Program Overview

The Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages at West Chester University is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare students for a career teaching English to non-native English speakers. Our graduates address the factors and issues which inform second language education and are highly capable instructors for a variety of learners across the education industry including public schools (PK-12). Our graduates become language and literacy educators and community leaders among diverse populations within the U.S. and abroad. Our program is also a great option for pre-certified teachers looking to develop their field-related expertise in the areas of second language teaching, curriculum design, assessment, language program development, and educational leadership and advocacy.

Tracks

MA in TESOL

The Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA in TESOL) is an interdisciplinary graduate program which allows students to take courses across a number of departments including: Languages and Cultures, English, Literacy, Communicative Disorders, and various programs within the College of Education. The Master of Arts program is primarily designed for those preparing to teach English to learners whose first language is not English, and for pre-certified teachers who wish to develop their field-related expertise in the area of second language teaching, curriculum design, assessment, language program development, and educational leadership and advocacy.

Certificate in TESL (ESL Program Specialist Certificate)

WCU's graduate certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) provides an introduction to teaching English to speakers of other languages. Our program provides an academic and practical foundation for connecting with students across languages and cultures. The program is primarily designed for current (pre-certified) teachers seeking training to teach ESL in Pennsylvania Public Schools.

Program Highlights

  • Faculty experts
  • Opportunities for collaborative faculty research
  • Affordable tuition
  • Full- and part-time study options
  • Diverse field experiences (PK-12, ESL Community Outreach, Online EFL, intensive and community ESL Programs, and more)
  • Personalized advising process
  • Graduate student support programs
  • Vibrant cultural experiences on campus (International Festival, Global Hispanic Film Festival, Research Colloquium)
  • Certificate in TESOL Program (face-to-face and online programs)
 

What can I do with this degree?

  • Pursue a doctoral program in applied linguistics, second language studies, or education
  • English language instructor (at domestic universities and at universities and language academies abroad)
  • Program coordinator for ESL programs
  • ESL textbook/materials writer or editor
  • ESL assessment rater
  • PK-12 ESL specialist
  • Curriculum specialist
  • Private tutor
  • Academic advisor
Graduate Assistantships & Financial Aid
The Graduate School
Tuition & Fees

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Faculty members' research interests include:

  • computer-assisted language learning, morphosyntax, distance education (Mahmoud Amer)
  • second language (English) vocabulary acquisition, second language (l2) reading and writing, second language grammar, applied corpus linguistics, content-based instruction, morphosyntax (Jelena Colovic-Markovic)
  • sociolinguistics; discourse analysis; pragmatics; functional grammar; writing instruction; classroom interaction (Innhwa Park)
  • teaching methods, research methods, teaching methods, research methods (qualitative & quantitative), sociolinguistics, corrective feedback, teacher identity, linguistics, second language acquisition (Dominik Wolff)
  • distance education, technology enhanced learning, computer-assisted language learning, immigrant identity (Esther Smidt)