M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) program will prepare you to teach students in the United States and throughout the world. A campus-wide focus on cultural diversity will introduce you to a community of learners in a local context. You will learn the intricacies of linguistics and teaching from specialists who have lived, worked and taught throughout the world. You will have the opportunity to put your skills to work in a graduate assistantship at St. Cloud State's English for Academic Purposes program or the Intensive English Center, a program that trains more than 100 English language learners from more than 15 countries each year. These two centers offer 50 assistantships each year.

Program Highlights

• Courses available both on-campus and online .
• The licensure program is available on-campus or online with a previous Minnesota license, the K-12 ESL licensure program course can be completed online.
• 22 percent of students are from diverse U.S. backgrounds and 28 percent are international students.
• Graduates receive professional credentials.
• The on-campus program can be taken in conjunction with a K-12 ESL licensure for the state of Minnesota.
• Emphases offering in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and K-12 English as a Second Language Licensure
• 50 graduate assistantships available for qualified applicants.
• 1+1 options offered in conjunction with partner institutions in Korea.
• A Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages graduate certificate also available.

Program Distinctions

• ​Graduates have gone on to teach throughout the United States and 19 other countries .
• ​The program's nine faculty hold the highest degrees in their fields and have a combined 100 years of teaching experience.
• Tuition costs less than $15,000 for on-campus Minnesota and reciprocity students or less than $17,000 for online students.
• Opportunity to participate in a graduate assistantship at the on-campus English for Academic Purposes program or Intensive English Center.

University Facts & Statistics

• **90 ** graduate programs leading to graduate cerificates, master's, and doctoral degrees.
• More than 300 graduate assistantships awards per year.
• Graduate assistants receive up to  **$9,250 ** stiped per year and tuition reeimbrusement for up to nine graduate credits per semester.

Requirements and Details

Prerequisites

The Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) program has two major pre-requisites:

• An introductory course in linguistics
• One year of college foreign language study or the equivalent

If you have met both of these pre-requisites and all your application files are complete, you can be admitted to the program without any conditions. If you have not met one or both pre-requisites, you can be admitted to the program on the condition that the pre-requisites are met as soon as possible. After the pre-requisites are met, Graduate Studies will regularize your admission by removing the conditions.

If you have not completed an introductory course in linguistics, you can take English 361: An Introduction to Linguistics online at St. Cloud State. You can also take this course at another university and transfer the credits. Without completion of this course, you are not allowed to enroll in English 564, 566, 663, 664 or 666, the major linguistics courses in the program , but could take other courses in the program simultaneously with English 361.

For the foreign language requirement, you can meet this requirement by having taken one year, two semesters or three quarters, of a foreign language. Please note that American Sign Language would count as a foreign language. This requirement can also be met as follows:

• Two years of high school foreign language can count as one year of college foreign language, as it is considered equivalent experience.
• Bilingual, multilingual or international students can meet this requirement by listing a native language other than English.
• Those who have studied and/or worked abroad can meet this requirement by writing a letter that describes their language learning experience if evidence that their experience would then be equivalent to one year of college foreign language.
• Students can also complete the equivalent of two four-credit 60-hour college courses through tutoring or adult education foreign language courses, including online courses, as long as they can document a total of 120 contact hours of learning.

Program Length

Prospective students will choose to pursue the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) as either a Master of Art or a Master of Art with K-12 ESL licensure .

Your choice will affect the length of your program and whether or not you can complete the full program online.

Students with a previous Minnesota state teaching license in another area should be able to complete the course work for either program in the same period of time, but those seeking initial licensure would have additional requirements.

Students without a Minnesota teaching license in another area seeking licensure are required to take 26 graduate credits of education courses : most of which are on-campus courses without online equivalents. In other words, such students could not complete the K-12 ESL license completely online.

Transfer Courses

Unless special arrangements exist, Graduate Studies allows only 10 credits to transfer .

These courses must:

• Be graduate credits.
• Come from a graduate program that is accredited by the national government of the country where the university is located.
• Must not have counted for a previous graduate degree.
• Fit into the Teaching English as a Second Language master’s program with names and course descriptions that match the courses for which they are being transferred.

Two other arrangements do exist:

• Students who have completed graduate course work at other Minnesota State institutions can transfer up to 15 credits or five three-credit courses. The Minnesota State universities in Mankato, Moorhead and Winona have graduate course work in TESL, so students taking these courses at these institutions should be able to apply 15 credits of TESL related course work from their original universities to the TESL master’s program at St. Cloud State.
• Students who are admitted graduate students at St. Cloud State’s international partner universities with dual degree program agreements can transfer up to 15 credits or five three-credit courses into the TESL master’s. St. Cloud State has a dual degree agreements with:
  • Woosong University in Daejeon, South Korea
  • Kyunghee University in Jeonju, Korea
• Under these agreements, students at partner universities could complete the St. Cloud State masters by adding 15 more credits or five courses and a six-credit thesis to 15 credits or five courses of TESOL MALL course work.

All transfer courses have to have been completed within seven years of when the student’s TESL degree is awarded.

We're on a mission to unleash all that's within you.

