MEd in Teaching English as a Second Language

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MEd in Teaching English as a Second Language

A part-time FULLY ONLINE cohort program.

The goal of this online graduate program is to develop specialized professionals in the field of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL).

Students in the fully online Master of Education in TESL will gain theoretical and practical knowledge in the following areas:

  • Key principles of applied linguistics for teachers
  • Second and foreign language acquisition
  • Second and foreign language teaching methods
  • English proficiency assessment
  • Second and foreign language vocabulary writing
  • Language, discourse, and identity
  • Multilingual literacy and multimodality
The program is offered by the Department of Language & Literacy Education.

Application Deadline: March 15, 2024

Apply Now

Start Date: September 2024
Length: 2.5 years | part-time
Format: 100% Online
Domestic Tuition: $16,388.88 CAD
International Tuition: $18,233.52 CAD


Program Details

About

The online MEd in TESL is intended for:

  • K-12 English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers
  • LINC instructors
  • English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers of K-12 and adult learners
  • K-12 mainstream teachers with multilingual classrooms
  • ESL or EFL curriculum designers, program administrators, educational consultants, and materials developers
  • English proficiency assessors

Proposed Schedule

The 30-credit program is offered part-time over a period of two years and two terms, with scheduling designed to accommodate the needs of practicing teachers and educators. All courses are online and asynchronous, and electives can be taken any time during the program.

Note: This schedule is tentative and is subject to change.

START DATE AND LENGTH COURSE TITLE COURSE CODE
Sept 2022 (13 weeks) Applied Linguistics for Teachers LLED 489B
Jan 2023 (13 weeks) Theory and Research in Teaching English as a Second Language LLED 572
May 2023 (6.5 weeks) Theories of Second Language Acquisition LLED 573
Sept 2023 (13 weeks) Second Language Assessment: Conceptual and Empirical Approaches LLED 526
Jan 2024 (13 weeks) Language, Discourse and Identity LLED 510
May 2024 (6.5 weeks) Theory and Research in Teaching Second Language Writing LLED 574
Sept 2024 (13 weeks) Introduction to Research Methods EDUC 500
Jan 2025 (13 weeks) Graduating Project LLED 590

Elective Courses

In addition to the 8 required courses, students must take 2 approved electives. Electives can be taken at any time during the program. Only one elective can be at the 400-level, the other must be at the 500-level. The selection of the elective courses must be approved by the Cohort Advisor.

Examples of graduate elective courses offered online at UBC:

      • LLED 558 Literacy and Multimodality
      • ETEC 542 Culture and Communication in Virtual Learning Environments
      • EPSE 502 Cognition, Language and Literacy Processes in Education
      • EPSE 512 Critical Issues in Special Education

Examples of undergraduate elective courses offered online at UBC:

      • LLED 479 The Education of Immigrant Students
      • LLED 459 Trends and Issues in Literacy instruction
      • LLED 481 Digital Media in English Language Arts Education
      • LLED 442 Trends and Issues in Teaching Children’s Literature
      • LLED 446 Teaching with Illustrated Materials, K-12: From Picture Books to Information Texts

The selection of the elective courses has to be approved by the Cohort Advisor. Approved electives may also be taken at other universities, subject to the terms of  Visiting Graduate Students.

START DATE & LENGTH COURSE
TITLE
COURSE
CODE
Sept 2020 (13 weeks) Applied Linguistics for Teachers LLED 489B
Jan 2021 (13 weeks) Theory and Research in Teaching English as a Second Language LLED 572
May 2021 (6.5 weeks) Theories of Second Language Acquisition LLED 573
Sept 2021 (13 weeks) Second Language Assessment: Conceptual and Empirical Approaches LLED 526
Jan 2022 (13 weeks) Language Discourse, and Identity LLED 510
May 2022 (6.5 weeks) Theory and Research in Teaching Second Language Writing LLED 574
Sept 2022 (13 weeks) Introduction to Research Methods EDUC 500
Jan 2023 (13 weeks) Graduating Project LLED 590

Application Requirements

All students must meet the requirements for this program, which include:

  1. A completed three- or four-year undergraduate degree.
  2. Minimum GPA of 76% average on all senior-level credits.
  3. Appropriate background in Teaching English as a Second Language, which includes at least 18 credits of relevant senior coursework (e.g., in English Language and Literature, Applied Linguistics, Education, or a related area).
  4. Two years full-time teaching experience or an equivalent combination of engagements within schools, community centres, non-governmental organizations and other education-oriented environments.
  5. A CV (resumé)
  6. Three letters of recommendation.
  7. A 500-word statement of intent that outlines the applicant’s academic strengths and the specific interests he or she would like to pursue in the online MEd in TESL.
Note: In cases where applicants have also completed graduate level coursework toward a master’s or doctoral level program, or as an unclassified student, this coursework is assessed separately. A considerably higher standing may be required because of competitive demand.

