Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) - (DL) - MA

"I wanted to develop my teaching career and needed the MA TESOL course to do this. I was working in the Arabian Gulf at the time and realised that my career had become ‘stuck’. I wanted to study at a North East-based university, as my hometown is in the Yorkshire Dales and decided upon Sunderland because I liked the way the course sounded in the prospectus.

The course flexibility was appealing and valuable to me as I was working in the Middle East at the time. The modules appealed to me, professionally. Above all, the support from the tutors was vital, especially as I was working and studying abroad. I had to defer my progress on the course a couple of times due to being between jobs, and the tutors were very supportive about that.

I would definitely recommend the University of Sunderland and this distance learning course to other students. I would advise them to focus on time management – it takes a huge amount of self-discipline to study at weekends when you know your friends and colleagues are heading out for the night! It also took a little while for me to get used to writing academically again. I would say it’s a good idea to start thinking about your dissertation research question as early as possible.

The timing of achieving my MA in 2008 was perfect! At the time I was working as Director of Studies in Doha, Qatar; as soon as I got my MA I applied to the University and got a job as a lecturer. It meant less hours, less stress for more money, long paid holidays and many other perks, so I instantly felt the benefit in practical terms. I’m presently in the process of applying to do a PGCE English course at the University of Sunderland and I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to renew my connection with the University.

Sunderland is so friendly, the tutors are very supportive and I’ve been able to see the benefits of my MA TESOL both professionally and financially.”

"In 2013, just after I completed my TESOL qualification, I wanted to pursue an academic degree so my option was the MA TESOL course. I contacted colleagues and consulted overseas studies companies and the reviews I received about the University of Sunderland were of a high standard. Moreover, the tuition fees were very affordable, and an instalment scheme was offered which helped me with the payment.

The tutors are the best part of the course – they are very supportive, patient and responsive. Truly, for me studying the TESOL MA was a learning journey and I liked the course structure and organisation.

After I achieved my MA TESOL, I was promoted to the Head of Assessment in the English Language Department in the Preparatory Year College in King Saud University, one of the biggest English as a Foreign Language programmes in the world. My promotion came with a pay rise which pushed me to finish my DELTA qualification from Cambridge. Currently, I am a PhD candidate in English Linguistics. Moreover, I hold the position of the deputy executive manager and academic consultant in one of the biggest education firms in KSA.

My time at the University of Sunderland was fan-mega-tastic! I really enjoyed the course and the way the University dealt with distance learners – it’s a hard balance to strike but my tutors made me feel like I was actually near them.”

"I decided to study the MA TESOL course as I felt I needed to continue with my own academic CPD, in order to lead my team effectively. I was working in a university in Bogota, Colombia and I studied online, which allowed me to continue working there while studying. I wanted to study at Sunderland as the course looked interesting, and I wanted to support local initiatives in my hometown, despite living abroad at the time.

The course has opened many doors for me, both in the UK and abroad, professionally and academically, allowing me to work in many different contexts, in teaching and administrative roles, as well as being published and working as an academic consultant. I have recently relocated to the UK and am working in a school for the first time, after having worked for many years at the university level. The MA provided me with a strong base in teaching methodology that has allowed that transition to be a lot easier and more fluid than it might have been otherwise. I believe it provided my employer with the confidence to trust that I would be able to do this, too.

If you’re thinking of studying this course, I would advise that you take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and experience of the supportive teaching staff. If you study online and have the chance to visit the University and meet any of the staff in person: do so!

My time at Sunderland can be summed up as: friendly, accessible, interesting, practical and useful.”