M.A. in English TESOL Option
Welcome to the M.A. TESOL home page! We are pleased that you are visiting us here to find out more about our graduate program. If you don’t find the information you are looking for here on this page or on the links to your left, please contact the M.A. TESOL coordinator, Sarah Nielsen, at firstname.lastname@example.org or 510-885-3216.
CSUEB’s M.A. TESOL program provides students with a strong generalist preparation to work with adult English learners while still allowing students to explore particular specialties, such as general linguistics or composition studies. Compared with larger M.A. TESOL programs around the Bay Area, CSUEB’s program has small classes where students receive a lot of individualized attention. When students work on their thesis projects before graduation, they work with professors who are specialists in different areas of TESOL, composition, sociolinguistics, and general linguistics.
CSUEB’s program is organized around a cohort model which helps to create a strong sense of connection between classmates. Because our M.A. TESOL students are diverse in age, academic preparation, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, and teaching experiences, they create a vibrant community of passionate peers who share valuable knowledge and experiences with each other in and out of the classroom. This community of learners creates many opportunities to explore different possibilities in teaching.
Another attractive feature of our M.A. TESOL programs is that students participate in volunteer and sometimes paid teaching internships. Our program has good connections with on-campus and off-campus language programs in the Bay Area. This is particularly helpful for novice student teachers to build their confidence and gain some practical teaching experience.
In terms of the structure of our program, there are 10 required classes (40 units) as well as a thesis (5 units). Most students complete the program in two academic years. The program learning outcomes as well as the required class list and the typical course sequence are provided below. Depending on students’ individual schedules and academic needs, in some cases it is possible to create a more personalized path through the program. While completing the departmental thesis requirement, students work closely with an advisor on a project that is individualized and linked to their interests and professional goals. Students appreciate this individual attention to their areas of interest and find they are supported and engaged throughout the process.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who graduate with an M.A. in English/TESOL Option will be able to
1. Communicate effectively in the profession both orally and in writing;
2. Apply information literacy principles in their work as TESOL professionals;
3. Integrate principles of diversity and inclusiveness in their classrooms;
4. Draw on knowledge of language ability to shape their instructional choices;
5. Use pedagogical content knowledge appropriate for a particular group of language learners;
6. Select life-long learning strategies to stay current in the profession.
Fall Year One
- English 6501 Theory and Practice of Teaching ESL I
- English 6504 Morphology and Lexical Semantics
Winter Year One
- English 6502 Theory and Practice of Teaching ESL II
- English 6750 Theory and Practice of Composition
Spring Year One
- English 6508 Supervised Teaching and Tutoring (Part I)
- English 6506 Sociolinguistics
Fall Year Two
- English 6503 Second Language Acquisition
- English 6509 Computer Assisted Language Learning and Teaching
Winter Year Two
- English 6510 Pedagogical Grammar
- English 6507 Testing and Evaluation for Teaching ESL
Spring Year Two
- English 6909 Departmental Thesis
The M.A. TESOL program at CSUEB shares the philosophy expressed by many educators: Teaching is life-long learning process. In addition to course work, students are encouraged to participate in on- and off-campus teaching workshops and conferences. Our program also models a philosophy of life-long learning by supporting the development of lasting professional relationships among classmates, graduates, and faculty. Due in part to these connections as well as the academic and practical training offered in the program, M.A. TESOL graduates are well-prepared to teach in a variety of settings, are successful in finding meaningful work during and after their studies, and have the tools and connections to continue their professional development and contributions to TESOL over a life time.