Teaching English as a Second Language

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)  Program

For information on financial support for practicing teachers to pursue graduate study in MSUM's TESL Program, click here.

The TESL program prepares individuals to teach English language learners (ELLs) in a variety of settings, including American K-12 public schools, post-secondary institutions, and overseas.  Minnesota State University Moorhead has recently revised its program offerings and now has two different TESL awards: an undergraduate minor and a graduate certificate.  The minor is intended for individuals who have not yet obtained a bachelor's degree, while the graduate certificate is available to those who have graduated with either a B.A. or a B.S.

An individual who wishes to work in the American K-12 schools must plan to obtain a full degree in education at either the undergraduate or graduate level before the TESL program will result in a state teaching license or endorsement.  In this way, the undergraduate minor may be added to a Spanish education major to lead to a certificate to teach both Spanish and ESL.  The minor may be added to any education major.  Similarly, the graduate certificate may be pursued by an individual who already holds a teaching certificate to lead to an add-on endorsement or license in TESL to the existing certificate.

Since licensure requirements vary from state to state, students interested in licensure should obtain information specific to the state of interest.  The standards for Minnesota and North Dakota are provided through links on the Web Resources page, which can be accessed via the right side bar.

A degree in education is not required for students to enroll in the TESL courses or program.  Undergraduates of any major may select a minor in TESL, and graduate students of any major may enroll in the certificate program, but students with noneducation majors should be aware that they will not be eligible for a state teaching certificate or licensure by the state Board of Teaching in ESL.  If graduate students with noneducation majors enroll in the graduate certificate program and plan to seek licensure in TESL, they must also plan to extend their coursework to encompass the education core as required by the state in which licensure will be sought.

For more information, please contact the person listed below:

TESL Program Coordinator: Linda Houts-Smith, Ph.D.
Office: 279 D MacLean Hall
Office Telephone: 218-477-4059
e-mail: houtsli@mnstate.edu