The MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is designed primarily for language graduates, or those with either a teaching qualification or experience. It is ideal if you want to acquire an in-depth knowledge of English and how to teach it, and to explore new developments in language teaching and the use of technology in the classroom.
Key features include the theory, research and practical aspects of language teaching through observation, reflection and practice. The MA in TESOL at Hull is unusual in that we include a practical teaching component, with observed classroom practice an integral part of the course. As such, newcomers to teaching and experienced classroom practitioners alike can explore the role of a language teacher in the modern world.
You will be able to explore innovative language learning and teaching, using a range of technologies in the classroom and online. Our Language Learning Centre hosts a wealth of material on campus, including a library of audio and visual resources and teaching rooms equipped with the latest technology.
You will have the opportunity to combine TESOL with Translation Studies, either with the emphasis on TESOL or Translation Studies, selecting modules from each programme.
You can develop advanced academic English language skills and research techniques in the dissertation module seminar series.
The central themes of the programme engage with theoretical and practical teaching issues. You follow introductory modules in Semester 1. In Semester 2, you have the opportunity to enhance your practical teaching skills and look at innovative approaches to teaching, building on theoretical expertise developed in the first semester. In Semester 3, you undertake a 15,000-word dissertation.
Core modules
Optional modules
Optional modules cover: EFL/ESOL exams and testing; lexical approaches in language learning; new technologies in language learning/teaching; and teaching English for specific purposes.
Assessment
The primary methods are by essays and continuous assessment, followed by a 15,000-word dissertation for the Masters stage of the programme.
MA in TESOL with Translation Studies
If you want to acquire an in-depth knowledge of English and how to teach it, but would like the added employability from understanding translation theories and practice, the MA in TESOL with Translation Studies offers a distinct pathway.
This combined course enables you to study modules in line with your future career. You will major in and study the same core modules as the straight TESOL Masters, but can choose from a variety of translation studies modules as options.
* All modules are subject to availability.
The MA in TESOL enables you to become an independent, advanced professional leader; equipped with the theoretical knowledge and practical classroom experience needed to excel in research, programme leadership and teaching.
Our MA graduates leave Hull with the skills and knowledge employers are looking for. The experience you gain in a real teaching environment is unique to Hull, so you’ll stand out against the competition in the job market.
The School engages in interdisciplinary research activities that often cut across traditional language-centred boundaries. Many of our students choose to progress on to PhD-level study and our TESOL specialists offer supervision in many areas, including the methodology of language teaching, online language learning and second language acquisition.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is offered by specialists in the field of Applied Linguistics.
Swansea University has one of the longest established Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) training and education centres in the UK and is internationally known for excellence in vocabulary research. Currently staff expertise exists in corpus linguistics, computer assisted language learning and stylistics. Internationally recruited staff offer a wide range of relevant experience and contacts across countries and continents as well as different levels of kinds of education. The MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is intended for those who have already begun to develop an informed interest or have some previous training or relevant experience in the field.
El Gazette ranked the Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics at Swansea, top for world class research in English Language.
Students enrolled on the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme will benefit from the College of Arts and Humanities' Graduate Centre. The Graduate Centre fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught Master's study. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.
The MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) has two parts: a taught component and either a dissertation or practical teaching of English language classes.
TESOL students following the practical route will be supported, observed and assessed teaching English. They are also required to produce a portfolio of teaching and testing materials. This route would be indicated on the final MA certificate.
- The MA TESOL is a one-year full time, campus-based programme designed to give (prospective) teachers of English as a foreign/second language a thorough understanding of current theories, trends, and cutting edge applied linguistics research relevant for language teaching.
- The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme also aims to stimulate reflection on students’ own teaching practices.
- TESOL students are assessed through a range of assessments, including essays, data analysis projects, group projects, and in-class
exams.
- TESOL students with some experience in language teaching and/or some formal background in linguistics are likely to benefit most from the programme.
Modules on the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme typically include:
• Vocabulary: Teaching and Learning
• Describing English
• Discourse Analysis for ELT
• Communicative Language Teaching
• Second Language Acquisition
• Young Language Learners
• Research Methods for ELT
• Language Testing and Assessment
- Prospective students interested in teaching English as a foreign or second language.
- Prospective students who have experience of teaching English as a second or foreign language, or who have some previous training or relevant work experience in the field.
