Graduate
TESOL Certificate Program: Frequently Asked Questions
Is this certificate program for both graduates and undergraduates?
This is a graduate certificate program. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate courses can be taken concurrently with a graduate degree program or after completion of a graduate degree from Pitt or elsewhere. An undergraduate interested in this field can take some of the courses (LING 1950, LING 1738) and volunteer to teach in the campus conversation courses.
Is this a teacher training certificate program related to state teacher certification?
It is not a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania certification program. It is a certification by the Department of Linguistics of the University of Pittsburgh that a special set of courses has been successfully completed. For information on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania English as a second language program specialist requirements, go to its Web site.
Who typically studies for this TESOL certificate?
Most of the students in this certificate program add it to an MA in linguistics; others add it to master’s degrees in foreign languages or education, or other graduate degrees.
For what employment is this TESOL certificate useful?
Graduates of this program in the past several years have gone on to teach English as a foreign language or train teachers in Albania, Cambodia, Cote d’Ivoire, France, Japan, Tonga (for the Peace Corps), and the United Arab Emirates; teach English as a second language (ESL) in New Zealand and the United Kingdom; and teach ESL in various parts of the United States. Typically in the United States, they teach adults in different settings: intensive English programs, adult literacy, and private language schools. With additional course work required in different states, some teach in public schools. A recent graduate is working in ESL testing for the Educational Testing Service. Another is an ESL editor for a publisher.
Can I take the certificate courses in the evening?
Most of the TESOL certificate courses are day courses (not offered in the evenings).
How long does it take to complete the requirements?
This is a part-time program. The courses are not offered every term. The minimum time required to complete it is five terms, including a summer term. Refer to the suggested sequence of courses.
How do I apply?
If you have completed a graduate degree and wish to do only the TESOL certificate program, you must fill out an application form (application for admission to certificate program, School of Arts and Sciences—available from the Arts and Sciences office, 5141 Sennott Square, phone 412-624-6082).
If you are registered in a graduate degree program at Pitt, you must see the advisor for advice on course sequencing and then submit the application form (application for admission to certificate program, available from the School of Arts and Sciences office, 5141 Sennott Square, phone 412-624-6082).
Can I study for this certification as part of a broader teacher training at Pitt?
Yes. The TESOL certificate of the Department of Linguistics is also a part of the MEd in TESOL program in the School of Education.
Do I need to have English as a second language (ESL) teaching experience before taking these courses?
It is not essential to begin with. However, you should do the one-credit practicum requirement within your first two terms of certificate course work. If you have no ESL teaching experience, you must try to get some as soon as possible, because the TESOL course work is much more meaningful if you have some classroom ESL teaching background. One way to get the experience is to teach in the (noncredit, informal, unpaid) campus conversation course (CCC) of Pitt's English Language Institute. Contact the CCC coordinator for information at 412-624-9174.
What type of certification do I need for a career in this field?
There are many types and varieties of TESOL/TEFL certification and employment situations. Therefore, your best strategy is to determine where and in what kind of school in the United States or the world you want to work. Then find out what the preferred TESOL qualifications are for that situation. Then find out where to get those qualifications.
How can I learn more about TESOL as a career?
For general information on TESOL as a career, go to the International TESOL Association Web site and look for the links under "Starting Your Career." There is lots of good information at this site about specific programs, jobs, and much more. Additional useful links are given below.
Useful links
International TESOL (United States of America)
IATEFL (United Kingdom): International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language
Three Rivers TESOL (Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia)
CELTA: Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults