Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): Applied Linguistics & TESOL/Spanish & TESOL/French (M.A.)

For International Students

  • On campus
  • Online (not eligible for F-1 student visa)  

The M.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) prepares students for professional and scholarly work in language teaching, language learning, and applied linguistics. Students in the program develop a strong foundation in the theory and practice of language teaching while also exploring how language intersects with culture, identity, education, multilingualism, and society. Graduates of the program are prepared to work with multilingual learners in a range of educational settings, including schools, intensive English programs, community programs, and higher education contexts. The degree is also relevant for students interested in international education, language program administration, curriculum and materials development, and further graduate study in TESOL, applied linguistics, education, or related fields. The program offers three emphases: Applied Linguistics, Spanish, and French. The Applied Linguistics emphasis is designed for students interested in TESOL, second language acquisition, language pedagogy, sociolinguistics and related areas of language study.

  • The Spanish and French emphases combine TESOL coursework with advanced work in Spanish or French and are intended for students who want to build expertise across English language teaching and another language. Students pursuing the Spanish or French emphasis should have appropriate proficiency in that language. Students in all three emphases may complete either the thesis or non-thesis track, depending on their academic and professional goals.

Areas of Concentration Currently Available:

  • TESOL/Applied Linguistics
  • TESOL/Spanish
  • TESOL/French
International Admissions

Admission Requirements:

  • International Application for Admission
  • All post-secondary official transcripts sent directly from your current and/or all prior academic institutions that you have attended to the Office of Admissions at the mailing address listed below.
    • Mailing Address:
      • University of Northern Iowa
      • International Graduate Admissions
      • 002 Gilchrist Hall
      • Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0018
  • Minimum undergraduate grade point average of a 2.75 on a 4.0 point scale
  • Official TOEFL score of (95) with a minimum score of 25 in writing, IELTS score of (7.0) with a minimum writing subscore of 7.0 and no subscore less than 6.0, Duolingo score of (130) or PTE score of 65 with no subscore less than 57 to be considered for full admissions
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Provisional admission possible for students not meeting TOEFL/IELTS minimum score
  • Applicant statement addressing the professional background, motivations for seeking degree and career goals
    • For TESOL/Spanish only: Applicant statement written in Spanish
    • For TESOL/French only: Applicant statement written in French

Application Deadlines:

  • Spring Semester: November 1st
  • Fall Semester: April 1st

Program Duration:

  • 2 Years

Graduate Funding Requirements:

Contacts and More Information: