Program Overview

MA in Applied Linguistics

The MA in Applied Linguistics program is designed to train graduate students to be effective teachers of adult learners of English as a second or foreign language. This program focuses on adult learners and does not lead to New York State certification for K-12 teaching.

Program Overview

The program consists of 36 credits of seminar teaching, independent student research, and classroom practicums, which students typically complete in 1-2 years. Both full-time and part-time study programs are available, accommodating the schedules of working professionals with daytime jobs. All courses are taught Monday through Thursday, beginning at 6:30 pm, with both online/hybrid and in-person courses available.

Admissions Requirements

• Completion of a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA minimum.
• Applicants whose first language is not English and who do not hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited American institution of higher education must submit proof of having achieved a score of 600 or higher on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
• Three letters of recommendation.
• A personal essay of approximately 500 words.
• The credentials of each applicant will be examined by the Linguistics Graduate Admissions Committee. An interview may be requested.
• The number of applicants approved for matriculation is limited by available resources. Therefore, applicants who otherwise meet minimum requirements for matriculation may not necessarily be admitted.
• Application deadlines: June 15 for Fall matriculation (study may commence in the summer for students who submit their application by April 30) and November 15 for Winter/Spring matriculation.

Maintenance Requirements

• Minimum overall grade point average of B (3.0).
• All students must file a Program of Study form with the Program Director.

Degree Requirements

• Satisfactory completion of the following 36 credits: LCD 701, 702, 703, 705, 706, 707, 720, 740.3, 741.3, 742, 750, 790.
• Completion of course requirements with a minimum overall grade point average of B (3.0).

Courses

• LCD 701: Introduction to Linguistics. 3 hours; 3 credits. Structural aspects of language most relevant to the ENL and/or literacy teacher.
• LCD 702: Teaching English Sentence Structure I. 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite or corequisite: LCD 701. Introduction to the grammar of English and applications to teaching ENL, Part I.
• LCD 703: Teaching English Sentence Structure II. 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: LCD 702. Introduction to the grammar of English and applications to teaching ENL, Part II. Continuation of LCD 702.
• LCD 705: Language and Cross-cultural Communication. 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite or corequisite: LCD 701. The acquisition and use of non-native languages from a cross-cultural perspective.
• LCD 706: 3 credits; 3 hours. Prerequisite or corequisite: LCD 701. Sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic properties of bilingualism, legal history, and educational foundations of bilingual education.
• LCD 707: Evaluation and Measurement in TESOL. 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: LCD 703 and 741. Discussion of contemporary issues and problems in ENL testing.
• LCD 720: Teaching English Sound Structure. 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite or corequisite: LCD 701. Introduction to the sound structure of English and applications to teaching ENL.
• LCD 740.3: Multilingual Language Development. 3 hours plus 25 hours of fieldwork; 3 credits. Prerequisite or corequisite: LCD 701. Introduction to the linguistic and pedagogical theories and methods of teaching ENL.
• LCD 741.3: Methods and Materials of TESOL: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing. 3 hours plus 25 hours of fieldwork tutorial; 3 credits. Prerequisite: LCD 702 and 740. Comprehensive review of the methods and materials used in TESOL/ENL classes to teach the four language skills.
• LCD 742: Methods and Materials of TESOL: The Content Areas. 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: LCD 741. Principles and practices for TESOL/ENL through academic content areas.
• LCD 750: Practicum in Adult TESOL. 5 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: LCD 703, 705 or 706; corequisite: LCD 742. Supervised teaching experience plus a weekly two-hour seminar focused on classroom-related issues in second language acquisition and instruction.
• LCD 790: Seminar in Research in TESOL. 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisite: LCD 707 and 742. Analysis of selected research studies related to TESOL.