Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Graduate Certificate

Program Features

ESOL foundation: The certificate program is designed to give you a strong foundation in ESOL teaching. By obtaining the certificate in Teaching ESOL, you will be qualified to teach in adult, community, college prep, or overseas language programs.
Faculty: Our faculty hold doctorates in the fields of applied linguistics, culture and literacy, and second language acquisition. They have vast experience as Fulbright scholars, Peace Corps volunteers, public school teachers and administrators, and consultants on curriculum development for institutions within the United States and overseas.

Curriculum

This certificate program requires a minimum of 15 credits, five courses.

Students in the certificate program will complete at least 50 hours of pre-service internship or field experience in an adult, community, or college program, depending on the student's area of interest.

Sample Courses

ENG 770N - Context and Culture in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
EDS 793 - Language Acquisition
ENG 792 - Introduction to TESOL Methods
EDS 799 - Teaching Reading, Writing, and Vocabulary to Multilingual Learners

Courses successfully completed as part of the Certificate program can be applied to the MAT program.

Careers

The need for fully trained ESL teachers is high. Graduates in our certificate program have gained employment as ESL teachers, specialists, managers and directors in adult and community ESL programs in various language schools and community colleges throughout the region.

Graduates of our program have worked in the following organizations, along with many others:

Berkeley College of Music
Boston Center for Adult Education
Pathways, Inc.
Catholic Charities
North Shore Community College
Middlesex Community College

Salem State offers four unique pathways to prepare you for the next steps in your career teaching English to speakers of other languages.

Other TESOL Program Options

Graduate certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages: for those seeking a strong introduction to ESL teaching but not licensure.
MAT, English to speakers of other languages, licensure track: for those seeking a master’s degree and initial licensure in the field of ESL in grades K-12 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
MAT, English to speakers of other languages, general track: for those seeking a master’s degree and wish to pursue a career teaching ESL in a college, adult, or community program or at a language school in the U.S. or overseas. This track is also appropriate for those who may already have a license to teach ESL but do not yet have a master's degree.
Licensure only, English to speakers of other languages: for those seeking initial licensure in ESL in grades K-12, but not a master’s degree.

If you have any questions about which program would be the best fit for you, please reach out to graduate admissions.

Have Questions?

Ready to learn more about this program? Contact program coordinator Sovicheth Boun.

To find out more about graduate school at Salem State, make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor or register for an upcoming event.

Ready to Apply?

Your future is waiting. Take the next step by learning about program-specific admissions requirements and applying today!

Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Overview