Michael Paulus completed his undergraduate degree in English at Tabor College. He subsequently began his teaching career in South Korea where he spent 3 years teaching before returning to complete his MA in TESOL from Azusa Pacific University. He then spent time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia working with the foundation program at Al Imam University and for the Saudi Arabian National Guard.
In 2011, Michael moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), initially joining the Institute of Applied Technology - Abu Dhabi. Later, he accepted a position at UAE University, where he served as the coordinator in the University Foundation Program. Before joining the University of Birmingham, Michael contributed his expertise as an English language specialist at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.