Mission Statement:
The mission of the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) department is to prepare students to teach English to speakers of other languages both in the US and abroad. Students will develop their understanding of the process of additional language acquisition as well as the unique needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students.
Students will be able to:
- Demonstrate their understanding of current theoretical trends and issues in the field of TESOL/TEFL, including an understanding of the metalinguistic knowledge of English.
- Demonstrate an ability to create and present effective classroom applications of language theories for teaching ESL/EFL, and design appropriate materials and assessments to meet learner needs.
- Demonstrate an understanding of cultural influence in language learning.
Due to the applied nature of this program, students are required to participate in curricular practical training during the first year of studies based on appropriate courses. In addition, students are expected to take ENGL 5890 - Practicum in English as a Second Language (3) to meet enrollment requirements.
Students who successfully complete the TESL Graduate Certificate can work in the field of ESL in the US and abroad. A maximum of 6 semester hours of approved transfer credit may be applied to the certificate. For acceptance into this program, non-native speakers of English must score above 85 on the internet-based version of the International Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or earn a score of 7.0 or above on the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
