Minor in TESOL

APU’s TESOL minor prepares students to teach English as a second language.

18 units

The undergraduate minor in TESOL is especially suited to students majoring in English, Spanish, or liberal studies (education), yet is open to all students. Students who choose the option to take graduate-level courses TESL 545 and TESL 557 will have completed the requirements for the graduate TEFL Certificate.

The TESOL minor:

  • Prepares students to teach English as a second language in public adult schools, private language schools, and developing countries.
  • Prepares students for service in the U.S. among refugees, immigrants, and international students, and also for mission opportunities abroad.
  • Prepares students to pursue graduate studies in TESOL or applied linguistics. TESOL minors who pursue graduate studies in TESOL at APU will already have completed at least one of the required courses for the MA in TESOL.
  • Enhances students’ prospects for employment or acceptance to a graduate program, including their chances of obtaining a teaching assistantship at a university. In particular, students with this minor are prepared for the California Designated Subject (ESL) Adult Education Teaching Credential.
  • Facilitates the development of public speaking and general classroom management skills.

Requirements

  • Students must achieve at least a 2.0 grade-point average in the six courses.
  • Students intending to obtain a Designated Subject Adult Education Teaching Credential should also enroll in POLI 150 American Government.
ENGL 402Principles of Language3
ENGL 404Approaches to Grammar3
ENGL 406Writing 3: Advanced Composition 13
TESL 505Second-language Acquisition 23
Select one of the following:3
TESL 345
Second-language Pedagogy I
TESL 545
Second-language Pedagogy I 2
Select one of the following:3
TESL 456
Teaching Practicum
TESL 557
Reflective Teaching 2
Total Units18
1

Meets the General Education Writing 3 requirement.

2

Senior standing required, and approval must be obtained from the department chair of the student’s major, in order to take graduate-level courses.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:
  1. Articulate a coherent understanding of the process of language acquisition and the effect on language acquisition of both individual and contextual variables.
    2.
  2. Describe the linguistic structures and development of English.
    3.
  3. Apply, through anticipated or actual teaching, the principles of classroom language pedagogy to teach both oral and written English.
    4.
  4. Evaluate language teaching materials and use them in lesson planning.