Teaching of English as a Second Language, MA
for the Master of Arts in the Teaching of English as a Second Language
Admission
Applicants to the MATESL and PhD programs in Linguistics must have completed a bachelor’s degree.
For the PhD program in Linguistics, undergraduate preparation should include the study of at least one foreign language; a course equivalent to LING 400 on this campus; and a broad background in the humanities, social sciences, or mathematics.
For the MATESL program, an undergraduate major in linguistics, English, a foreign language, or education is generally recommended, though other majors are also acceptable. Applicants must present a grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Two years of coursework in a foreign language or the equivalent are also required.
Student may be admitted to the PhD program in Linguistics with or without a prior master’s degree in linguistics or a related field. Depending on the student’s prior preparation, they may be admitted either into Stage 1 of the PhD or into Stage 2 of the PhD. Students who who have completed a master’s degree in linguistics or a closely related field may be considered for admission to Stage 2 of the PhD program. Students without an approved prior master’s degree will only be considered for admission to Stage 1 of the PhD program. Students admitted to Stage 1 must complete 40 credit hours in the areas listed on the department website, maintain a GPA of 3.5 or better in all core courses, and earn a grade of High Pass on the qualifying examination in order to advance to Stage 2. Students who are admitted directly to Stage 2, but lack any of the core courses required for Stage 1, must complete Stage 1 requirements immediately on entry into the program; the courses will not count toward the 64 hours required for Stage 2 of the PhD.
Applicants to all Linguistics graduate programs should apply online and submit a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation and a writing sample of 10-20 pages in length. Original transcripts (with English translations if applicable) showing all undergraduate and graduate work completed should be sent to:
SLCL Graduate Student Services
3070 Foreign Languages Bldg.
707 S. Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are optional. The applicant should ask the ETS to submit scores to institution 1836. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and must score at least 88 (100 preferred) on the internet-based test (iBT); they must also pass the speaking sub-section of the iBT with a minimum score of 24 (see www.grad.illinois.edu/Admissions/instructions/04c). Applications are accepted for fall admission only. Application questions may be directed to SLCL Graduate Student Services.
Financial Aid
The Linguistics department aims to provide financial aid for all graduate students in the Ph.D. program in Linguistics for up to five years, in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or departmental assistantships. To hold a teaching assistantship non-native English speakers must first pass a test of their oral English ability (see www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions/taengprof.htm). Some students receive aid through other units in the University. New applicants receive automatic consideration for financial aid within the department, including teaching assistantships for the non-Western languages taught in its programs. For details and applications, write to the above address.
For students in the MATESL program, financial assistance is offered to as many qualified applicants as possible, but cannot be awarded to all. A record of extensive experience in teaching English as a second language enhances a candidate's chance of receiving financial assistance during one's first semester. A limited number of University fellowships are available for exceptionally qualified candidates. Teaching assistants teach students in the Division's ESL program and in the Intensive English Institute.
for the Master of Arts in the Teaching of English as a Second Language
The MATESL program offers two separate curricula or tracks. One track is designed for candidates whose principal interests are in language pedagogy and related research. The other track encourages candidates to concentrate more heavily on applied research in various aspects of English studies. A detailed description of the two tracks is available. Usually candidates can meet all degree requirements in two years.
For additional details and requirements refer to the department's graduate programs and the Graduate College Handbook.
Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis option is required for students in the research track, optional for students in the pedagogical track. | ||
| Track Coursework: Students must select between the pedagogical track and the research track, and complete course requirements specified for the selected track | 40 | |
| Language Requirement: Students who have not completed the equivalent of at least two years of study in a language other than their native language as an undergraduate must do so in order to complete the MATESL degree. These courses do not count toward the 40-hour total | ||
| EIL 599 | Thesis Research (min/max applied toward degree ) | 4-8 |
| Total Hours | 40 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Courses that satisfy curriculum prerequisites may be taken, but do not count toward graduation requirements. | |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 12 |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
Non-Thesis Option
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Non-thesis option is available only to students in the pedagogical track. | ||
| Track Coursework: Students must complete course requirements specified for the pedagogical track | 40 | |
| Language Requirement: Students who have not completed the equivalent of at least two years of study in a language other than their native language as an undergraduate must do so in order to complete the MATESL degree. These courses do not count toward the 40-hour total | ||
| Total Hours | 40 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Courses that satisfy curriculum prerequisites may be taken, but do not count toward graduation requirements. | |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 12 |
| Comprehensive Examination is required for the non-thesis option. | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
for the Master of Arts in the Teaching of English as a Second Language
- Students will receive grounding in core areas of Teaching English as a Second Language.
- Students will receive grounding in linguistic theory.
- Students will gain theoretical and practical grounding in pedagogy
- Students will gain academic oral communication and presentation skills.
- Students will gain academic writing skills.
for the Master of Arts in the Teaching of English as a Second Language
Graduate Degree Programs in Linguistics
(Including African Languages [Bamana, Lingala, Swahili, Wolof, and Zulu], Arabic, Hindi-Urdu, Modern Greek, Persian, Sanskrit, and Turkish)
for the Master of Arts in the Teaching of English as a Second Language
Linguistics Department
Head of Department: Hye Suk James Yoon
Director of Graduate Studies: Tania Ionin
Director of Admissions Committee: Rakesh Bhatt
Linguistics Department website
Linguistics Department faculty
4080 Foreign Languages Building, 707 South Mathews, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-3563
Linguistics email
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences website
Admissions
Graduate College Admissions & Requirements