Teaching english to speakers of other languages (TESOL) MA

Are you considering a career teaching English as a second or foreign language to adults? The MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is a professional degree that prepares you to teach English to adult speakers of other languages in accredited higher education institutions and in community settings. The MA in TESOL is an essential, required degree for most professional positions in the field of ESL in the U.S. and abroad.

The program offers a unique supervised teaching practicum in an intensive English program. This experience equips graduates to analyze language acquisition and to enter the field as a professional.

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My growth as a teacher, my confidence, my approach to research-based instruction, have all taken massive leaps and bounds forward all thanks to the faculty and structure of this program.

Michael Rich, MA in TESOL 2022

About the program

Curriculum

The curriculum includes 31-34 credits of required coursework. Students must also pass a Language Proficiency Exam, and write and defend a final thesis (Plan A) or a qualifying paper (Plan B).

View the required courses in the graduate catalog under the TESOL subplan.

This program can be completed in two years of full-time study, or four semesters.

Career outlook

Our graduates have gone on to careers as university professors in accredited programs, instructional leaders, curriculum designers, and assessment specialists worldwide.

Some recent graduates of the MA in TESOL are employed in the following positions and institutions:

Faculty Associate, University of Madison-Wisconsin
Educational Technologist, Center for English Language and Orientation Programs at Boston University
Managing Research Scientist, Educational Testing Service
Online Projects Manager, English Language Programs, Georgetown University
English Learner and Migrant Education Specialist, Compliance Monitor, Minnesota Department of Education
Clinical Assessment Developer, Pearson Education
ESL Lecturer, University of North Carolina – Wilmington

Year #1

Fall

Foundations in second languages & cultures
Methods of teaching ESL in higher education
English grammar for ESL teachers

Spring

Advanced grammar for ESL teachers
Practicum in teaching ESL

Year #2

Fall

Analyzing learner language in SLA
Foreign language testing and assessment or
Assessing English learners

Spring

Complete thesis
Elective

See faculty who teach in this area

Martha Bigelow Martha Bigelow

Carmen Starkson Campbell Endowed Chair for Innovation in Teacher Development
she, her, hers
612-624-7087
mbigelow@umn.edu

My research interests span fields of education, applied linguistics, and cultural studies.

Blanca Caldas Chumbes Blanca Caldas Chumbes

Associate Professor
bcaldasc@umn.edu

Blanca Caldas is an assistant professor in Multilingual Education and Elementary Education—College of Education and Human Development at The University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She completed her Ph.D.

Samuel David Samuel David

Assistant Professor
he, him, his
ssdavid@umn.edu

My work as both a teacher and researcher at the University of Minnesota are centrally concerned with improving instruction for minoritized multilingual students across diverse classroom contexts.

Mary Hermes Mary Hermes

Professor
she, they
612-624-3082
mhermes@umn.edu

Mary Hermes' research focuses on language revitalization and how it can connect people to the land and the planet. She explores different ways of knowing and being through feminist and indigenous lenses.

Kendall King Kendall King

Professor of Multilingual Education, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Faculty Development
612-625-3692
kendall@umn.edu

Schools play a crucial role in determining the life trajectories of minoritized language students as well as the status of minoritized languages and the future of linguistic diversity.

Karla Stone Karla Stone

Senior Lecturer
she, her, hers
612-626-0319
ston0032@umn.edu

Dr. Karla Stone is a Senior Lecturer in Multilingual Education at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. In that role, she coordinates the initial license and M.Ed. program for MN K-12 ESL and World Language teacher candidates.

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How to apply

Application deadline and instructions

Priority deadline: December 1

You must have a complete application in by December 1 to be given consideration for funding through the Department, but we will consider applications on a rolling basis through May for the following academic year.

Strong applicants demonstrate:

Evidence of interest in teaching English and second languages
Evidence of experience in the discipline
Strong writing skills and experience in language learning and linguistics
Bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent; 3.00 GPA preferred

Priority deadline: December 1
See detailed admissions, tuition and funding information on the MA and PhD admissions page.

