Taught course

Applied Linguistics and TESOL (Distance Learning)

Institution
University of Portsmouth · School of Education, Languages and Linguistics
Qualifications
MA

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree or equivalent, plus initial teacher training and a minimum of three months full-time, relevant, teaching experience.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.5.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Overview

Develop your abilities as a teacher of English to speakers of other languages, or kickstart your TESOL career, on this flexible Master's in Applied Linguistics and TESOL.

You may already be an established TESOL practitioner (or ELT, EFL or EAP) with a minimum of three months full-time teaching experience, looking to advance your skills and become an expert in your field. If not, as long as you've completed initial ELT, TESOL or TEFL teacher training, you can still apply for this course and do an extra module to build up your practical teaching skills.

On this course, you'll apply contemporary TESOL theory to the classroom. Guided by our expert teaching team, you can apply your learning to the context of teaching you currently work in or aspire to, whether that's in the private or state sector, teaching adults, primary, secondary or higher education.

You'll use a global perspective to critique your own approaches to teaching, conduct your own research into teaching techniques, and explore lesson planning and course design.

You can study in a way that fits around your existing professional and personal commitments by choosing between full-time, part-time, campus-based or distance learning options.

When you graduate, you'll have a deeper understanding of TESOL and how best to get results as an expert practitioner. You'll be ready to pursue roles in areas such as educational management or leadership, curriculum development, editing, publishing or advertising, in the UK or overseas.

Course highlights

  • Take your TESOL knowledge and teaching skills to postgraduate level
  • Choose to study in a way that suits you and your professional life, from on campus or distance learning, full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 or 3 years), and a September or January start
  • Reflect on your classroom practice in order to improve the way you teach
  • Learn to effectively plan and design a syllabus, courses and assessment methods, and choose to build a portfolio of lesson plans supported by critical reflection
  • Analyse research into how people learn languages and the implications that has for the classroom
  • Explore linguistic theory, unpick the hidden systems and bias in the use of language, and conduct research into teaching techniques

Career planning

During your course you'll have expert career support from our Careers and Employability Centre, your tutors and our Business and Law Career-Ready Programme. This support will continue for 5 years after you graduate.

Career support

You'll benefit from:

- Networking events

- Regular emails from the Career Ready Programme sharing job opportunities, application tips and events

- Applied projects with companies such as IBM, Boeing and Hampshire County Council

- Workshops to enhance your employability skills

- Recruitment events including the Student and Graduate Opportunities Fair

- 1-to-1 appointments

- CV and cover letter advice

- Interview preparation and practice

- Support starting your own business

Careers and opportunities

As a TESOL practitioner with a postgraduate qualification, you'll be ready to teach English to speakers of other languages all around the world to the highest professional standard. There are now more people who learn English as a second language than there are native speakers (ThoughtCo), so your skills will be in high demand.

When you complete the course, you'll have the specialist knowledge to stand out to employers at institutions such as universities, language schools and private schools in the UK and overseas.

Graduates of this course have gone onto areas such as:
  • teaching English as a second/foreign language
  • teaching ESOL in the UK
  • teaching other languages, applying skills learning on this course
  • educational management and/or leadership
  • teacher training
  • materials writing
  • curriculum development
  • editing
  • publishing
  • advertising

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

  • MA
    part time
    up to 36 months
    • Online learningis available for this qualification
    full time
    12 months
    • Online learningis available for this qualification

1 year full-time distance learning, 2 years part-time distance learning, 3 years part-time distance learning

Course contact details

Name
Admissions Team
Email
admissions@port.ac.uk
Phone
+44 (0)23 9284 5566