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

Coursework

Our program offers a structured yet flexible curriculum designed to provide students the knowledge and skills necessary to teach English in a range of classroom contexts both internationally and in the US. In our two-year program, students complete 30 credit hours of coursework. Here’s a list of the core coursework:

  • EN 524 English Structure and Usage (3 hours)
  • EN 610 TESOL Theory and Methods (3 hours)
  • EN 612 Topics in Applied Linguistics (3 or 6 hours)
  • EN 613 Second Language Development (3 hours)
  • EN 617 Teaching Academic Writing to Non-native English Speakers (3 hours)
  • EN 620 Introduction to Linguistics (3 hours)

Beyond the core classes listed above, students also enjoy the flexibility to select special topics and electives such as Language Assessment, Language Policy, Classroom Discourse Analysis, and Technologies for Second/Foreign Language Teaching and Learning.

Electives must be approved by the program coordinator. Directed studies are also an option.

Learn more about required courses and our program in the UA Graduate Catalog.

Degree Options

The program offers two paths to the master’s degree:

  • Plan I (Thesis): Students may write a thesis under the guidance of the Applied Linguistics/TESOL faculty. Students writing a thesis will take 6 hours of thesis research (EN 599) during the second year of the program.
  • Plan II (Non-Thesis): Students who choose the non-thesis option will be required to pass a comprehensive examination towards the end of their coursework. The examination is normally given once a year, in late February. The examination will cover all the major areas of study, including second language development, linguistics, and language teaching methodology.

Timelines

These timelines are intended as a guide for you as you plan your study in the program. We acknowledge that sometimes there are circumstances that make it difficult to follow this timeline exactly, but we would like you to use this guide as closely as possible.

Plan I (Thesis)

  • 1st semester: EN 524, EN 613, EN 620
  • 2nd semester: EN 610, EN 617, EN 612 or an elective
  • 3rd semester: 2 courses (thesis hours count as one course); language requirement fulfilled
  • 4th semester: 2 courses (thesis hours count as one course); thesis defense in March

Plan II (Non-Thesis)

  • 1st semester: EN 524, EN 613, EN 620
  • 2nd semester: EN 610, EN 617, EN 612 or an elective
  • 3rd semester: 2 courses; language requirement fulfilled
  • 4th semester: 2 courses; comprehensive exam in February

Funding

Graduate students in our Program receive a full tuition waiver, an annual stipend of approximately $14,500, and health insurance.