Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (Taught)

Prepare for a career in the fast-evolving world of English language teaching. You’ll gain fresh perspectives on English language education across the globe.

Our MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) course is a specialist master's suitable for anyone working - or aspiring to work - in the field of teaching English as an international language.

Throughout the course, you’ll be challenged to think differently about how English is used, taught and learnt worldwide. You’ll analyse its role as the world’s major international language, challenge the assumptions many have about its use, and explore current issues and debates.

Gain up-to-date knowledge

Working with expert tutors who have taught English around the world, you’ll explore professional practice, research and theory, to enhance your knowledge of the latest developments in TESOL. All of the teaching staff you’ll work with are active researchers, so the knowledge you’ll gain will be relevant and contemporary.

As well as this, you’ll develop advanced academic and communication skills, to give you a solid foundation for future careers and doctoral study.

We place particular emphasis on helping you to apply the latest thinking about English language teaching to different social and cultural contexts, including your own. In addition to core units, you will have the opportunity to:

• attend specialised teacher training workshops to gain expertise in relevant classroom procedures

• develop your academic writing, communication and study skills

• take part in discussions that focus on current key topics and issues in TESOL

• gain advice from MA TESOL graduates and current PhD students about dissertation and research topics

• share experiences with language educators from a range of backgrounds and build your international network of professional contacts

Apply your skills with a consultancy project

The consultancy project is an alternative to a dissertation. It offers you the opportunity to use the knowledge and research skills you’ll develop during your studies to work on an issue or strategic priority with an external organisation.

Projects are research-based and typically developed in collaboration with an organisation, such as a school, university, governmental department or education provider. This collaborative aspect means that you’ll be looking a current challenge, which will allow you to demonstrate your academic learning in a real-world context and enhance your CV.

Consultancy projects may involve activities such as:

• critical evaluation of existing policies or practices

• research-informed proposals for improvement or reform

• internationalisation-related projects

• analysis to support institutional strategy, development, or marketing

• community engagement or outreach initiatives

• critical analysis of organisational or sector-level data

Once you have designed and completed an appropriate piece of research, you’ll present your findings and recommendations as a presentation and written academic report.

Consultancy project places are limited each year. You will be supported to identify and develop a feasible project in collaboration with an organisation, either through one of our external partners or via your own professional network. If a suitable project cannot be secured, you will complete a dissertation instead.

Graduate prospects

Many of our graduates have gone on to work in a range of English language educator roles within schools, colleges and universities; or as academic language tutors, teacher trainers, or educational leaders. Lots of these roles are based in different countries across the world.

Recent graduates have gone on to education roles within organisations such as:

• Beijing Normal University

• British Council

• Dulwich College

• Kaplan International

• New Oriental Education & Technology Group

• Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

• Coursework
• Dissertation
• Essay
• Oral presentation
• Portfolio
• Project output (other than dissertation or report)
• Reflective assessment
• Report