Futures that begin here might seem unassuming at first, but like the mighty Mississippi River that flows alongside our campus, they quickly gather strength. Growing. Surging. Until they're seemingly unstoppable.

At St. Cloud State, an education is about far more than an education. It will be an opportunity to explore ideas, seek out unique perspectives and embrace new challenges – all of which will help you unlock your true potential.

If you're looking for choice, we've got that covered. We have more than 200 undergraduate programs of study and more than 60 graduate programs, holding nearly every available national accreditation.

Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State has evolved into a comprehensive university on our 100-acre campus along the scenic Mississippi RIver. We're on a mission to unleash ideas, imagination, promise, and purpose.

At a Glance

Quick facts by the numbers

• Founded in 1869
• More than 10,000 students
• 100-acre campus located along the banks of the Mississippi River
• Beaver Islands , a group of more than 30 islands are immediately downriver from campus
• 200 majors, minors and pre-professional programs
• More than 60 graduate programs and degrees
• Three  doctoral degree programs
• 24th on Forbes magazine's “Best Small Places for Businesses and Careers."
• Forbes magazine's " America's Top Colleges ."
• 200+ clubs and organizations
• Hundreds of courses offered online each semester
• 5-time Division II National Champions , Huskies Wrestling

St. Cloud Community

St. Cloud offers big-city culture and small-town charm on the banks of the Mississippi River in Central Minnesota.

Known as "The Granite City," St. Cloud is Central Minnesota's hub for arts, entertainment, health care, and education. The university campus is within walking distance of theater, live music and more.

The St. Cloud metropolitan area is 20th on Forbes magazine's 2019 “Best Small Places for Businesses and Careers." The City of St. Cloud has earned multiple awards for livability, city services, and amenities.

Local mass transit is free for St. Cloud State students on the Metro Bus system. The Metro Bus station near campus makes it easy to get to and from local stores and attractions. Through much of the year, there is a weekly farmers' market where you can buy locally-grown food.

Located an hour northwest of the world-class arts, entertainment, and shopping of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the University is also just a short drive from the best of what Mother Nature has to offer - including lakes, forests, and rivers.

Accreditations and Memberships

St. Cloud State University is a member of many academic and professional associations, including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and Council of Graduate Schools in the United States.

It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504, 800-621-7440). It is also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

College of Liberal Arts

• The mass communications department is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).
• The Applied Sociology concentration in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology is accredited by The Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology (CACS).
• All College of Liberal Arts teaching licensure programs (Communication Arts and Literature, English, French, German, Spanish, History, Art and Music Education) are accredited by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).

School of the Arts

• St. Cloud State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
• The music department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

College of Science and Engineering

• All College of Science and Engineering teaching licensure programs (Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Technology Education) are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Minnesota Board of Teaching.
• The chemistry program is approved by the American Chemical Society.
• The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program is provisionally accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

School of Computing, Engineering and Environment

• The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program offered by the Computer Science Department is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of ABET. The program also follows the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) guidelines on the curriculum.
• The Atmospheric and Hydrologic Sciences department provides a meteorology program which meets the standards set forth by the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Service.
• The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and the Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, offered by the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET.
• The Technology Education degree is accredited by the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) and the Council of Technology Teacher Education (CTTE).
• The Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Department offers bachelor of science degrees in Manufacturing Engineering and Mechanical Engineering that are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET.
• The Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program in the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Department is certified by the American Society of Engineering Management (ASEM).

Herberger Business School

• The Herberger Business School is accredited by the AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business at both the bachelor's and master's degree levels.
• The Bachelor of Science in Information Systems, offered by the Herberger Business School Information Systems Department, is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of  ABET . The Bachelor of Science in Information Systems program also follows the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) guidelines on curriculum.

College of Education and Learning Design

• The College of Education and Learning Design is a member of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).
• The Teacher Education Unit and all teaching licensure programs are approved by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).
• The Educational Administration programs are approved by the Minnesota Board of School Administrators (BoSA).

College of Health and Wellness Professions

• The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at St. Cloud State University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.
• The Applied Behavior Analysis program in the Department of Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy is accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA).
• The master's program in Rehabilitation Counselor Education in the Department of Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education.
• The School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
• The baccalaureate degree in the nursing program at St. Cloud State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, D.C. 20001. 202-887-6791.
• Athletic Training Education Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). St. Cloud State University Bachelor of Athletic Training is currently on probation by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), 6850 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731-3101. The program has chosen to Voluntarily Withdraw its Accreditation effective August 12, 2022. The program will remain on probation until the Withdraw is effective and the program is closed.
• The Department of Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
• The Medical Laboratory Science program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
• The clinical part of the Nuclear Medicine Technology program is accredited at our partner hospitals by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT). The clinical part of the Radiologic Technology program is accredited at our partner hospitals by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT).

School of Public Affairs

• The School of Public Affairs teaching licensure program (Social Science Teaching) is accredited by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).

Academic and Student Services

• Counseling and Psychological Services is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.
• Medical Clinic and Pharmacy Laboratory is accredited by the Commission on Office Laboratory Accreditation (COLA).
• Lindgren Child Care Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
• Medical Clinic and Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
• The Senior to Sophomore Program has been awarded the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) Accreditation.