Testimonials

Every time an employer comments on how amazing my resume is, I can not help thinking: "Didn't you see where I went to school?"

Eve Smith (USA), MA, 2004

Teacher Training options

If you would like to teach college-level or adult-level ESL or EFL...

 

Master of Arts: Applied Linguistics

If your goal is to work with older learners, i.e., postsecondary and adult students, the MA Degree in Applied Linguistics/ESL can be your route to college-level teaching positions outside the U.S. as well as jobs in university intensive English programs, community colleges, private language institutes, and refugee and immigrant service organizations within the U.S. The AL/ESL MA Program consists of seven core courses, in areas such as general linguistics, second language acquisition, and intercultural communication, and five elective courses, e.g., material design and publication, second language evaluation and assessment, second language reading and writing, and sociolinguistics. During their program, students have funded opportunities to study or teach in Canada, Mexico, Turkey, Korea, and China. Students can receive an MA degree and also spend two years in the Peace Corps. In addition, some students can teach in the Intensive English Program (IEP) at GSU.



Contact:
Dr. Diane Belcher,
Director of Graduate Studies

404-413-5194

If you would like to join the Peace Corps and earn Master’s degree credits for the program listed above...

Peace Corps Option - Master's International

Apply to both the Peace Corps and the MA TESOL program. Earn MA credits while in the Peace Corps and complete your MA when you return to the U.S.


Contact:
Dr. Diane Belcher,
Director of Graduate Studies

404-413-5194

If you already hold an MA in Applied Linguistics and would like to pursue a PhD in order to teach graduate courses and conduct research...

PhD: Applied Linguistics

For those whose sights are set on involvement in teacher-training and research, the AL/ESL Department offers a doctoral program that includes ample preparation for both goals. AL/ESL PhD students take courses in three content areas: research methods; language, cognition, and communication; and language teaching and teacher development. In addition to course work, PhD students write a qualifying (research) paper early in their program, take a comprehensive examination after completing course work, and finally, launch a significant, original research project that results in a dissertation. While in the doctoral program, AL/ESL PhD students frequently collaborate with graduate faculty, presenting together at conferences and publishing articles together in journals.


Contact:
Dr. Diane Belcher,
Director of Graduate Studies

404-413-5194

If you would like to go abroad to teach English but are not sure you want to commit to a graduate-level MA program...

TEFL Certificate Program

The Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) provides students with appropriate skills and a credential that will enable them to teach EFL abroad. The TEFL Certificate is awarded to students who successfully complete a series of five undergraduate courses offered by the Department of Applied Linguistics & ESL. The TEFL certificate is intended for GSU-admitted students who take the required courses as part of their undergraduate coursework or as post-baccalaureate students.


Contact:
Dr. Sara Weigle,
Director of Undergraduate Studies

404-413-5192

If you do not hold a teaching certification but would like to teach public school ESOL and earn a Master’s degree...

Master of Education: Reading, Language, and Literacy Education Alternative Preparation Program (TEEMS RLL-ESOL)

The alternative Master’s program in Reading, Language, and Literacy Education leads to an ESOL certification and a reading endorsement. With this degree, a person can become initially certified as a P-12 ESOL teacher and also become eligible to teach reading P-12. This program is for individuals with a Bachelor’s degree who are not already certified teachers. The program is designed to begin in the summer and be completed in four semesters. Internship experiences and field-based coursework at school sites ensure candidates have experiences in P-K, 1-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12 by the end of their program.


Contact:
Dr. Joyce Many
Department of Middle-Secondary Education & Instructional Technology
404-413-8061

If you already hold a teaching certification and want to continue your education so that you can teach public school ESOL...

English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Endorsement
M.Ed. in Reading, Language and Literacy Education – ESOL


Teachers who wish to add the field of ESOL to an existing certificate have two options at GSU. The ESOL non-degree endorsement program consists of four courses, including a culture course, an applied linguistics/second language acquisition course, and a combined methods/practicum experience. This coursework can also be pursued as part of the Master’s degree in Reading, Language, and Literacy Education with a focus on ESOL. Both of these programs are based on the standards for bilingual/ESOL teachers established by TESOL.


Contact:
Dr. Gertrude Tinker Sachs
Department of Middle-Secondary Education & Instructional Technology
404-413-8384

If you are already certified or endorsed as a P-12 ESOL teacher and you are interested in advanced graduate work beyond the M.Ed. level...

Ed.S in Teaching and Learning – ESOL Concentration
(Coming Fall 2006)
Ph.D in Teaching and Learning – Language and Literacy Education

Experienced P-12 ESOL teachers can pursue advanced graduate work in the Educational Specialist in Teaching and Learning with a focus on ESOL or in the Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis on Language and Literacy Education. The Educational Specialist degree prepares instructional specialists to be ESOL leaders in their schools. The Ph.D. is a research degree for individuals interested in contributing to the knowledge base in the fields of language and literacy education and being prepared to work in teacher education.  Both programs draw on coursework related to theoretical models and research in the areas of reading, language, and writing with an emphasis on literacy for a diverse society. Students can take coursework for these degrees in language and literacy education through the College of Education as well as in the Department of Applied Linguistics & ESL in the College of Arts and Sciences.


Contact:
Dr. Joyce Many
Department of Middle-Secondary Education & Instructional Technology
404-413-8061