The Department of Linguistics offers two certificates in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Click on the appropriate link below for the requirements for the certificate.
Higher Education Course Requirements
Any student who wishes to earn the certificate at the MA or PhD level must fulfill the following requirements:
Prerequisite
LING 1000: Introduction to Linguistics - 3 credits
(or taken concurrently with the first certificate course)
Requirements
| COURSES | DESCRIPTIONS | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| LING 2738 | Linguistics Structure of English | 3 |
| LING 2142 | Theories and Practices of Second Language Teaching | 3 |
| LING 2143 | Materials Development for Second Language Teaching and Testing | 3 |
| LING 2146 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| I&L 2253 | Testing and Assessment | 3 |
| LING 2195 | Practicum in Second Language Teaching | 1 |
PhD students must take an additional 3-credit course approved by the TESOL Certificate Advisor.
Please note:
I. LING 2195 involves supervised language teaching concurrent with or following LING 2142. Teaching Assistants who are teaching in the English Language Institute automatically fulfill the practicum requirements, but they must sign up for LING 2195 once during their teaching terms. Other candidates fulfill the requirement by signing up for LING 2195 and teaching during that term in an informal ESL course run by the English Language Institute, OR, with permission of the TESOL Certificate advisor, another ESL teaching context.
II. The certificate candidate must earn a grade of B or higher in each certificate course.
III. Those applying for graduate degrees will completed the TESOL Certifcate program application process after gaining acceptance to the degree program.
Degree Prerequisite for Admission
Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent with a minimum grade point average of B (3.0 on a 4-point scale). Preference is given to applicants who have studied abroad, worked with international students, and/or have any EFL/ESL teaching experience (including volunteer).
Additional Language Learning Prerequisite for Admission
Native Speakers of English:
Native speakers of English must have classroom foreign language learning experience equivalent to at least one year of college level study of a language other than English and/or have learned a foreign language during an overseas living/work experience.
Native Speakers of Other Languages:
Recommendations for applicants who are non-native speakers of English are as follows:
Recommended TOEFL Score: 95 or higher on the iBT TOEFL (Skill Requirements: Reading and Listening – 22 or above; Speaking and Writing – one skill must be at the level of Advanced) Please go to https://www.ets.org/s/toefl/pdf/pd-toefl-ibt.pdf to review the Performance Descriptors for the TOEFL iBT Test).
Recommended IELTS Score: 7 or higher on the IELTS (Skill Requirements: Speaking and Writing – combined minimum of 13)
Admitted students in TESOL-related programs who are non-native speakers of English must have good spoken English skills as determined by a score of at least 4 on the International Teaching Assistant interview test administered by the University of Pittsburgh. These students must successfully complete the interview before graduating.
Transcripts and CV
Undergraduate transcripts (and graduate if applicable) and a CV (including a list of references) must be submitted as part of the application.
Plan of Study
Students must complete a TESOL certificate plan of study form after consultation with the TESOL Certificate advisor during the first term of study. The student then will work with the academic advisor if earning a graduate degree, or the TESOL Certificate advisor if not in a degree program.
Completion of Requirements
When nearing completion of all TESOL certificate requirements, students must apply for graduation from the TESOL Certificate program through the Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office. This graduation application is separate from any other degree graduation applications.
ESL Program Specialist Course Requirements
Any student who wishes to earn the certificate must fulfill the following requirements:
Prerequisite
LING 1000: Introduction to Linguistics - 3 credits
(or taken concurrently with the first certificate course)
Requirements
| COURSES | DESCRIPTIONS | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| LING 2738 | Linguistics Structure of English | 3 |
| LING 2142 | Theories and Practices of Second Language Teaching | 3 |
| LING 2143 | Materials Development for Second Language Teaching and Testing | 3 |
| I&L 2257 | Teaching English Language Learners | 3 |
| I&L 2253 | Testing and Assessment | 3 |
| LING 2195 | Practicum in Second Language Teaching | 1 |
Please note:
I. LING 2195 involves supervised language teaching concurrent with or following LING 2142. Candidates fulfill the requirement by signing up for LING 2195 and teaching during that term in an informal ESL course run by the English Language Institute, OR, with permission of the TESOL Certificate advisor, another ESL teaching context.
II. The certificate candidate must earn a grade of B or higher in each certificate course.
Degree Prerequisite for Admission
Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent with a minimum grade point average of B (3.0 on a 4-point scale). Preference is given to applicants who have studied abroad, worked with international students, and/or have any EFL/ESL teaching experience (including volunteer).
Instructional I Prerequisite
Applicants must hold a Pennsylvania Instructional I certificate (or equivalent from another state) and be able to provide a copy as part of the application packet.
Foreign Language Learning Prerequisite for Admission
Native speakers of English should have classroom foreign language learning experience equivalent to at least one year of college level study of a language.
Each applicant who is not a native speaker of English must: (1) achieve a score of 100 or higher on the iBT TOEFL (Skill Requirements: Reading and Listening – High; Speaking and Writing – one skill must be at the level of Good) or 7.5 or higher on the IELTS (Skill Requirements: Speaking and Writing – combined minimum of 13) or their equivalent and (2) have good spoken English skills (a score of at least 4 on the ITA interview test administered by the University of Pittsburgh).
Transcripts and CV and Teaching Certificate
Undergraduate transcripts (and graduate if applicable) and a CV (including a list of references) must be submitted as part of the application. . In addition, a copy of the applicant’s state teaching certificate must be included in the application materials.
Plan of Study
Students must complete a TESOL certificate plan of study form after consultation with the TESOL Certificate advisor during the first term of study.
Completion of Requirements
When nearing completion of all TESOL certificate requirements, students must apply for graduation from the TESOL Certificate program through the Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office. This graduation application is separate from any other degree graduation applications. Additional paperwork must be filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Education with the help of the TESOL Certificate advisor.