Janet Penner-Williams
Program Coordinator
107 Peabody Hall
Email: jpenner@uark.edu
Degree Offered:
M.Ed. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESL)
Description: The program is designed to prepare teachers in the U.S. and abroad to teach English to learners whose first language is not English; graduates are also prepared to create and implement curriculum and appropriate assessments for English as a second language (ESL). It also prepares individuals for further graduate study (Education Specialist or Ph.D.). Included in the course work for the M.Ed. are the four courses required by the Arkansas Department of Education for endorsement in ESL.
M.Ed. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Admission Requirements:
- Students must be officially accepted by the Graduate School and accepted into the M.Ed. TESOL degree program. Once information is reviewed, the Graduate School will submit applicant’s completed packet to the program for review.
- Students must complete an appropriate undergraduate degree with a minimum 3.0 grade-point average on the last 60 hours of the course work for the undergraduate degree.
- Praxis Core or equivalent
Degree Requirements:
- All degree candidates will also complete an action research project during their Internship/Action Research (CIED 5983).
- All students must complete 33 hours of course work
Major Required Courses
| Professional Core | 12 | |
| CIED 5923 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| CIED 5933 | Second Language Methodologies | 3 |
| CIED 5943 | Teaching People of Other Cultures | 3 |
| CIED 5953 | Second Language Assessment | 3 |
| CIED 5393 | Introduction to Linguistics | 3 |
| Additional Required Courses | 12 | |
| CIED 5513 | Sound System of American English | 3 |
| CIED 5543 | Structures of American English | 3 |
| CIED 599V | Special Topics | 1-18 |
Research Requirements: Students are not required to complete a formal master's thesis, but will take a class (CIED 5013 or CIED 5273) that provides an introduction to education research and then design and carry out an action research project in CIED 5983 Practicum in Curriculum and Instruction. Following this two-course sequence, students will defend their project as the comprehensive exam for the degree. This project will be assessed by a faculty panel which will include the adviser for the student's program and two other M.Ed. faculty members.
For students who have the experience and desire to complete a formal thesis, this option exists. In such cases, students will form a thesis committee and then propose, write and defend a thesis. The successful defense of the thesis will represent the comprehensive exam for the M.Ed. degree. Students who choose the thesis option will not be required to complete CIED 5013/CIED 5273 or CIED 5983, but must take six hours of master's thesis credit (CIED 600V) in place of these two courses.
Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to master's degrees.