- Prospective students who wish to gain academic training in applied linguistics, in preparation for advanced academic degrees (e.g., MPhil, PhD) in applied linguistics or related disciplines.
Graduates from the MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Swansea can expect to pursue careers in ESL and EFL teaching, teacher training, material development, international education, publishing, and in a wide range of international settings requiring in-depth understanding of language learning, teaching, and research.
“Studying abroad has always been one of my dreams. My friends have always told me that the period studying as a student is the most enjoyable time in life. I didn't really believe it till I started my MA course at the Swansea University. The course in Teaching English As a Foreign Language (TEFL, now TESOL) helped me to deepen my knowledge in that field. All of the lecturers I had a chance to meet were really helpful, motivating and friendly. They were professional and possessed a great knowledge of what they teach. The modules offered include theory as well as practice. The facilities provided by the University, such as computer rooms and the library were great as well and well equipped. I really regret that the time I spent in Swansea is now over. It was a great experience for me and gave me a chance to meet and make friends with many people from all over the world.”
Anna Marie Poczta, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), MA
This course is designed to help you develop the skills and experience you need for a successful career in English teaching.
There is a demand throughout the world for graduates with qualifications and expertise in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). Our MA in TESOL is designed for students who are intending to have a career in English teaching. It will also be of interest to those who are already teachers of English and would like to increase their professional expertise by advancing their analytical knowledge of English and up-to-date teaching methods.
On the programme you will gain an in depth understanding of the structure of language at different levels of analysis and the relationship between language and use. You will explore how people learn languages, how English can be taught and gain an excellent understanding of the assessment and testing which those you will be teaching will be preparing for.
You will research, discuss and evaluate a range of perspectives on the language teaching curriculum, and its delivery, with which to make informed decisions with regard to policy and practice. You will also have opportunity to study a range of optional modules and undertake a dissertation in an area that is of particular interest to you and suits your career plans.
As an Applied Linguistics and TESOL student you will become a member of Centre for Research in English Language and Linguistics (CRELL), a thriving forum for researchers with theoretical insight and varying interests such as politics and functionality of language.
In your first semester, you will be introduced to the essential syntactic and morphological patterns of English. You will investigate the place of formal grammar in the description and teaching of language and study a range of theoretical frameworks for the study of syntax and morphology and apply these to learning challenges in future TESOL contexts.
In your second semester, you will explore the theories of learning a second language and look critically at the nature of discourse as the central feature of human interaction. You will also gain a solid foundation in approaches such as conversation analysis and pragmatics; narrative analysis; critical discourse analysis and genre analysis.
You will take the year-long module ‘Research Methods’, where you will be introduced to different methodological approaches employed in sociolinguistic and applied linguistic research and gain an excellent understanding of techniques such as participant-observation, eliciting, recording and storing natural speech data.
A range of optional modules are also currently available, such as ‘Principles and Practice in Language Teaching’, where you will explore the central concerns of the language learning curriculum. In ‘Language Testing’ you will gain an in depth understanding of, and be able to evaluate, the assessments which those learning English will be preparing for. You will also undertake a dissertation, where you will have the opportunity to explore the topic that suits your interests.
Modules
Some of the modules we currently offer include:
There are excellent opportunities around the world for teachers with an MA in TESOL. Related career possibilities include policy adviser, trainer of trainers, and designer of teaching materials. Applied linguistics is a very useful basis for a range of careers in publishing, editing and communication.
Whether you are a qualified teacher or have no previous teaching experience, the MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Ulster is designed to enhance your teaching and communication skills and explore how people from different cultures learn languages.
Ulster’s TESOL programme is the only master's level TESOL course in the UK which offers an overseas teaching placement.
You will have the opportunity to complete a placement in Gyor, Hungary, and teach English to non-native speakers, in either a state primary or secondary school.
Offered on both a full-time and part-time basis, the MA TESOL at Ulster is an exciting programme for individuals who wish to develop their teaching ability and knowledge about language.
You will study both the theory and practice of teaching, from classroom management to syllabus design, and gain the expertise and confidence to teach English in a variety of settings to students from across the globe.
Throughout the programme you will enhance your creativity and learn to adapt your teaching style and approach in order to effectively support a range of learners, with consideration to ethical and cultural differences.
