Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA TESOL)
The MA TESOL degree prepares its recipients for teaching English to speakers of other languages and other language-related professions. The MA is increasingly the degree expected for teachers both in the United States and abroad, where it is generally a requirement for university-level teaching.
Admission Requirements
- Admission to graduate study at Portland State University.
- Admission to the MA TESOL program. See the department website for application information (www.pdx.edu/applied-linguistics).
- Proficiency in English. If the student is not a native speaker of English and doesn't hold a valid B.A. degree or equivalent from an English-medium university, a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 100, IELTS 7.0, or Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 68 is required for admission. The M.A. TESOL program does not accept the DuoLingo English Test for evidence of proficiency. Alternatively, students can be admitted after completing Portland State’s Intensive English Language Program (IELP) with a GPA of 3.5 and receiving a recommendation for graduate study from the IELP.
Persons interested in applying for the MA TESOL Program should write to the Department of Applied Linguistics at linginfo@pdx.edu or visit the department’s website at www.pdx.edu/applied-linguistics for additional information. Regular information sessions are held for prospective students. Contact the department for details.
Degree Requirements
Students must meet with an adviser regularly, starting in the first term of the program. In addition to the minimum graduate school requirements, students must have an adviser-approved program that meets the criteria below. (For those students who have completed the Certificate in TESL, adviser-approved courses will be used to substitute for some of the following requirements.)
Each student will complete a total of 48-50 credits: 20 credits of required courses, 24 credits of additional coursework from one of the three tracks listed below, and 4-6 credits of culminating experience. The three tracks are: (1) MA TESOL - Standard Track, (2) MA TESOL - Language Assessment Not Required, (3) MA TESOL with focus in Applied Linguistics. Based on their professional goals and previous experience, and in consultation with their adviser, students choose one of the three tracks.
For all tracks, students must complete either a four-credit Culminating Workshop course (Ling 566), in which they prepare their professional portfolio based on work throughout their MA, or a six-credit Thesis (Ling 503). All electives must be adviser approved.
Overview of Course Requirements for MA TESOL Tracks
| |
Track 1: TESOL - Standard Track |
Track 2: TESOL - Language Assessment Not Required |
Track 3: TESOL - Applied Linguistics |
| Foundations of Language Structure and Use |
12 credits |
12 credits |
16 credits |
| Language Education |
20 credits |
16 credits |
8 credits |
| Electives |
8 credits |
12 credits |
16 credits |
| Research and Culminating Experience |
8 credits or 10 credits if thesis option |
8 credits or 10 credits if thesis option |
8 credits or 10 credits if thesis option |
| Total credits for all tracks: 48 credits or 50 credits with thesis option |
Track 1: TESOL - Standard Track
Foundations of Language Structure and Use: Required Courses
Language Education: Required Courses
Elective Courses
| | 1 Language Use Elective | 4 |
| | 1 Language Education Elective | 4 |
Research and Culminating Experience
| Ling 565 | Research in Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics | 4 |
| | | |
| Ling 566 | Culminating Workshop for TESOL and Applied Linguistics | 4 |
| | or | |
| Ling 503 | Thesis | 6 |
Track 2: TESOL - Language Assessment Not Required
Foundations of Language Structure and Use: Required Courses
Language Education: Required Courses
Elective Courses
| | 1 Language Use Elective | 4 |
| | 1 Language Education Elective | 4 |
| | Any graduate-level Ling course | 4 |
Research and Culminating Experience
| Ling 565 | Research in Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics | 4 |
| | | |
| Ling 566 | Culminating Workshop for TESOL and Applied Linguistics | 4 |
| | or | |
| Ling 503 | Thesis | 6 |
Track 3: Applied Linguistics
Foundations of Language Structure and Use: Required Courses
Language Education: Required Courses
| Ling 538 | Second Language Acquisition | 4 |
| | | |
| | 1 Language Education Elective | 4 |
| | or | |
| WLL 598 | Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages | 4 |
Elective Courses
| | 4 graduate-level Ling courses | 16 |
Research and Culminating Experience
| Ling 565 | Research in Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics | 4 |
| | | |
| Ling 566 | Culminating Workshop for TESOL and Applied Linguistics | 4 |
| | or | |
| Ling 503 | Thesis | 6 |
Language Use and Language Education Courses
Language Use Courses
Ling 510 can be used only with adviser approval.
Language Education Courses
Ling 510 can be used only with adviser approval.
The thesis will conform to departmental and university guidelines for details such as thesis proposal meetings, defenses, and formatting.
All courses need to be passed with a grade of “B” or better in order for them to count toward this degree. Ling 507 (Seminar) and Ling 510 (Selected Topics) will count for credit in a particular curriculum component area, depending on course content, with prior approval by the student’s adviser.
Additionally, the department and the university require at least two years’ study of a language in addition to the student’s native language or an equivalent level of proficiency in a non-native language. For non-native speakers of English, proficiency in English as described above fulfills this requirement. For native speakers of English, two years of college-level study of an additional language as documented by a transcript fulfills this requirement. Students who have not already had two years or the equivalent of an additional language at the college level can complete the graduation requirement while working on the M.A., but doing so will likely lengthen the time for completing the degree.