Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Entry requirements

• Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree (NFQ Level 8) with at least a second-class honour, grade 2 (2:2) in any degree or an approved equivalent qualification.

• The university will shortlist and invite you to an interview.

Other Entry Considerations:

We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet the standard entry requirements, as long as you can show that you have the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for the programme.

At UL, we value all kinds of learning and support different ways to qualify through our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) policy.

Checklist of documents:

• *Academic transcripts and certificates
  • UL graduates only need to provide their student ID.
• Copy of your birth certificate or passport
• English translation of your qualifications and transcripts
• Copy of your CV
• 1-page Personal statement
• Two letters of reference (academic and/or professional)

Guidelines on Completing your Application 

• To make sure we can review your application quickly, please:
  • Upload all documents. Your application can’t be reviewed until we have all the documents on the checklist. 
  • Title the documents you are uploading. For example, "Personal Statement", "Undergraduate Transcript", "Postgraduate Transcript", "English Language Certificate" etc. 
• *If you are waiting to graduate, submit your application with the documents you have to date, you don’t need to have finished final exams before applying.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) has been designed specifically with the aim of providing initial teacher education for those wishing to become teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL; this takes in English as a Foreign Language, EFL, and English as a Second Language, ESL). The programme is designed to accommodate participants in search of an initial English language teaching qualification, as well as experienced English language teachers who wish to upskill and/or gain an MA level qualification. The programme encourages participants to develop and reflect upon their understanding of the various theoretical and practical issues that impact upon the field of language teaching. It places particular emphasis on the notion of informed and critical teaching and the need for teachers to mediate between theory and practice in constructing pedagogies according to specific teaching and learning contexts. In line with the most recent approaches in the field, language technology and, particularly, corpus-based approaches to the study and description of language, feature strongly in our modules. A balance is maintained throughout the course between linguistic content, pedagogic content, and teaching-related research. Participants have the opportunity to complete one or two modules of teaching practice as part of the programme. After completing the two taught semesters of the programme (60 credits), participants may opt to exit the programme at the end of Semester 2 with a Graduate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

Objectives

• To equip graduates with a professional qualification in the area of ESOL.
• To enable students to acquire the knowledge, range of capabilities, experiences and qualities that are required for the teaching profession.
• To develop students' understanding of the language-learning process and a critical awareness of associated pedagogies.
• To provide students with the necessary skills to carry out research in the area of ESOL.
• To afford the opportunity to develop skills in areas of pedagogic practice relevant in contemporary educational systems internationally, for example, new technologies and materials development.

Fees and funding

Assessment