Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

The Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is designed to teach the established and developing body of knowledge required for teaching of English to Speakers of other Languages in Australia and internationally. Graduates of this Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages will have knowledge:

• in the advanced theories, principles and methods of Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• of the issues, methods and applicability of research within TESOL and related areas; and of principles of professional and ethical practices applicable to teaching and researching English as Second Language.

Graduates may find employment opportunities locally or overseas, teaching English as a second or foreign language, or working in leadership positions in language teaching institutions. You may find opportunities at TAFE or technical colleges, university language centres, private language schools and language teaching institutions for migrants.

There are many rewarding career choices for graduates with this Master of TESOL degree, including:

• ESL/EFL language instructor/literacy educator
• ESL/EFL Director of Studies
• ESL/EFL learning/teaching material writer/editor/assessor/curriculum developer
• TESOL teacher educator
• Academic advisor for students who are interested in learning a second or foreign language including English
• Researcher in language learning/teaching
• Language education policy adviser.

Professional recognition

The Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is endorsed by the National ELT Accreditation Scheme (NEAS).

Higher education

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, applicants must:

• hold a Bachelor degree in any discipline from a recognised tertiary institution OR
• hold a Bachelor degree or a Graduate Certificate in a related discipline or a Bachelor Honours in a non-related discipline from a recognised tertiary institution (students will be eligible for 40 credit points of advanced standing) OR
• hold a Bachelor Honours degree or a Graduate Diploma in a related discipline from a recognised tertiary institution (students will be eligible for 80 credit points of advanced standing) OR
• have a combination of alternative admission criteria such as formal, informal and non-formal learning deemed to be equivalent to any of the above (students may be eligible for 10 to 80 credit points of advanced standing).

Note: Degrees from overseas institutions must be assessed as equivalent to a recognised Australian qualification.

English Proficiency Requirements

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:

• A minimum overall band score of 6.5 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 6.0
• OR a minimum score of 575 on TOEFL
• OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 79 (no sub-score less than 19)
• OR no score less than 3+ in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only)
• OR a minimum overall score of 176 (no score less than 169) on C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English) or C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)
• OR an overall score of 58 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 50.

English test results must be no more than two years old.

Applicants should refer to the English language requirements section of the following University policy for exceptions to these overall requirements:

• Postgraduate Programs Admission Policy

Reduce the time it takes to finish your degree. You can apply to Griffith to recognise your prior learning, including: 

• Formal learning through courses completed at uni and TAFE. 

• Informal learning through workplace experience or volunteer training. 

• Non-formal learning through social experiences and hobbies. 

The Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) provides academic and pedagogical foundations for professionals who are or will be involved in work that focuses on the learning and teaching of English as a second or foreign language. The degree provides a qualification in the teaching of English in a variety of contexts with a strong focus on teaching in the Asia-Pacific region.

The program content is internationalised and intercultural, focusing on the development of a knowledge base and analytical skills that will enable graduates to operate in a range of roles involving the need to understand how second and foreign languages are learned. The course includes an independent study component requiring the knowledge and application of research principles and practices relating to professional work or learning in TESOL.

Please note that this program does not lead to teacher registration with the Queensland College of Teachers.

Recommended Study Pattern

As a guide, core subjects in this degree can include: 

• Language awareness for second language teachers

• Understanding the Language Learner

• Second Language Teaching in Practice (Internship)

• Sociolinguistics for Second Language Teachers

As part of your application, you’ll be guided through how to get the right degree structure in place for you.

Award Requirements

To be eligible for the award of Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL), a student must acquire 160 credit points from the prescribed courses.

To be eligible for the award of Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL), a student admitted with 40 credit points of advanced standing must acquire 120 credit points from the prescribed courses.

To be eligible for the award of Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MTESOL), a student admitted with 80 credit points of advanced standing must acquire 80 credit points from the prescribed courses.

This degree may be awarded with Distinction where a student achieves a minimum program GPA of 6.5 with no failed courses. The words 'This award was achieved with Distinction' will be recorded on the testamur.

Exit Points

To be eligible to exit the Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages with the Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages award, a student must acquire 40 credit points for prescribed core courses.