Hoping to get some advice

[Mitchell B]

Hello, people of the forum

 

So I'm a teacher from Manitoba, who's currently teaching Biology in Bangkok, Thailand.  I have my B. Ed. (with a specialization in Biology and Chemistry) and a B. Sc (general science; Bio major, Chemistry minor) from the University of Manitoba. Teaching Biology has re-kindled my interset in the subject and I'm planning to join a Master's program in Biology (something to do with Botany).  

 

My current plan is to come there in the summer of 2014 and do a half semester of under-grad courses as a refresher and for general interest's sake.... possibly a full year of that if it takes a while to get onto the substitute teaching list in a school division in the Burnaby area.

 

Can anyone advise for / against this plan though?  I wouldn't mind starting right into the grad school program, but I feel a little overwhelmed at having to apply to a specific researcher and a specific topic.  I feel like doing a 6-12 months of undergrad courses, possibly working as a TA in the lab or just having the chance to check out the campus and meet some of the professors that could be my research supervisors would be a good way to go about it... 

 

How soon should I be starting to panic about applying for the specific master's program?  Can anyone give some advice for someone that's never lived in B.C... or from someone that's done a similar thing as I'm looking to do?  I heard that the undergrad courses can be a little overwhelming with the huge class sizes and lack of attention from the over-worked professors... Has anyone experienced that and maybe have another more 'cozy' university to do some under-grad courses while I work my way towards the Master's program?

 

Thanks for anyone who read all of this, and hope to meet some folks from the cool community here soon!

[Seeking]

You already have a BSc in the subjects you are teaching from North America. So, repeating Undergrad courses doesn't make sense. This could be the reason for your Undergrad application getting rejected.

 

If you want to get a feel of the program and the professors etc, you can enrol in a couple of Master's level non-degree credit courses or a certificate course if it's available over the summer and see how it goes. These credits will also help you in the application process when you apply to Grad school.

[TomJones]

I agree with Mocha, there is no point in attending Undergraduate courses with your degree. You'd better look for another alternatives.