TESOL Certificate

Program Curriculum for Graduate Certificate in TESOL

A minimum of 12 credits comprising the following courses, unless a substitution is deemed advisable because of previous study.

ENGL 522 Acquisition of Language (Sp)
ENGL 560 Theory and Methodology of TESOL (F)
ENGL 620 Pedagogical Grammar* (Sp)
TESL 720 Educational Linguistics (F or Sp)

*This course has the prerequisite of the knowledge contained in 520, Structure of English, which may be obtained in a variety of ways. 520 is offered online on an as-needed basis. Alternatively, a candidate for the certificate may already possess sufficient background in the traditional grammar of English, as determined in consultation with the TESOL Graduate Director, to enable the waiving of 520.

Foreign Language Competency

All students must demonstrate that they have studied a single foreign language for two years, which can be two years of high school study, four semesters of university study, or other equivalent.

The TESOL Certificate requires a minimum of two semester’s study ordinarily, with one or two courses in the fall and two or three offered in the spring. The certificate is available completely face-to-face (f2f) on the UWRF campus or completely online over two years. It can easily be accomplished in one year if a mix of f2f and online courses are taken. If it is begun in the spring semester, it could even be achievable in one (spring) semester if a candidate is prepared and an appropriate course substitution is granted. Each course alternates over two academic years between being taught one year f2f and the next year online.