MA in TESOL STUDIES 2015/16

Course details

The MA in TESOL Studies is aimed at students who may have had little or no experience of language teaching in formal classroom contexts, unlike the MA TESOL, which is appropriate for students with two or more years of classroom language teaching. Over the course of two semesters, students on the MA in TESOL Studies will take six of the modules which are also offered to MA in TESOL students, but will, in place of two modules taken only by MA TESOL students, study two modules designed specifically for them, which will encourage them to connect theory and practice, give them sufficient opportunities to practice teaching in a classroom context, to develop lesson planning skills and to produce learning materials.

The aims of the MA in TESOL are to:

• enhance and deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of the principles and practice of TESOL in global contexts
• develop and enhance their teaching skills and their ability to analyse the forms and functions of the English language
• develop participants’ capacity to reflect critically on their thinking and practice in the language classroom so that they are more able to manage their own professional and academic development in the future
• develop students’ ability to engage in classroom based research and to investigate the teaching and learning practices which take place in their own context

Admission requirements

Applicants should hold a primary degree (at least 2nd class honours or equivalent, in any discipline). Have an appropriate initial training qualification in TESOL, and have a minimum of two years relevant teaching experience in Ireland or overseas.

The number of places on the course is strictly limited and selection is based on written application and interview. Applicants whose first language is not English should have an overall band of 7.0 in IELTS (with a 7.0 in listening and writing components, and no band score less than 6.5 in speaking and reading components).

Course components

The course is pided into nine modules across three semesters. The components of the course include:

• a study component comprising lectures, workshops and feedback sessions
• a practical component comprising teaching practice and fieldwork

Semester I - Modules

• Describing & Researching English
• Language Learning and Materials
• Methodology
• Teaching Practice (General)

Semester II - Modules

• Researching TESOL
• Teachers in a Global Context
• Assessment (L Learning)
• Teaching Practice (Specialist)

Semester III

• TESOL - Minor Thesis