Fees

Type Per Installment Total Tuition
Domestic $2,048.61 CAD $16,388.88 CAD
International $2,279.19 CAD $18,233.52 CAD

Graduate tuition is assessed as an annual program fee, which is divided into three equal installments due at the beginning of academic terms starting in September, January and May.

Students in this program will pay a minimum of 8 installments.

Student Fees

Student fees include fees established and authorized by the UBC Board of Governors and fees established and authorized by students societies. These fees are in addition to tuition fees. Please see the UBC Calendar for details on student fees.

Fees are subject to change annually. Only information in the UBC Calendar is official

Funding Eligibility

As this program is part-time, it is not eligible for student loans or other types of funding.

How to Apply

Application Status: Opening October 30, 2023
Application deadline: March 15, 2024


ONLINE APPLICATION

  • Navigate to grad.ubc.ca/apply/online/.
  • When you are ready to apply, click “Apply Online”.
  • Read the instructions, and either log in with your CWL or create a CWL if you have never attended UBC.
  • Once logged in, on the “Degree Program Selection,” type the 4-character cohort designation TES4 into the “Program Keyword” field.
  • IMPORTANT: The program name should be Master of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language – Professional Cohort and the cohort code should be TES4. Please ensure you are applying to the correct program – this part-time Professional Cohort is different than the regular on-campus program.
  • Select the program.
  • When you reach the “Experience & Interests” page of the application, please make sure you choose the appropriate program, as there may be more than one. It should include TES4.
  • When finished entering your information, you must click “Declare & Submit”.
  • You will automatically receive an email acknowledgement, with instructions on documentation and deadlines.

References:

  • When adding your references to your application, you will be asked whether they are professional or academic references. Academic references are those who know you in an academic capacity (e.g. former professors). Professional references would include your principal, vice-principal, or someone who has supervised you.
  • You are strongly encouraged to submit electronic letters of reference. Simply fill in the email addresses of your three referees when completing the online application (an email address is required). References with free, web-based email addresses (e.g. Gmail, Hotmail, etc.) will receive a link to the paper reference form, which must be mailed to our office (address on the reference form).NOTE: Please see “Supporting Documents” below for more information on paper references.

Once you submit and pay for your online application, your referees will automatically receive an email with a link and instructions for completing the electronic reference form or the link to the paper reference form, as above.

A letter can take the place of the reference form as long as it addresses the questions posed in the reference form. Despite the apparent size of the text box, referees may type as much as they want.


SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Please have these ready to upload when you apply:

Transcripts, degree certificates (if applicable), English language assessment report (if applicable), statement of intent, and an up-to-date resume must be uploaded to your application.

In cases where referees are unable to submit an electronic reference, sealed and endorsed reference letters may be sent by mail. Your reference will receive a link to a reference form that they should complete and send back to us.

important Important: Please ask your references to include the 4-character cohort designation TES4 when they submit their reference. All references must arrive in sealed envelopes with the reference’s signature on the seal.

Access the grad reference form..

Cindy Yu
TES4 Graduate Cohort
Faculty of Education, PDCE Office
University of British Columbia
1304-2125 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4


ASSISTANCE

If you require any assistance with the application process, please contact:

Cindy Yu
Senior Program Assistant
604-822-4499
pdce.educ@ubc.ca


Apply Now

Info Sessions

Meet the Program Advisor – Dr. Andreea Cervatiuc – as well as the Program Assistant, and learn more about this program and about applying to become a UBC graduate student.

UPCOMING SESSIONS

December 11, 2023 | 4:00pm PT

February 8, 2024 | 4:00pm PT


Missed our info sessions?

Review the PDF slides from our info session on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Download the slides (PDF)

Contacts

For program content questions:

Dr. Andreea Cervatiuc
Cohort Advisor
Department of Language & Literacy Education
604–822–6345
andreea.cervatiuc@ubc.ca

For application questions or assistance:

Cindy Yu
Senior Program Assistant
604-822-4499
pdce.educ@ubc.ca

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