Apply Now

Tuition and funding

We have several funding options to support students full-time through program completion. Support is available in the form of:

Teaching Assistantships. The majority work as student teaching supervisors for MEd initial licensure students. Daytime availability, a teaching license, and teaching experience are required
Research Assistantships
Fellowships. Based on a departmental nomination process. You will be notified by the Director of Graduate Studies if you are being considered for a fellowship. Decisions are made by April 15.
Graduate students are also eligible to apply for fellowships and graduate assistantships through other University departments. Visit the University's employment page or fellowships through the Graduate School's Graduate Fellowship Office.
Find more detailed federal financial aid and graduate tuition information.
Financial support through Teaching Assistantships in MELP, the Writing Center, or the undergraduate TESL program.
Fellowships such as FLAS

Application requirements

What we look for

Admission to our master's of arts and doctoral programs are competitive and we look for candidates whose goals and interests align with the program’s research and scholarship. Program faculty make admissions decisions based on the candidate’s experience and research competencies, along with compatibility of research goals.

Please look at our current faculty members’ research interests.

Our masters and doctoral candidates display

Evidence of strong interest in research and in the development of research competencies
Evidence of substantial experience in the discipline
Strong writing skills
Bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent

Required application documents

Unofficial transcripts.Upload your transcripts into the application system. Please include all transcripts from any institution you have attended, even if you did not earn a degree or certificate. Please do not mail your transcripts. Official transcripts are required only after you are admitted. Tips for uploading your transcript(s).
Resume.
CI Application Form. Upload in the graduate program additional materials section.
Three letters of recommendation. Ask professors, employers, or supervisors to speak to your potential for successfully completing your degree; they will upload their letters directly into the online application.

The GRE is being waived for those applicants applying for Fall 2025.

Required written statements

Personal statement.Upload to the Applicant Statements section of the online application. (Most statements are 1.5-3 pages, single spaced). Please trace how you became interested in research in this discipline, as well as what problems interest you the most and why. Be sure to speak to:
1. Why you want to study in our department
2. What strengths, expertise, and research experience would contribute to your success in our program
3. Your professional goals for pursuing a research-focused degree
Diversity statement.Upload to the Applicant Statements section of the online application. Identify the distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences you would contribute to our community. You may wish to include examples that address your contribution to the diversity of the student body and illustrate your motivation to succeed by setting high standards for accomplishing intellectual and other goals, overcoming obstacles to achievement, and/or helping others to gain access to the resources necessary for success. (please do not exceed one page in length)
Short writing sample.(Optional except for Literacy Education applicants). For example, an excerpt from a term paper or research paper for publication. No longer than five pages in English.
Common Ground Consortium Fellowship. (Optional) The primary purpose of the CGC is to assist graduate programs in the College of Education and Human Development to recruit exceptional students with the distinct experience provided by HBCUs or similarly distinguishing contexts, provide these students with financial assistance support during their graduate studies, and assistance with career development and job placement afterwards. It offers a pipeline to excellence and an opportunity to diversify perspectives in the academy. If you wish to apply, submit a statement that describes how your participation as a CGC scholar would a) enhance your graduate student experience, b) prepare you for your chosen career, and c) benefit the public. Upload to graduate program additional materials section.

Additional admissions information

Application checklist

Before applying online, go through the application checklist to ensure you have all the required materials. We are here to help! If you have questions, please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator.

If you are a returning Graduate School student, follow the Readmission guidelines. If you are a current Graduate School student and need to change your program, follow the Change of Status guidelines.

Transfer credits

MA students must complete at least 60 percent of their coursework (not including thesis credits) within our program. PhD students may transfer no more than 15 credits from an outside institution.

A maximum of 12 graduate course credits taken as non-degree seeking or non-admitted status at the University of Minnesota can be transferred; this is counted separately from the maximum 60 percent or 15 non-UMN credits. For example, a PhD student could transfer a maximum of 27 credits (15 non-UMN and 12 non-degree from UMN).

If you earned a MA at the UMN, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator to discuss transfer procedures. Thesis credits cannot be transferred.

After you are admitted, you will work with your adviser to determine which credits may transfer.

International applicants

International applicants may also need:

An English translation of your transcripts, if the transcript is not in English. Please note: the Graduate School Admissions Office will not accept an evaluation of your international coursework by an outside agency such as ECE or WES; they only accept the original transcripts.
TOEFL/IELTS or MELAB. You may qualify for an exception if you have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States or other country where English is the official language (i.e. U.K, Canada). Score requirements and submission guidelines

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