Teaching English as a Second Language

Post Undergraduate TESL Diploma Program

Program Description

Students may enroll full time or part time. Those students who begin in September and attend full time may complete the program in approximately 8 months. A total of four years are allowed to complete the program. Students are strongly recommended to volunteer at an ESL program while registered in the program. Students must register at least once each September to August period to keep their programs active.

Admission Requirements

Program Plan A

• Applicants must have completed a 4 year Bachelor's degree and have a minimum GPA of B over the latest 60 course weights of academic work.
• Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must provide proof of proficiency in the English language. Proficiency is demonstrated by a satisfactory score on one of the following approved English language examinations: an iBT TOEFL or special at-home edition score of 94, with minimum scores of 22 in the listening, speaking, reading, and writing components; a minimum IELTS Academic overall score of 7 with a minimum of 6.5 in each skill area; a CAEL overall 70 with a minimum of 60; or a PTE total score of 64 with a minimum band score of 61.
• Applicants should have some experience teaching ESL/EFL (volunteer or paid, minimum 50 hours recommended).
  
  
   

  • Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must provide proof of proficiency in the English language. Proficiency is demonstrated by a satisfactory score on one of the following approved English language examinations: an iBT TOEFL score of 94, with minimum scores of 22 in the listening, speaking, reading, and writing components; a minimum IELTS Academic overall score of 7 with a minimum of 6.5 in each skill area; a CAEL overall 70 with a minimum of 60; or a PTE total score of 64 with a minimum band score of 61.
   
  • The following minimum English language proficiency scores for non-native speakers of English may be considered for admission to Program Plan B: An iBT TOEFL score of 90, with minimum scores of 21 in each section; a minimum IELTS Academic score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0; a score of at least 70 on the listening and speaking bands of the CAEL with no band less than 60; OR a PTE score of 61, with no score less than 60 in each communicative score is required to satisfy the English language proficiency requirement.

Program Plan B

(effective January 2014)

• Applicants must have completed a 4 year Bachelor's degree and have a minimum GPA of B over the latest 60 course weights of academic work.
• Students with little or no ESL/EFL teaching experience, and/or non-native English speaking students with English language proficiency scores that do not meet the requirements for Program Plan A are encouraged to apply to Program Plan B.
• The following minimum English language proficiency scores for non-native speakers of English may be considered for admission to Program Plan B: An iBT TOEFL score of 90, with minimum scores of 21 in each section; a minimum IELTS Academic score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0; a score of at least 70 on the listening and speaking bands of the CAEL with no band less than 60; OR a PTE score of 61, with no score less than 60 in each communicative score is required to satisfy the English language proficiency requirement.
• Duolingo: minimum 120 overall with no subscore below 100

   

  • Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must provide proof of proficiency in the English language. Proficiency is demonstrated by a satisfactory score on one of the following approved English language examinations: an iBT TOEFL score of 94, with minimum scores of 22 in the listening, speaking, reading, and writing components; a minimum IELTS Academic overall score of 7 with a minimum of 6.5 in each skill area; a CAEL overall 70 with a minimum of 60; or a PTE total score of 64 with a minimum band score of 61.
   
  • The following minimum English language proficiency scores for non-native speakers of English may be considered for admission to Program Plan B: An iBT TOEFL score of 90, with minimum scores of 21 in each section; a minimum IELTS Academic score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0; a score of at least 70 on the listening and speaking bands of the CAEL with no band less than 60; OR a PTE score of 61, with no score less than 60 in each communicative score is required to satisfy the English language proficiency requirement.

Students in Plan B would register for EDPY 497 (TESL Field Observation) in lieu of EDPY 419 (TESL Supervised Practicum). In EDPY 497 (TESL Field Observation), students complete 25 hours of adult ESL classroom observation. If they meet the minimum English language proficiency and/or ESL teaching experience requirements for EDPY 419 during their TESL Diploma program, they may request approval to register for EDPY 419.

Program Requirements

A total of 24 credits are required for the TESL diploma (equivalent to eight 3-credit courses). Students who have taken some of the required courses as part of another degree or credential will be able to replace them with options in order to complete the 24 credits. A minimum of 4 three-credit courses must be completed while registered in the diploma.

Pre- or Co-Requisite

• LING 101 Introduction to Linguistic Analysis. Students must pass LING 101 before continuing in the program (or it can be taken in the first term of the program). Please note that LING 100 does not fulfill this requirement.

Required Courses

• EDPY 416 Introduction to TESL (pre/co-requisite LING 101)
• EDPY 417 Grammar of English for Teachers of Adult ESL
• EDPY 418 Methodology in the Teaching of English as a Second Language to Adults
• EDPY 419 TESL Supervised Practicum (Program Plan A) or EDPY 497 TESL Field Observation (Program Plan B)
• A 3-credit language course (e.g., Spanish, Japanese, etc.) If the applicant is a non-native speaker of English, this requirement will be waived and the course will be replaced by a TESL-approved option.
• Three program-approved options (consult the TESL Diploma Student Handbook.)

* Note: If students are unable to register for a course on Bear Tracks, please contact educ.info@ualberta.ca.