Penn State World Campus:
Penn State World Campus is the online campus of Pennsylvania State University and provides quality distance education programs to students from around the world. Our Online Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program is offered through the Department of Applied Linguistics. It is designed for students who are interested in teaching English to adults in the United States or abroad. It can be completed from any location. Earn entry-level English language teaching credentials from a well-known North American university respected throughout the world!
Advantages of an Online TESOL Program:
- The primary advantage of taking our online TESOL program is that you can access the course at a schedule that best suits you. Not having to physically attend classes on a day-to-day basis means that you can study around your work or family commitments.
- Students may take as few or as many courses as they want per semester. If you plan to study part-time, we recommend you take no more than 2 courses per semester. The certificate program can be completed in as few as 2 or 3 semesters (9–12 months).
- You only need to know how to use the basic applications on a computer (e.g., word processing, email, the internet, etc.) to be able to take this program. Any additional software applications you need to use will be explained in the program orientation. You will be provided with opportunities for online help in accessing and using any such software.
World Campus Student Testimonials:
"I would highly recommend the World Campus because it is a fantastic way for working professionals to be able to balance their career, family life, and pursuit of higher-education goals all at the same time."
- Daniel Geltrude
"The brand, the prestige, the history, the networking, international recognition, all combined with the ease of an online setting; these are the reasons I chose Penn State World Campus."
- Barbara Caruso
"With their more than 100 years of distance education experience, Penn State was an easy choice. With so many choices in online education, I wanted to choose the one that was leading the way."
- Adam Billotte
Online Graduate Certificate in TESOL:
The online curriculum is comprised of 4 introductory graduate-level courses containing integrated practical field experiences that enable students to gain essential skills and knowledge for teaching adult English language students in diverse contexts in the United States or around the world.
- Focus on English: Teaching Form, Meaning and Us
- Focus on Learners: Identity, Community and Language Learning
- Focus on Classrooms: Planning and Supporting Language Learning
- Focus on Instruction: Teaching and Assessing Language Learning
Practical Teaching Practice:
A key component of the curriculum involves practical application and reflection of the theoretical concepts that are addressed in your online classes. This means that for each of the four courses, you will be required to have access to a community of nonnative speakers of English. For example, you may be required to do one of the following: teach and/or observe a class for nonnative English speakers, tutor a nonnative-English-speaking student, or interview a group of nonnative English speakers.
Entry Requirements:
You only need to have completed a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 from an accredited university in order to apply to the program. No prior teaching experience is required.
International applicants must have a minimum TOEFL score of 250 on the computer-based test, or 100 on the Internet-based test, with a 23 on the oral section.
OR
International applicants must have a minimum IELTS score of at least 7.0.
Pathway to a MA in TESL:
The graduate-level certificate in TESOL is designed to be a "stand-alone" program but it can also serve as a "step-up" program into the Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language (MA TESL) offered on-campus at Penn State. The courses are taught by the same faculty and all 12 graduate credits can be applied to the MA TESL program. If you choose to enter the master's degree program, you will only have 2–3 semesters of on-campus learning.
