Teaching English As a Foreign Language (TEFL)

Advertisement

The M.A. TEFL Program is designed to help experienced teachers of English as a foreign language develop professionally by increasing their knowledge of foreign language instruction theory and practice.

Students in the program examine the following:

* Linguistics, sociolinguistics, and analysis of the English language;
* Second language acquisition and TEFL research;
* Language teaching methodology, curriculum and materials development, and testing.

M.A. TEFL students discuss and apply instructional models and linguistic theories which relate classroom experiences of EFL students to real-life communicative needs. They also improve their skills in understanding and conducting research in foreign language education.

Degree Requirements:

* Satisfactory completion of at least 30 credit units of course work;
* A thesis approved by a faculty committee.

Criteria for satisfactory completion of courses are described by each instructor at the beginning of each semester. Criteria for successfully completing theses are presented in three research-based courses. To a considerable extent, instruction is individualized and many opportunities are provided during the M.A. program to allow students to improve work which does not meet the criteria. Failure in one course or failure to complete the program in the allotted time, however, will result in no degree being granted. A grade point average of 3.00 is required to graduate.

CURRICULUMCourses

Course Name

* Academic Practices
* Second Language Acquisition
* Linguistics: the Nature of Language
* Language Testing
* EFL Methodology I
* Curriculum Development and Evaluation
* Materials Development
* Research Methods in Lingustics I
* Research Methods in Linguistics II
* Thesis Seminar
* Thesis Writing
* Written Academic Discourse
* Restricted Elective

RESTRICTED ELECTIVES

Course Name

* Learning Development and Cultural Context for Teaching
* Educational Leadership and School Development
* Contemporary Issues in Curriculum Development and Evaluation
* Curriculum in an International Context
* Statistics
* Curriculum Development and Evaluation
* Trends and Issues in Instruction and Assessment
* Qualitative Research Methods
* Current Trends and Issues in Educational Technology
* Current Trends in English Language Teaching
* Literature for Young Learners
* Sociolinguistics
* Seminar in TEFL

Admission:Applicants are required to have a B.A. or B.S. degree in Linguistics, English Language Teaching, English, or American Studies. In addition, they are expected to have two years of teaching experience. Applicants must also successfully pass an entrance examination administered as part of the applicant screening process. The exact date and place of the examination is announced each year by the M.A. TEFL Program. (Also refer to the ``Graduate Admissions'' section in the introduction of this catalog for general graduate admission requirements.) English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 550 TOEFL iBT® test: 82

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Currently about 80% of the graduate students receive financial support. Financial assistance is provided in the form of a tuition waiver or a tuition waiver plus a monthly stipend. The amount of the stipend is adjusted annually to cover changes in the cost of living.

Both admission and financial assistance are based on academic accomplishment and scholarly promise alone, without regard to gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, national origin or physical disabilities.