Program Overview

Program Overview

The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages – TESOL Advanced Certificate program is a post-masters, advanced certificate program designed to prepare certified teachers to teach students for whom English is a second or additional language. This program will equip teachers with the necessary skills to teach English using specialized methods and techniques that differ from those used by teachers of English to monolingual English speakers.

Coursework and Clinical Experiences

Courses are offered in the afternoon and evening, with select courses requiring hours of classroom experience (fieldwork) in a New York City public school. Students also participate in supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) as the culmination of their course of study. Student teaching and/or practicum requires five full days per week for at least one semester. School observations can be conducted through the medium of teacher-recorded video for teachers who opt to do student-teaching/practicum outside of New York City.

Credits

The program consists of 18 credits.

Certification

Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible for ESOL PreK-12 certification.

Eligibility and Admission Requirements

This program is designed for applicants who possess a master's degree and New York State teacher certification in one of the following areas: early childhood, childhood, middle childhood, or adolescent education, special subjects, students with disabilities, or literacy.

• A master's degree from an accredited institution with a Grade Point Average of at least 3.0
• New York State teacher certification in one of the following areas:
  • Early childhood
  • Childhood
  • Middle Childhood
  • Adolescent education
  • Special subjects
  • Students with disabilities
  • Literacy
• College coursework in linguistics and English grammar
• 12 credits in world languages other than English documented on a transcript or equivalent credits through pre-approved standardized proficiency exams
  • Complete a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam offered by the College Board and earn a score of 50 or higher
    • Offered in French, German, and Spanish for 6-9 credits
    • Students must score 50 or higher on CLEP exams; some exams may require a score of 63 or higher, depending on prior language study
  • Complete both the oral and written proficiency portions of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) examination
    • Students must receive a score of Intermediate High for the exams to satisfy the equivalent of 12 credits in world language
• 6 credits in English, 6 credits in social studies (with at least one course in U.S. history or U.S. geography), and 12 credits in math/science/technology
• Two letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose describing the applicant's purpose and objectives in undertaking graduate study in the field of TESOL
• An on-site oral interview and an on-site writing sample may be required

Application Deadlines

• Fall Start: March 15, with an extended deadline of April 15
• Spring Start: October 15

Related Programs

If you are a New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) employee, you may be eligible for the Bilingual/TESOL Intensive Teacher Institute (ITI) program, with significantly subsidized tuition by the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Alternatively, if you do not hold New York State teacher certification, consider applying for the master's degree program in TESOL Pre K-12. For those with a master's in TESOL, Linguistics, or Applied Linguistics, the TESOL Advanced Certificate program for those with an advanced degree in TESOL or Linguistics may be a suitable option.