GRADUATE CERTIFICATE in TEACHING ENGLISH as a SECOND LANGUAGE (TESL)

TESL Certificate [code ENGLCT02]

The Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) is open to students from any field who desire training in teaching English to speakers of other languages. (The Certificate is independent of a teaching credential, which is required for teaching in public schools, grades K-12.) The TESL Certificate is recognized by private institutions, adult schools and some community college programs for teaching ESL. (Programs may require an MA in addition to the certificate.)

Prerequisites (3 units)

  1. ONE INTRODUCTORY COURSE IN LINGUISTICS
    • LING 170--Introduction to Linguistics (3)

Graduate Certificate in TESL (24 Units)

Take one course in each of the following categories.

  1. LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
    • LING 329--Introduction to Language Acquisition
  2. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL LINGUISTICS
    • LING 420--English Phonology
    • LING 421--English Syntax
  3. CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
    • LING 425--Education across Culture
  4. BASIC ESL METHODOLOGY
    • LING 486--Foundations of Language Minority Instruction: Practice
  5. CURRICULUM PLANNING
    • LING 561--Second Language Curriculum Development
  6. TESTING AND ASSESSMENT
    • LING 562--Second Language Testing and Assessment
  7. SPECIALIZED METHODOLOGY
    • LING 560--TESL Composition
    • LING 575--Literacy and Linguistics
  8. PRACTICUM
    • LING 593--Practicum in TESL

Checklist for TESL Certificate

Linguistics students in the TESL Certificate program need to fill out a checklist for filing Advancement to Candidacy before requesting to graduate.

  1. Login BeachBoard. Click on Department of Linguistics/Graduate, Documents, Forms, TESL Certificate Checklist. Download and save the form as a word document. Fill it out completely. Delete the rows containing courses that you opted NOT to take. Print, sign, and date the form. Take it to the Graduate Advisorfs office or mailbox in PSY 114. Attach a copy of the notification of successful completion of the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) such as WPE.
  2. The Graduate Advisor will verify your information, finalize and sign the form, and pass it on to the Department Administrative Coordinator, who will make a copy for your file and have the original form sent to the Associate Deanfs office.
  3. You will receive a letter from the Associate Deanfs office indicating that your Checklist has been approved. You should then file a gRequest to Graduateh at the Enrollment Services office. This needs to be done prior the semester in which you intend to graduate with your certificate.

Completion Requirements

To successfully complete the TESL Certificate program, students are required to:

  • Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
  • Complete the program within five years from date of initial course work for TESL Certificate students. Courses taken before five years of the date the student program was initiated need to be revalidated.