Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA)

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Offered by the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages program , 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, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, 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.

Master’s International Program (MIP) with Peace Corps

A joint program between the Peace Corps and American University enables participants to prepare for Peace Corps English teaching assignments while earning an MA in TESOL. Application is made separately to American University and the Peace Corps. Admission requirements for the MA program are the same as above. The Peace Corps accepts American citizens only and participants must meet all other Peace Corps requirements prior to beginning Peace Corps service. Successful participants will begin their Peace Corp training and service after they have completed the bulk of their academic work. The Peace Corps service experience constitutes the equivalent of a 6-credit hour internship, for which the tuition is waived. Also, TESL-620 may be waived for students in the AU/Peace Corps program, for a total of 33 credit hours for the degree.

Note: This program is not designed for K-12 ESOL licensure. K-12 public school licensure (or certification) in ESOL is available through the MAT track in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). For more information, see the Education, Teaching and Health, School of, programs.

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

Core Courses (27 credit hours)

Required

TESL-600 Principles of Linguistics (3)
TESL-601 English Language Teaching I (3)
TESL-602 English Language Teaching II (3)
TESL-603 Structure of English (3)
TESL-620 English Language Teaching III (3) (waived for students in the MIP program)
TESL-622 Language Acquisition (3)
or
TESL-623 Second Language Acquisition (3)
TESL-631 Language Assessment (3)
TESL-641 Teaching Grammar (3)
or
TESL-642 Teaching Pronunciation: Theory and Practice (3)

One of the following:

ANTH-537 Topics in Language and Culture (3)
ANTH-544 Topics in Public Anthropology (3) : Anthropology of Education
TESL-627 Cultural Issues in the ESL/EFL Classroom (3)
Other approved course dealing with language and sociocultural issues

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) with grade of B or better
3 credit hours of electives listed below with grades of B or better

Nonthesis Option

9 credit hours as approved by the student’s advisor from the following with grades of B or better:

ANTH-537 Topics in Language and Culture (3) (if not taken in core)
ANTH-544 Topics in Public Anthropology (3) : Anthropology of Education (if not taken in core)
EDU-647 Global and Multicultural Education (3)
TESL-560 TESOL Topics (1-3)
TESL-622 Language Acquisition (3) (if not taken in core)
TESL-623 Second Language Acquisition (3) (if not taken in core)
TESL-624 Reading and Writing in the ESL/EFL Classroom (3)
TESL-626 Foundations and Methods of Bilingual Education (3)
TESL-627 Cultural Issues in the ESL/EFL Classroom (3) (if not taken in core)
TESL-631 Language Assessment (3)
TESL-641 Teaching Grammar (3) (if not taken in core)
TESL-642 Teaching Pronunciation: Theory and Practice (3) (if not taken in core)
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 MA in TESOL

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.

This program enables qualified students to earn both a BA or BS in any major and an MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Note: This program is not designed for K-12 ESOL licensure.

Requirements

The standards for admission as defined by the relevant undergraduate teaching unit’s requirements must first be satisfied. Undergraduates should apply for admission to the combined program by the end of the junior year.
- Undergraduates whose overall grade point average is 3.00 or higher 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.
All requirements for a BA or BS in any major at American University.
- Undergraduate students may apply up to 9 credit hours of approved graduate-level coursework to satisfy the requirements for both degrees.
All requirements for the MA in TESOL, including a minimum of 18 credit hours completed in residence in graduate status after the undergraduate degree has been awarded. Students must finish the master’s degree requirements within three years from the date of first enrollment in the master’s program.