Online Graduate Certificate in TESOL

For those with prior teaching experience who are seeking an opportunity to build on and expand what they already know, the online graduate certificate in TESOL* can be an ideal option. This program invites you to explore contemporary standards and best practices for teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), and the associated learnings can greatly enhance your impact in the classroom.

This compact program lets you focus on the skills needed to better teach English language learners (ELLs) of all backgrounds, and the coursework provides tools and insights that you can immediately put into practice. The online graduate certificate program is designed to be completed in less than a year, and select credits from this program may later be applied toward the online master's in TESOL program.

Earn your certificate in as few as 8 months

APR
26
Application Deadline
April 26
Summer 2024 Term
MAY
06
Next Start
May 6
Summer 2024 Term

Program Details



  • 5 courses, 8 weeks per course, 15 credit hours
  • Complete in as few as 10 months
  • Opportunity to apply practical approaches grounded in pedagogical theory through interactions with children and youth in your own community
  • Learn from renowned faculty with extensively published research and diverse real-world experience
  • Create a working instructional portfolio that can be directly applied in your own classroom
  • Complete your coursework anytime, anywhere, through our innovative online format
  • No GRE required for admission
  • If admitted to the master's program in TESOL, these credit hours will count toward the degree

View Admissions Requirements

This program does not provide instruction in speaking English. It prepares educators to teach English to speakers of other languages and is not an English language program for second or other language learners.

Note: In order to enroll in any of these programs, a bachelor's degree is required. No program can guarantee licensure. It is each student’s responsibility to determine the licensure requirements in his or her state and to apply for the licenses or endorsements necessary to his or her career goals. Our department staff and licensure officer can provide individual support during the application process to help you understand your state’s requirements.

If you plan to obtain a license or certification in a state other than Kansas or a US territory after completion of your program, it is highly recommended you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency BEFORE beginning the academic program to ensure you can obtain a license of certification in your home state or territory. The website https://nc-sara.org/professional-licensure-directory provides resources for licensure and certification boards outside of Kansas.

Online Graduate Certificate in TESOL Course Descriptions

The online Graduate Certificate in TESOL requires students to complete 5 courses, worth a total of 15 credits, which can later be applied to the Master’s in TESOL. All courses listed are worth 3 credits.

Please note: Course list and sequence is subject to change.

C&T 807 - Multicultural Education

In order to provide the student with an understanding of multicultural education, the course will examine the effects of such issues as ethnicity in America, the melting pot theory, separatism, cultural pluralism, legal issues and bilingual education upon the curriculum and instruction in today’s classrooms. It will include an evaluation of materials for bias and stereotypes. Field experiences are a part of this course.


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C&T 820 - Methods of Tesol

The purpose of this course is to study the objectives and methods of ESL/bilingual education. Students will examine methods and techniques of teaching: listening, speaking, reading and writing in the ESL/bilingual education settings. The course will also emphasize the importance of culture in second language teaching, and self-evaluation of teaching and instructional materials.

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C&T 821 - Assessment in Tesol

This course provides an overview of diagnostic techniques and instruments used to identify and remediate specific learning difficulties associated with normal second language development in the area of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The course includes a review of research concerning assessment as it relates to error analysis in the second-language context.

C&T 822 - Assessment in Tesol

This course provides an intensive review of the theory and research base of second-language acquisition. Particular attention is given to the influence of research trends in linguistics and psychology on second-language education theory and practice. Current trends in second-language education are examined in light of the historical theory base.


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C&T 826 - Linguistic Analysis for Tesol Educators

This course offers pre- and in-service teachers the basic foundations of language analysis necessary for the teaching of second/foreign languages. The course covers basic linguistic topics common to all human languages (grammatical, phonological and semantic aspects) with the intent to help teachers understand and address common languages problems that students face when learning English as a second/foreign language.