School of Education
M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
The M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) prepares students to teach in classrooms with Multilingual Learners and to teach English as a second or foreign language in schools, colleges, and language institutes in the U.S. and abroad. The degree is offered full- and part-time, and all students will complete a teaching practicum. Students can choose to follow a track leading to a Delaware teaching license and certification as a Teacher of English Learners or Bilingual Teacher.
Current Delaware teachers can earn an additional certification as a Teacher of English Learners or a Bilingual Teacher through the ACE initiative. In addition, it is possible to apply the 5 ACE courses towards the MA in TESL (subject to admission requirements).
Current UD English majors can complete the M.A. in one year through the 4+1 program in TESL.
The M.A. in TESL program is 33 credits and students can pursue teacher certification during the program.
Education Core Courses (9 credits)
- EDUC 623: Applied Human Development in the Schools
- EDUC 740: Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners
- EDUC 741: Diversity in ESL Classrooms
Linguistics and TESL Courses (18 credits)
- LING 676 or LING 699: Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism or Issues in Teaching English Language Learners
- LING 677: The Structure of English
- LLCU 622: Language Syllabus Design
- LLCU 624: Second Language Testing
- EDUC 672: Teaching English as a Second Language
- EDUC 647: Advanced Methods in Teaching ESL
Teaching Practicum (6 credits)
Students who are seeking teacher certification complete EDUC 750: Graduate Teaching Internship (student teaching). All other students complete 6 credits of EDUC 742 (Practicum in Teaching English as a Second Language).
Portfolio Requirement for Candidacy
The School of Education requires all of its graduate programs, including the MA TESL program, to have performance-based means for measuring student learning. Thus, in addition to exams students may have taken, the program relies on papers, projects, and teaching demonstrations to verify the mastery of the content, communication skills, teaching skills, critical thinking, and lesson planning.
All applicants should complete the UD online graduate application. Additional information can be found at our How to Apply page.
Fall admission: The priority deadline Fall semester admission is April 1. The final application deadline for Fall semester is July 15. However, UD English majors who are applying for the 4+1 program should apply by November 1 of their junior year.
Spring admission: Only part-time students may be considered for Spring semester admission. The deadline for Spring semester admission is November 15.
A successful applicant profile includes a strong academic record with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in any undergraduate major and a compelling personal statement. A prior experience in teaching is preferred but not required. Some items specific to the M.A. in TESL program include:
- the TOEFL or IELTS for applicants whose primary language is not English. The minimum acceptable score for the paper-based TOEFL is 600; the minimum acceptable score for the Internet-based TOEFL is 100. The minimum acceptable score for the IELTS is 7.0.
- Optional GRE scores. Candidates are welcome to submit GRE scores in support of their application but GRE scores are no longer required.
- A resume is required. All graduate programs require the submission of a resume.
- The M.A. in TESL program does require a specific question be answered for the personal statement or essay section of the application. The question of M.A. in TESL candidates to be answered is:
You should present a carefully planned and written statement of one to two pages in length describing what led you to pursue a degree in TESL, any past work in TESL or TEFL, your expectations of the University of Delaware M.A. in TESL program, and how you intend to use the degree to fulfill your professional career or further educational aspirations. Please include additional information you feel important for the graduate committee to know about you. If you are currently registered in a graduate program at this or another university, please explain why you wish to leave. The personal statement must be submitted electronically as part of the admissions application.
Cohort Scheduling
Because the University of Delaware’s M.A. in TESL degree is designed as a cohort program that fosters cooperation and collegiality among candidates, the admissions committee generally admits students only for the Fall semester. Requests for Spring admission will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with requests being directed in writing to Dr. Nigel Caplan (nacaplan@udel.edu).
Tuition
For information about graduate tuition, visit CEHD’s graduate tuition page.
Deans’ Scholarships for MA in Teaching English as a Second Language students
Applicants to the M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language program are eligible to be considered for Deans’ TESL Scholarships which reduce the tuition to the same rate charged for the other master’s programs in CEHD, which is $844 per credit (2024-25 rate). Provided by the Deans of the College of Education and Human Development and the College of Arts and Sciences, the scholarship is renewable for both years in the program if the student remains in good standing. No separate application is required for this scholarship. All applicants will be considered with their application for admission.
For more information, please contact CEHD Assistant Dean of Student Services, Christina Johnston.
Students may view sample schedules for the certification and non-certification tracks below.
Students may also download an overall timeline for completing the MA in TESL program.
Students may download the TESOL/NCATE Standards for the Recognition of Initial TESOL Programs in P-12 ESL Teacher Education.
Program Faculty
The faculty and staff affiliated with the TESL program are:
M.A. in TESL Alum Named Delaware Teacher of the Year
Kimberly Stock credits her time at UD for helping to shape her practice as an English Learner teacher: “As a professional educator who had already earned one masters degree, I really believe that the classes that I took from the University of Delaware were just as challenging, if not more, than those I had taken elsewhere. It was extremely rigorous work and honestly the professors that I took classes from had real world experience teaching English Learners.”
