Teaching English as a Second Language, MEd

Program at a Glance

Build the foundation to work with learners from diverse linguistic, educational, and ethnic backgrounds. Our 30-credit program emphasizes language, literacy, applied linguistics, and second-language teaching approaches, with hands-on preparation for teaching at different levels. You’ll simultaneously work toward your MEd and your New Jersey certification in ESL and/or bilingual/bicultural education. Courses are offered in a hybrid format; most classes run from 5–7:30 p.m. weekly on a weekday evening.

Program Coordinator : Yiqiang Wu, wuyiqian@tcnj.edu

Who Should Pursue This Program?

This fully accredited program is ideal if you’re a teacher with a bachelor’s degree and want to pursue an advanced degree as well as ESL and/or bilingual/bicultural certification. You’ll learn to develop instructional materials, assess ESL students, and expand upon your cultural awareness and sensitivity. Complete program and state requirements to earn your MEd and be eligible for one or both certifications.

Careers

Many graduates teach in U.S. K–12 schools, while others teach internationally. Graduates hold supervisory positions in ESL and bilingual/bicultural education and world languages; work as researchers or curriculum developers; and pursue further studies in areas such as education leadership, international education, elementary education, linguistics, education psychology, and literacy.

For your application to be considered complete, you must submit the online application and all supplemental documents.

National Standardized Admission Test: Applicants are only recommended to take the GRE if their undergraduate GPA is below 3.0.
Prerequisite Courses: Applicants to TESL programs must present an undergraduate major (or 30 semester hours) in a liberal arts and science major or 60 semester-hour credits in liberal arts/sciences coursework. The undergraduate program must include English—two college-level courses minimum; Mathematics—two college-level courses minimum; Science—two college-level courses minimum; Social Studies—two college-level courses minimum (one of the courses must be U.S. History). An educational psychology course is a prerequisite for individuals who do not already hold a teaching certificate. Applicants must possess proven oral and written proficiency in the English language. All students who attend a non-U.S. Institution must have all their educational documents translated into English and evaluated on a course-by-course basis by an accredited agency regarding the U.S. equivalency of their coursework.
Copy of Teacher Certification: Applicants to TESL programs must provide the specified teaching certificate.

See graduate application requirements

We offer the same tuition rates no matter where you live. And there are a range of financial aid and assistantship options for TCNJ graduate students.

Learn more about tuition, assistantships, and aid