide her opportunities have become.
Upon securing the role of a Learning Assistant in the International School Brunei (ISB) after graduation, she has risen through the ranks to become an English as Additional Language (EAL) specialist teacher and staff trainer.
“NIE has instilled in me the importance of being theoretically grounded, pedagogically competent, open-minded and research-oriented. Through the many rigorous coursework, I learned the intricacies of language acquisition, language teaching, assessments, and multimodal literacies that serve as my foundation in my field of work as an EAL specialist teacher at ISB,” she said.
An internationally recognized graduate degree from NIE not only stands as evidence that your skills and abilities have been tested in a rigorous program, but it also opens new doors for your career progression globally, as it did for Curaming.
“Enrolling at NIE has taught me how to think out of the box. It opened up great opportunities and widened my worldview,” she shared.
Designed primarily for English language teaching professionals, the Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics program provides a broad-based course of study in the field of applied linguistics, encompassing elements of language education and language studies, while balancing theoretical knowledge with practical application.
The National Institute of Education, Singapore is an autonomous institute under the Nanyang Technological University.
It has been consistently ranked amongst the top 20 education institutions in the world and top three in Asia by Quacquarelli Symonds ranking.
For more information on the range of graduate programs offered by NIE, please visit www.nie.edu.sg/ge.