You will also improve your research skills which will enable you to further your knowledge, particularly when completing the dissertation component of the MA, on a topic of your choice.
Employability is embedded within the programme design. A unique feature of the course is the eight-week ERASMUS-funded teaching placement in Hungary. This offers an authentic environment where you will have the opportunity to put your learning into practice.
MA full-time: normally 4 days per week in semester one; 3 days per week (6 weeks) plus 8 weeks teaching practice in sem 2; followed by independent study for the dissertation during semester three (summer semester). This can be done at a distance.
MA part-time: Year 1: normally, 2 days per week in semester one, 4 weeks teaching practice semester 2. Year 2: normally, 2 days per week in semester one, and 4 weeks teaching practice in semester two. This is followed by independent study for the dissertation during semester three (summer semester) and during semester one and two of year 3. This can be done at a distance.
This exciting MA in TESOL includes a fully funded Hungarian teaching practice placement, the University pays for flights and Erasmus funding can cover accommodation and subsistence costs. TESOL student teachers got to teach in Gyor, Hungary for eight weeks (full-time) or four weeks in years 1 and 2 (part-time). They depart in February and return in April. Gyor is a beautiful central European city located midway between Budapest and Vienna. Our students teach in primary or secondary schools and are supported by Hungarian host teachers and staff of the university who stay in Gyor for that purpose. The module gives an authentic opportunity to teach English to non-native speakers of English.
Graduates of this programme have gained work as English language teachers in private language schools, further education colleges, universities and schools in the UK, Ireland and in many countries all over the world. Some have progressed to doctoral study whilst others have got jobs as on-line English language teachers. Students have gone on to work in teaching related areas: for example, the Inclusion and Diversity service and developers of online English language teaching materials; whilst some of the students use their qualification to work for charities abroad in developing countries.
Shelley Wright explains the benefits of the TESOL programme:
‘I'm in my fourth year working as a lecturer at Kanda University of international Studies in Chiba Japan. It's an amazing job which hired me right after I graduated. We get over three months holiday per year and there are lots of opportunities for professional development. There's over 60 English lecturers here so that adds to the sense of community and the students are angels. During the interview process my boss was impressed by the placement in Hungary that you sent us on!'
The MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) with Translation Studies is designed for language graduates, ideally with either a teaching qualification or some teaching experience, who want to acquire an in-depth knowledge of English and how to teach it, but who are also interested in translation theories and practice.
Students have the opportunity to examine the theory, research and practical aspects of language teaching through observation, reflection and practice, as well as examining from a practical and theoretical perspective the nature and process of translation. There is also an opportunity to explore the use of translation technologies or focus on innovation in language learning and teaching.
The MA/Diploma in TESOL with Translation Studies is offered as a one-year full-time programme (course code 882619) and as a two-year part-time programme (course code 882622). The predominant mode of examination on this programme is by coursework and continuous assessment.
Core modules:
Optional Modules:
* All modules are subject to availability.
The MA in TESOL with Translation Studies enables you to become an independent, advanced professional leader; equipped with the theoretical knowledge and practical classroom experience needed to excel in research, programme leadership and teaching.
Our MA graduates leave Hull with the skills and knowledge employers are looking for. The experience you gain in a real teaching environment is unique to Hull, so you’ll stand out against the competition in the job market.
The School engages in interdisciplinary research activities that often cut across traditional language-centred boundaries. Many of our students choose to progress on to PhD-level study and our TESOL specialists offer supervision in many areas, including the methodology of language teaching, online language learning and second language acquisition.
MA TESOL is designed to help experienced teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (including teachers of EFL, ESL, EAL and ESP) to further their expertise and/or begin following a specialise pathway in either intercultural studies, teacher education or educational technology.
It enables experienced TESOL practitioners to further their careers with regard to:
It also aims to help you to:
Applications from both native- and non-native-English-speaking teachers are welcome.
The course is taught by lecturers who themselves have been language teachers (TESOL and other languages) with experience of working in Britain and overseas. Formal lectures are rare and instead classes tend to mix sections of input with group-work, computer and video activities, simulations and problem-based learning.
The course can be characterised in terms of participant's critical reflection - as informed by theory and research as well as by their professional experiences. We encourage both individual and co-operative learning and research and hope to foster an ethos of lifelong learning. As our students are themselves experienced teachers, we appreciate the wealth of knowledge and practical experience that they bring to the course and we encourage the sharing of professional insights including their fellow participants. We provide training in the use of electronic databases, library resources, and computer based statistics packages. Many other key skills will be developed during the course.
