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Hey there. I was just wondering if anyone has taken classes at a College as a non-degree seeking student. It's a goal of mine to work overseas, hopefully at an embassy or consulate. Taking a class per semester at a good school would allow me to eventually learn a language, take an international relations class or two and just kind of beef up my resume with some academic endeavors without putting me into debt or preventing me from working full-time. Thoughts?
PS, the Embassy thing is kind of a long-term goal, something I'm not counting on happening any time in the near future.
Unless you plan on getting a degree and actually getting hired by the Dept. of State, you can pretty much forget about a significant embassy job and a lot of the entry level embassy jobs go to embassy family members.
Plenty of people go to college for personal enrichment.
I've done it, and there are lots of reasons to do so.
But like anything you should work out some cost/benefit framework here. And Joe is correct - unless you plan to be a caterer/security/HVAC repair person or some other type of contractor who just happens to work in an embassy, consulate/embassy jobs require getting hired by State.
The usajobs site is lousy, but you probably want to spend some time looking at what getting hired for those jobs requires, and probably also what it would take to prepare and pass the Foreign Service Officer Test.
The foreign service officer exam should be easy for anyone who regularly reads or watches national and international news. At least, I thought it was easy. The hard part is getting chosen for an interview after they make you write short essays about your past work and volunteer experiences. No degree or experience is required for this position, but it certainly does help. Knowing a foreign language will really help your chances, especially if you know a language that is in great need.
Oh, I'm in hospitality here so I have no delusions of getting hired as anything more than a clerical/security/maintenance/etc person. And again, I'm not banking on it either, it's kind of a far off goal and I'd enjoy taking a class here and there and learning a language anyway.
Oh, I'm in hospitality here so I have no delusions of getting hired as anything more than a clerical/security/maintenance/etc person. And again, I'm not banking on it either, it's kind of a far off goal and I'd enjoy taking a class here and there and learning a language anyway.
Security at an embassy is not a "security guard" job. Embassy security is provided by the marine corps, as well as highly trained and specialized civilians who go through a rigorous hiring and training process.
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That's more of a personal enrichment/fun thing than a way to get a good career. I took several courses in film production at other colleges while in college getting my degree in another field, just because it was interesting and fun. I took a real estate course when getting ready to buy my first house.
Hey there. I was just wondering if anyone has taken classes at a College as a non-degree seeking student. It's a goal of mine to work overseas, hopefully at an embassy or consulate. Taking a class per semester at a good school would allow me to eventually learn a language, take an international relations class or two and just kind of beef up my resume with some academic endeavors without putting me into debt or preventing me from working full-time. Thoughts?
PS, the Embassy thing is kind of a long-term goal, something I'm not counting on happening any time in the near future.
I don't think you will be successful doing this. If you would like to work in the foreign service, I think you'll have to show some real dedication to that goal, which means that you have to have a real plan. Just taking a bunch of classes doesn't say "dedication". While the DOS site says there's no specific degree requirement, you can bet that unless you have "connections" you're going to need at least an associate's degree and probably a bachelor's.
Are you in an area with a community college? Apply there, major in pol sci or in a major that fits the DOS's "career tracks" (like economics or business) and go part-time. That's a fairly low cost starting point. Include courses in international relations, international business, etc and at least 2 semesters of a foreign language. Spanish or Russian or Chinese are probably good choices.
PS. If you have at least a bachelor's degree, there are apparently many opportunities in Asia to teach English there. I know of two people who are currently doing that, one in Okinawa and the other in Taiwan. Neither is an English teacher nor even an English major, but both have bachelor's degrees.
Okay, so I get your dreams of "working overseas" is a far-off goal of yours...no need to add to the "you won't get an embassy job, ever" pile.
It is fairly easy to take college classes as a non-degree seeking student. I am not sure what is meant by "good school", though. Top 20? Ivy League? Flagship state? Not a community college? Some colleges will allow you take most courses, but not all, unless you can demonstrate you meet the minimum pre-recs if needed. And some courses are closed to everyone except for those in the respective major. Also, some colleges will require you to do so through an adult learning, continuing education, or extension program....all of which generally severely limit the available courses. In some cases, however, you can take a "regular" course with permission. To add, some schools will require that you go through their graduate school.
Then of course there are the community colleges, which are open to any and every type of student.
Outside of community colleges, I do not know of any university that would allow you take course after course semester after semester as a non-degree seeker. For example, as with becoming proficient in a foreign language. You might have to enroll into a certificate program for that, take the first few courses at a community college followed by more advanced courses at a university, or, getting Rosetta Stone and learning it yourself. Aside from this, if you live in anything that resembles a city, chances are there are "community classes" available to you. Most of these tend be of the artsy type, but foreign languages are generally offered. You can also find a local community who speaks what-ever language you wish to learn and either hire someone as a tutor, or just hang out in their community and have as many conversations as you can.
You also need to keep in mind that if you go "good school" route, expect to pay full price.
Outside of community colleges, I do not know of any university that would allow you take course after course semester after semester as a non-degree seeker.
...You also need to keep in mind that if you go "good school" route, expect to pay full price.
Generally agree, though many schools allow employees to take classes at a significant discount. So a clerical job that pays $20-25k might be worth it if you can get free tuition at that school. In food service often those jobs are filled through contractors in which case they would not be 'school employees.'
You're correct that universities will generally require you to be a matriculated student to have the run of courses in the catalog. Some schools do allow you to take classes without matriculating (see Community Education Program - University of Oregon as just one example), but you usually get last pick on registering - that often holds at CC's as well. Just because you 'can' take a class doesn't mean it will be open when you get to sign up.
But the school's definition doesn't have to match the student's intent. It's quite common for people to jump the hoops to meet the school's definition of degree-seeking even if the student him/herself has zero intent of actually completing a degree. CCs just set a slightly lower bar. Some people game this to gain eligibility for federal aid, and others to not be penalized in accessing services or registration priority.
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