Applied Linguistics and TESOL (with Professional Experience) (Taught)

Overview
If you're a teacher of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL, ELT, EFL, EAP), or looking to begin a TESOL career, this two-year MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL (with Professional Experience) degree will enable you to enhance your skills and employability with real workplace experience.

During your first year, you'll be taught by our linguistics experts at the University, learning to apply the latest TESOL theory to classroom situations and critically evaluate your own approaches to teaching in a global context. You'll also work on lesson and course planning and design, and learn how to conduct and analyse research into teaching techniques.

If you've completed initial ELT, TESOL or TEFL teacher training but you don't yet have a minimum of three months full-time teaching experience, you'll also do an extra module to build up your practical teaching skills.

In Year 2, you'll apply your learning on a 12-month work placement or professional experience programme tailored to your career goals.

You'll graduate with the communication and intercultural skills and expertise to work as a more effective and well-rounded TESOL practitioner, in the UK or overseas.

Eligibility
This course accepts UK, EU, and international students.

What you'll experience

• Gain first-hand experience on a 12-month professional experience module or work placement related to your chosen career, such as in an English language school, allowing you to apply theory to practice and build a solid professional network

• Enhance your abilities to teach English to speakers of other languages in the UK and around the world

• Expand your knowledge of the theories and methods used in linguistics, and conduct and analyse research into teaching techniques

• Reflect on your classroom practice in order to improve the way you teach

• Learn to plan and design lessons and courses that create an effective and engaging learning experience for students

Careers and opportunities
English is a global language. Those who teach English to speakers of other languages need expert training in the field, both theoretical and in the classroom, in order to provide the highest standards of teaching.

This Master's course will give you an internationally recognised qualification, a year of professional experience, and the linguistics and teaching theory to gain a competitive advantage and deliver the best possible TESOL training.

Graduates of this course have gone onto areas such as:

• teaching English as a second/foreign language

• teaching ESOL in the UK

• teaching other languages, applying skills learning on this course

• educational management and/or leadership

• teacher training

• materials writing

• curriculum development

• editing

• publishing

• advertising

Course structure
This Master's degree will take 2 years (1 year at University and 1 year gaining professional experience).

Year 1 – At University
You’ll be in timetabled teaching activities such as lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical classes and workshops for about 12 hours a week. The rest of the time you’ll do independent study such as research, reading, coursework and project work, alone or in a group with others from your course.

Most timetabled teaching takes place during the day, Monday to Friday. You may occasionally need to go to University and course events in the evenings. There’s usually no teaching on Wednesday afternoons.

Year 2 – Professional Experience
During the 12 months of your professional experience module, your working hours will depend on your employer and role but are likely to be around 35–40 hours a week.

You'll also do around 7 hours of seminars/tutorials and work on your assessment, for which you'll need to dedicate independent study time.

Course Modules

The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next.

We design modules that have:

• Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year
• Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams
• Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering

For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit the link to the course page.

https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-taught/ma-applied-linguistics-and-tesol-with-professional-experience#modules