Linguistics Department
Programs
Graduate Certificate Program in TESL
The program consists of 20 credits in Applied Language Studies (ALS) and Linguistics (LIN) as set forth below. It is designed for completion in one or two years by individuals who are already teaching and seeking further professional development or by those seeking additional preparation in order to enter the field of English as a Second Language (ESL). Students who complete the program will have a thorough grounding in approaches to the study of human language and the principles of language learning and teaching. Please note that this certificate program is not equivalent to state certification.
Admission
All applicants with baccalaureate degrees from an accredited institution will be considered. Ordinarily, a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 is required for admission to the program (as in the case for admission to the M.A. program in linguistics). After completion of 12 credits, students enrolled in the program will be evaluated to determine whether they should be allowed to complete the program. Previous training should include one introductory course in linguistics, equivalent to LIN 201 (Introduction to Linguistics).
Requirements for the Certificate
To fulfill the certificate requirements, the student must complete an approved program of at least 20 credits with an overall average of 3.0 in all courses must satisfy the eligibility requirements described in Practicum Eligibility to obtain the certificate.
Required Courses:
1. ALS 518
2. LIN 503 or LIN 504
3. ALS 517 or ALS 538
4. 8 additional credits (two courses) from
ALS 517, 519, 535, 538, 574, LIN 505, 503, 504, 507. If
the student has little or no teaching experience, ALS 519 must be one
of the two courses. (Other ALS or LIN courses may be substituted with
the approval of the certificate advisor.)
In general, the courses included in the certificate will be selected by the student in order to enhance competency in his or her specific field of interest and/or application.
Relationship to the Master of Arts in Linguistics
All courses listed under the requirements for the certificate count fully toward the Master of Arts degree in Linguistics with a TESL specialization. It is anticipated that a graduate of the certificate program who has all the prerequisites for the Master of Arts in Linguistics can apply for admission to that program and complete the additional credits needed for that degree in approximately two calendar years as a part-time student or in one calendar year as a full-time student. For students completing the certificate program who have less than a 3.0 grade point average in courses taken in that program, and who wish to apply for admission to the M.A. program, the department will consider their applications on an individual basis.
Eligibility for the Practicum (ALS 419 or 519) requires completion of ALS 418 or 518 with a grade of 3.0 or higher. Non-native speakers of English, in addition, must satisfactorily complete an oral and written examination of English.