The form of the assessment varies from unit to unit but usually consists of a written assignment of 3.500 words for a 15-credit course unit (double for a 30-credit course unit). You are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the relevant theory as applied to your professional practice, and also demonstrate technical, academic, and professional skills . All assignments will be followed by both formative and summative feedback.
You can choose between a Mode A (traditional type) or a Mode B (portfolio type) of dissertation. Mode A dissertations can be empirical (report on a research project); conceptual (discuss or develop a conceptual understanding or framework of relevance to your professional development); or practical (development of a rationale for practical activities related to professional practice). Mode A practical dissertations and Mode B portfolio-type dissertations are very similar but in the latter the materials produced are close to being in a publishable format.
The MA TESOL course consists of compulsory course units covering approaches, methods and techniques in TESOL, language learning and technology and developing researcher competence.
Other course units cover topics such as: psychology of language learning; explorations in language; language education as intercultural practice; and the education of language teachers. You can also select from the MA Digital Technology and Communication in Educational course units if you have a specific interest in educational technology.
MA TESOL Pathways
The pathways are specialisations in a recognised area of TESOL, and result in the following named degrees:
Pathway students must complete a 15 credit core course unit in the named, specialist area; focus on their specialism and relevant research methods in the 30 credit unit EDUC70100/2 Developing Researcher Competence; and complete a 60 credit dissertation with a focus on their specialist area.
Our graduates go on to positions of seniority, undertake new areas of professional activity, such as publishing or materials development, contribute to the professional development of other teachers, and act in advisory capacities to teaching and associated agencies at both national and international level. Some also proceed to doctoral studies in TESOL, either in other contexts or joining our own thriving doctoral community.
The MA TESOL is suitable for all with a bachelor degree who wish to pursue TESOL as a new career or enhance their current prospects in the field of English language teaching, or working in a related profession.
The MA TESOL will develop your critical understanding of recent developments in TESOL theory and practice. It also prepares you to conduct independent research into teaching and learning and provides a pathway to doctoral study. You will meet expert tutors in the field of English language teaching (ELT), a major branch of applied linguistics, who have international reputations in their own area of research, and who are committed to providing the best quality study experience. The course is co-taught with highly experienced colleagues in the Centre for English Language Education, one of the largest English language teaching operations in the world.
Advantages of studying the MA TESOL at the University of Nottingham
The programme will help you:
Core Modules
*Core Modules are compulsory for all taking the 12-month full-time or 24-month part-time courses
Elective Modules
*There are Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma exit points.
Each 20-credit module is assessed by a written assignment of 4,000 words (or equivalent). To complete the Masters programme successfully, a pass of 50 must be achieved on each assignment. For award of the MA, you must also complete a 60-credit dissertation (12,000-15,000 words) on an approved topic.
Graduates may pursue TESOL as a new career or enhance their current prospects in the field of English language teaching. In China, a postgraduate qualification in TESOL is increasingly sought- after by educational institutions. The programme will also equip those interested in pursuing an academic career in the field of English language teaching and applied linguistics by preparing them to conduct research at EdD and PhD level.
Our Careers Development Service will work with you to explore your options, invite you to attend recruitment events where you can meet potential employers, as well as suggesting further development opportunities, such as relevant work experience placements and skills workshops.
The MA TESOL with ICT is one of a limited number of courses in the UK that allow language teachers to explore in depth the role of media in the teaching and learning of languages, combining academic study with the design and development of materials.
The course is designed for professionals who already have experience of second language teaching, either in the UK or abroad. The course encourages you to locate your enquiries in your own professional context, so you can apply your newly acquired skills and knowledge directly.
There is an extensive range of digital media capture and editing equipment in our own dedicated computer pool. Typical areas for investigation include print, audio, audiovisual, interactive multimedia, podcasting, e-learning, social software such as blogs and wikis, interactive whiteboards, and mobile devices.
Our graduates have gone on to successful positions, not only in second language teaching, but also in the development and evaluation of language teaching materials, for example, as project managers, materials authors, self-access managers and teachers trainers in the area of blended learning.
