University of Portsmouth - Applied Linguistics and TESOL MA

University of Portsmouth

Applied Linguistics and TESOL MA

Develop your abilities as a teacher of English to speakers of other languages, or kickstart your TESOL career, on this flexible Master's in Applied Linguistics and TESOL.

You may already be an established TESOL practitioner (or ELT, EFL or EAP) with a minimum of three months full-time teaching experience, looking to advance your skills and become an expert in your field. If not, as long as you've completed initial ELT, TESOL or TEFL teacher training, you can still apply for this course and do an extra module to build up your practical teaching skills.

On this course, you'll apply contemporary TESOL theory to the classroom. Guided by our expert teaching team, you can apply your learning to the context of teaching you currently work in or aspire to, whether that's in the private or state sector, teaching adults, primary, secondary or higher education.

You'll use a global perspective to critique your own approaches to teaching, conduct your own research into teaching techniques, and explore lesson planning and course design.

You can study in a way that fits around your existing professional and personal commitments by choosing between full-time, part-time, campus-based or distance learning options. 

When you graduate, you'll have a deeper understanding of TESOL and how best to get results as an expert practitioner. You'll be ready to pursue roles in areas such as educational management or leadership, curriculum development, editing, publishing or advertising, in the UK or overseas.

Entry Requirements

  • A second-class honours degree or equivalent.
  • English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 (or equivalent) with no component score below 6.5.

Career Prospects

A postgraduate qualification in TESOL enables you to teach English to speakers of other languages worldwide, a skill in high demand due to the increasing number of people learning English as a second language. This qualification equips you with specialist knowledge for employment in universities, language schools, and private schools in the UK and overseas. Graduates can pursue careers in teaching English as a second/foreign language, teaching ESOL in the UK, teaching other languages, educational management, teacher training, materials writing, curriculum development, editing, publishing, and advertising. They may also become Director of Studies, Senior Teacher, or Senior Lecturer of English as a Foreign Language.

Course Details

The Master's degree program offers a comprehensive curriculum that includes a one-year full-time study, two years part-time study, and three years part-time study. The full-time course lasts one year, with up to four hours of teaching time per module and 24-30 hours of independent study per week. Part-time study lasts two years on campus, with all core material available online for flexibility.
Master's study is more specialized than an undergraduate degree, requiring more independent study and research time. Teaching methods include seminars, workshops, one-to-one tutorials, and academic skills development workshops. Assessments are conducted through written assessments and dissertations, with students able to test their skills and knowledge informally before submitting them for final marks. Feedback on practice and formal assessments is provided to help students improve in the future.
The course structure is flexible, with full-time study lasting one year, part-time study lasting two years, and part-time study lasting three years. The course is deeply specialized and focuses on a specific topic, allowing students to work closely with committed academics.

Course Modules

Core Modules
Dissertation Project MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL - 60 credits
Second Language Acquisition - 30 credits
Theory and Practice of TESOL - 30 credits
Optional Modules
You'll take 2 optional modules.
Analysing Discourse - 30 credits
Analysing, Evaluating and Writing Materials - 30 credits
Professional Portfolio - 30 credits
Using Language Corpora for Teaching and Research - 30 credits
World Englishes - 30 credits

*The information’s are correct at the time of publishing, however it may change if university makes any changes after we have published the information. While we try our best to provide correct information, It is advisable to call us or visit university website for up to date information.

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