About the Program

The Undergraduate Certificate in TESOL trains professionals who will teach English to second- and foreign-language learners. Our TESOL students build a strong foundation in teaching methodologies, language testing, second language acquisition, and other related areas of linguistics. TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. 

Competencies

1. Undergraduate TESOL certificate students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the structural properties of language at the sound, word, sentence, and meaning levels.
2. Undergraduate TESOL certificate students will be able to produce constructive critiques of lesson plans specifically regarding how well these plans reflect principles of communicative language teaching.
3. Undergraduate TESOL certificate students will be able to successfully articulate how they have applied principles of language teaching and/or learning to meet the needs of specific English language learners.

Curriculum

Students interested in receiving theoretical and practical training in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are encouraged to consider this five-course certificate program. The Undergraduate Certificate in TESOL offers a sequence of courses which introduces linguistics, second language acquisition, and methods and materials in TESOL instruction, paired with the an internship required to consist of 60 hours of volunteer ESL/literacy teaching in a local community service organization. Students take:

LING 2371	LANGUAGE IN A MULTICULTURAL USA	3
or LING 3309	LINGUISTICS FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS
LING 4327	SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION	3
LING 4353	TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE	3
LING 4354	METHODS AND MATERIALS TO TEACH ENGLISH AS A SECOND OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE	3
LING 4395	INTERNSHIP IN TESOL	3
Total Hours		15

Ideally, students should start the sequence with LING 2371 or LING 3311 and use LING 4395 as the final course in this sequence. This certificate is ideal for students interested in earning a credential to increase employment opportunities, such as teaching English abroad. This certificate can be paired with a bachelor's degree in another discipline. Students who are interested in earning the BA in Linguistics with the Undergraduate Certificate in TESOL may apply the 4000 level courses required by the certificate to the degree requirement of 12 hours at the 3000/4000 level. This optimal sequencing will allow students to graduate with a BA in Linguistics and an Undergraduate Certificate in TESOL without adding additional hours to their degree requirements. Contact the Undergraduate Advisor for more information on this program.

Advising Resources

Students are highly encouraged to meet regularly with their assigned advisor—at least once per semester and before enrolling in classes—to ensure steady academic progress, identify new opportunities, and align their coursework with their long-term career goals.

Location:

539 University Hall

Email:

undergrad.ling.advisor@uta.edu

Phone:

817-272-3789

Web:

Meet our advisors