Can I teach without a bachelors degree, but with a masters degree?

[brookstar]

I am interested in teaching English in China next year and hope somebody can answer this question.

I have university experience, but I do not have a bachelors degree. I am currently working in adult education and am completing a work based masters programme in the field of adult education. At the end of the program I will have a masters degree (MSc) in Lifelong Learning and Development as well as three years experience working in adult education at a university in Scotland. I will have completed enough credits to have a post-graduate diploma in Lifelong Learning and Development by next month, but may not have the MSc completed until next October. I am also working towards a TEFL qualification and should have that well in advance of teaching.

I am a native English speaker of Chinese descent. (I immigrated to America with my parents as a baby and now I live in the UK.) Additionally, I speak fluent Mandarin as well, but do not read or write Chinese.

I realise that most English teaching jobs require a bachelors degree, but would a masters degree supercede that requirement? I know that many organisations and employers ask for a bachelors degree, but with a relevant post graduate diploma as well as a masters degree, will I be able to apply for those posts? Would a copy of my masters degree diploma be sufficient to satisfy the educational requirement?

Many thanks for your help in advance. I look forward to your help.

[liuzhou]

From memory, the relevant regulations stipulate at least a bachelor's degree (I'm not at home, where I have the regulations, until tomorrow evening. If I'm wrong, I'll update.)

Certainly, I remember that when applying to the Foreign Experts' Bureau for the residence permit, the regulations state that you should send a copy of your highest qualification.

So, yes a Master's should be fine.

[kdavid]

Liuzhou is correct. I deal with visa issues daily for teachers who come through my school and we're always asked to provide the highest qualification only. Every time we've submitted a Masters, we've never been asked to also provide the Bachelors.

Many schools are skeptical when it comes to hiring ethnic Chinese, especially those who were born in China. A word of advice when you do start to apply: mention in your cover letter that you've spent life in the West and received all of your schooling in America/UK. I would not mention that you speak Mandarin unless asked.

Good luck!