Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA)

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Offered by the Department of World Languages and Cultures , College of Arts and Sciences .

Admission to the Program

Applicants to the master’s program in TESOL are subject to the minimum university requirements for admission to graduate study. Further, a grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in the undergraduate major and two letters of academic reference are required. It is strongly recommended that native speakers of English have some background in at least one other language. Applicants whose native or first language is not English must demonstrate proof of language proficiency by submitting satisfactory results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum TOEFL score for full admissions consideration is 100 on the internet-based test (iBT) or 600 on the paper-based test. Part-time as well as full-time students are welcome in the program.

Degree Requirements

36 credit hours of approved TESOL coursework
Completion of a teaching portfolio compiled during course of study
An oral comprehensive examination taken after completion of all required coursework and the teaching portfolio
Thesis or nonthesis option with grades of B or better in all courses

Course Requirements

Required (21 credit hours)

Language Acquisition (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Teaching (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Thesis or Nonthesis Option (9 credit hours)

Complete one of the following options with grades of B or better:

Thesis Option

Note: The thesis option is not available to students in the MIP program.

TESL-797 Master’s Thesis Research (1-6) (6 credit hours required)
3 credit hours of coursework from Nonthesis Option

Nonthesis Option

Complete 9 credit hours from the following, as approved by the student’s advisor:

ANTH-537 Topics in Language and Culture (3)
TESL-560 TESOL Topics (1-3)
TESL-603 Structure of English (3)
TESL-622 Language Acquisition (3) (if not taken in Language Acquisition)
TESL-623 Second Language Acquisition (3) (if not taken in Language Acquisition)
TESL-624 Reading and Writing in the ESL/EFL Classroom (3)
TESL-626 Foundations and Methods of Bilingual Education (3)
TESL-641 Teaching Grammar (3) (if not taken in Teaching)
TESL-642 Teaching Pronunciation: Theory and Practice (3) (if not taken in Teaching)
TESL-645 Curriculum and Materials Design (3)
TESL-654 Technology for Language Learning and Teaching (3)
TESL-691 Internship (1-6)
TESL-693 AU/Peace Corps Internship (6) (required for students in the MIP program)

Combined Bachelor’s Degree and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA)

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. See Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for more information.

In addition to meeting the minimum university requirements for combined bachelor’s/master’s programs:

Undergraduates with a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA will be considered for the combined program.
Applications must be accompanied by two letters of academic reference and a statement of purpose.
Students should discuss their interest in the program with the TESOL MA director before submitting a formal application.

Note: This program is not designed for K-12 ESOL licensure.