The graduate certificate in TESOL is an option for students in a variety of disciplines who intend to teach English to speakers of other languages as a part of their professional focus. Students who wish to acquire the certificate should consult their graduate program coordinator/advisor as well as the TESOL certificate coordinator. Students should carefully compare the TESOL certificate program with the MA in English with a concentration in TESOL, and choose the program that better reflects their level of professional commitment.

The graduate certificate in TESOL requires 16 hours selected from the following coures:

English 341, "Introduction to Descriptive Linguistics."
English 342, "Sociolinguistics" or English 343, "Cross-Cultural Aspects in TESOL."
English 344, "TESOL: Theorical Foundations."
English 394, "TESOL Practicum."
English 441, "The Linguistic Structure of English for TESOL Professionals."
English 490, "Pro-Seminar in TESOL Pedagogy" (1 semester hour)

This sequence of courses will provide graduate students an exposure to the fundamental topics of language description, the grammatical description of English, second language acquisition, and cultural-pragmatic or sociolinguistic aspects of language contact and second language acquisition, all of which are necessary for effective ESL/EFL teaching. Pedagogical applications of this knowledge will be the focus of the one hour "Pro-Seminar in TESOL Pedagogy." The TESOL practicum will take place at the English Language Institute or at a site in the U.S. or abroad, agreed on by student and mentoring faculty member.

Example Plan of Study
We anticipate students completing the certificate in two years. Assuming that the student combines TESOL certificate courses with a major focus on another academic area, the following is a typical plan of study:

Fall Semester 1: English 341
Spring Semester 2: English 344 (in addition the student may choose English 343)
Fall Semester 3: English 441 (in addition the student may choose English 342)
Spring Semester 4: English 394 and English 490

How to Get Started
You can start the program in the fall or spring semester. Contact Dr. Roberta Trites, Director of Graduate Studies in English, for registration information. (seeling@ilstu.edu or 309/438-3651).

More Information
For more Information about the Graduate Certificate in TESOL, please contact the ISU English Department Graduate Office at 309/438-3651. (Ask for Dr. Susan Burt, Dr. Bruce Hawkins, Dr. Hyun-Sook Kang, or Dr. Aaron Smith.)