Home Programs TESOL TESOL Certificate

Purposes of our graduate programs in TESOL
BYU’s TESOL Graduate Certificate and TESOL MA programs provide professional-level preparation for careers in teaching English to speakers of other languages in any of the following areas:

• Intensive English programs at universities
• ESL/EFL courses for private companies
• Community college and university level ESL courses
• Adult education ESL programs for immigrants and refugees
• English as a foreign language (in non-English speaking countries)
• Supervision/Administration of ESL/EFL programs
• ESL/EFL teacher preparation

Other TESOL teacher preparation options
Our graduate programs do not focus on K-12 teacher preparation. That is the purpose of our undergraduate TESOL K-12 minor program. Graduate students who desire Utah state ESL endorsement (or graduate-level training focusing on K-12) may wish to investigate the University of Utah's new program. Information is available on the web at www.acs.utah.edu/gencatalog/deptdesc/ling.html.

Information on BYU's TESOL faculty can be found by visiting our faculty page. Information regarding TESOL courses (descriptions and prerequisites) can be found by clicking on the "Courses" link above. Information about a specific course (description and prerequisites) may be found by clicking on the course number below.

Admission to the TESOL Graduate Certificate Program

• Deadline for all applications is January 15th. This includes both U.S. and International Students.
• The numbers of students admitted to the TESOL Graduate Certificate Program depends on its capacity (approximately 25 students) and the number of students who exit the program.
• Admissions decisions are based upon:
  • Undergraduate GPA
  • Letter of Intent (experience, commitment, plans, etc.)
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Entrance Examinations for non-native speakers of English: A TOEFL score of 237 (computer), 580 (paper), or 90 (internet based – iBT with minimum scores of 23 in Speaking and 22 in Listening, Reading, and Writing) or higher is required. Any deficiencies in English skills must be remedied to the satisfaction of the department before moving into the TESOL program.
• Students must begin coursework in either summer term or fall semester.
• Apply on-line at http://www.byu.edu/gradstudies.

Prerequisites

• Ling 330 Introduction to Linguistics (Modern) (3 cr.) or equivalent, should be completed before or during the first semester of course work.
• For non-native English speakers:
  • ESL 404 Advanced composition (should be completed before or during first semester of course work). (3 cr.)
  • Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). Students must obtain an "Advanced-High" rating.
  • ESL 301 Advanced Academic English (offered fall) or ESL 302 – Advanced English Pronunciation (offered winter). To be taken if indicated by OPI results*.
• Computer literacy – skills equivalent to CHum 200.

Requirements

• 16 coursework hours.
• Language-learning experience (at least 200-level proficiency in a foreign language).

Core Courses (all required; total of 13 credits) Note: To see a course description, click on the course number.

• Ling 500 Introduction to Research in TESOL (3 cr.) offered fall. To be taken during student's first semester in the program.
• Ling 540 Language Acquisition (3 cr.) offered fall/winter. To be taken during a student's first semester in the program.
• Ling 577 TESOL Methods and Materials (4 cr.) offered summer/fall. To be taken during a student's first semester in the program.
• Ling 579 TESOL Student Teaching (3 cr.) offered fall/winter. To be taken during a student's second semester in the program, after successfully completing Ling 577.

Elective (one of the following; total of 3 credits)

• Ling 555 Teaching Culture (3 cr.) offered spring.
• Ling 625 Pronunciation Theory and Pedagogy (3 cr.) offered winter.
• Ling 631 Grammar Usage (3 cr.) offered fall.
• Ling 660 Language Testing (3 cr.) offered fall.
• Ling 672 TESOL Reading-Writing (3 cr.) offered winter.

* ESL 301 Advanced Academic English for International Students offered fall and/or ESL 302 Advanced English Pronunciation for International Students offered winter. (This class is required only for those non-native speakers of English who score below the "advanced-high" level on an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview. This OPI, available on campus at a nominal fee, will be required of non-native speakers of English during their first two months in the Certificate program and administered by a qualified examiner external to the Linguistics Department. More information is available in the Department Office.

Advisors for the TESOL Graduate Programs

The following Linguistics and English Language faculty members serve as academic advisors for TESOL graduate certificate and MA students. Consult the chart below to determine which faculty member is your advisor.

First Letter of Student's Last Name	Advisor's Name	Office Number	Phone Number	E-Mail Address
A - C	Neil Anderson	4050 JFSB	422-5353	neil_anderson(at sign)byu.edu
D - G	Dee Gardner	4061 JFSB	422-1219	dee_gardner(at sign)byu.edu
H - K	Ray Graham	4059 JFSB	422-2208	ray_graham(at sign)byu.edu
L - O	Lynn Henrichsen	4064C JFSB	422-2937	lynn_henrichsen(at sign)byu.edu
P - S	Diane Strong-Krause	4048 JFSB	422-3970	diane_strong-krause(at sign)byu.edu
T - Z	Mark Tanner	4063 JFSB	422-8154	mark_tanner(at sign)byu.edu

TESOL Graduate Certificate, revised August 2006