The MA TESOL with ICT provides a supportive, stimulating and culturally diverse environment. Delivered flexibly – the full-time course structure is taken over one year but you can also follow the course part-time up to six years. Studying part-time means that you can take the optional modules in any order, however, you will always undertake Research Methods and Dissertation last.
The MA is based on the idea that theory, practice and research in the field of teaching, learning and media are inextricably linked. All modules relate theories and research to professional problems, including both general issues and the individual professional issues of our students. There are two pathways offered – pathway one is for those with no or little experience in teaching and pathway two is for those who have at least two years of experience. Each of the pathways offered has two core modules and the choice of three optional modules. Whichever pathway you take, you will always undertake Research Methods and the Dissertation.
Research Methods
This prepares you for research into second language teaching and learning and supports your dissertation. It enables you to form a research question or questions relevant to your MA, justify a methodological approach, select research methods and be able to analyse data. You are encouraged to focus on real-life professional problems relevant to your own context, and so develop expertise and specialist knowledge which supports your career development. It is assessed through a data-gathering project and a proposal for the dissertation.
Dissertation
The dissertation is a 15,000 piece of work. It is the culmination of your MA experience and is based on independent research. It is self-managed, but you have a great deal of support from your supervisor. If you are completing the course in one year, you will start your research in May and complete your dissertation over the summer.
The TESOL with ICT MA equips language teachers for roles of responsibility and creativity in managing the use of educational technologies to support language teaching and learning, developing language learning materials, designing courses, and educating language teachers.
Graduates have gone on to successful positions as project managers, materials authors and developers, self-access centre managers and teacher trainers. A high proportion work in universities both in the UK and around the world, for example as a senior lecturer in e-learning and ICT, a senior lecturer in media, and a curriculum and education development manager.
Students have also gone on to work in companies that produce or deliver language learning materials or instruction. They include the co-founder of a successful electronic publishing house, a principal developer in the UK's leading e-learning company, and a manager of educational technologies in British Council schools.
This programme for professionals already involved in, or interested in learning about TESOL teacher education, introduces you to current thinking about what language teachers need to know and how they can be helped to learn it.
You’ll explore how people learn languages and discover the strategies language teachers use to develop the key skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. You’ll build on this foundation through specialist modules, and examine the goals and processes of teacher education and how to support TESOL teachers’ learning.
You’ll also choose from a wide range of optional modules such as the use of technology in language learning, materials development and issues surrounding assessment.
Taught by leading researchers and experienced practitioners in TESOL, you’ll benefit from a wide range of resources and support. You’ll gain valuable skills to support and empower TESOL professionals in their own practice.
Research insight
The Language Education team in the School of Education is one of the largest such teams in the UK.
Our members have experience of teaching, teacher education and consultancy work in TESOL, ELT, EFL, ESOL, EAL, Modern Foreign Languages, and Applied Linguistics in many contexts in the UK and around the world, and are nationally and internationally recognised as researchers.
You’ll deepen your understanding of TESOL in semester one. You’ll focus on how people learn languages, how to describe and explain language to learners and the approaches you can take to teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
You’ll then focus on aspects of teacher education in semester two. You will consider the goals and processes of teacher education, ideas about training, development and mentoring, the role of the teacher as a researcher, and the principles underpinning the design and implementation of training programmes for TESOL teachers.
In addition, you’ll choose from a range of optional modules on topics such as the use of technology in language learning, grammar and vocabulary teaching, and issues surrounding the assessment of language learning.
You’ll use the knowledge and skills you develop to carry out a small-scale piece of research related to your own interests within teacher education. To help you develop the necessary research skills for this module, you’ll also take the module Research Methods for TESOL, but this will not be assessed as part of the course.
If you choose to study part-time, you’ll study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
You’ll generally have around eight to ten hours of classes per week including seminars, tutorials and lectures. However, independent study is an important aspect of this programme, either alone or in a group, as it allows you to develop key research, analysis and communication skills and develop your own ideas.
Most of our modules are assessed through written assignments, from which you’ll often be able to choose from a range of topics. To help you prepare, you’ll be able to submit a draft to your tutor for comment beforehand.
MA TESOL Teacher Education graduates have gone on to take up positions as pre and in-service English language teacher educators within universities or local educational administrations in various parts of the world.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
USF’s School of Education links instruction, research, and service to give students the tools to deal with the challenges and needs of diverse classrooms
