English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is a special area of concentration within the Instructional Systems Development (ISD) Master's Program. The ESOL/Bilingual MA Program is offered by the Department of Education in collaboration with The Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics. The concentration is designed to train both prospective and experienced teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL). It provides students with a strong theoretical and practical foundation in applied linguistics, language acquisition, ESL/EFL methodology, testing, cross-cultural studies and curriculum development. The ISD core of the program prepares the students for the analysis, design, and development of instructional programs and their systematic operation, evaluation and maintenance.

Students can choose to study for the Master's in ESOL or the Post Baccalaureate Certificate;

The Master's course of study consists of 12 courses (36 credits). There are options to write a thesis requiring 3 additional credits and to follow a state certification program requiring 9 additional credits.

The Post Baccalaureate Certificate Program consists of 4 graduate level courses, 2 required and 2 elective. Courses can be taken face-to-face or online.

Students can take courses at a pace to suit their situations; one, two or three courses per semester during fall and spring semesters. Summer courses are also possible.

(Students can choose to do a Thesis as part of their MA program.)

(Students can also choose to add K-12 ESOL certification to the ESOL/Bilingual concentration as part of their MA experience.)

Career Opportunities

The ESOL concentration (ISD M.A. Program) prepares students for a wide variety of ESOL and ESOL-related careers including:
  • Teaching English as a second or foreign language in universities, community colleges and language institutes across the U.S.;
  • Administering and/or teaching in K-12 ESOL and bilingual programs in public and private schools in Maryland and throughout the U.S.;
  • Working with refugee, migrant and immigrant groups in adult education programs;
  • Working with ESL/EFL programs around the world through international universities, private language schools, and public educational systems.
Graduates of UMBC's ESOL MA Program have:
  • Taught ESL and EFL to English language learners at all proficiency levels;
  • Become Peace Corps volunteers and trainers in Peace Corp training programs;
  • Worked as ESOL and/or cross-cultural trainers for cross-cultural training organizations, school systems, state and government agencies, and corporations that deal with bilingual/bicultural groups;
  • Taught ESOL students in public school at all grade levels;
  • Assumed administrative positions in K-12, English language institutes, and government and business ESL/EFL programs;
  • Run adult education programs around the United States and in many countries around the world.
Program Requirements

Admission to the ESOL MA Program is on a competitive basis. Applicants should have:
  • an undergraduate degree with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA,
  • 3 references,
  • better than a 500 on the GRE Verbal test and
  • a statement of purpose that shows interest in the field.
  • Second language speakers of English must also have a TOEFL score of 550 (213 on the iBT Test)

Admission to the Certificate Program is also on a competitive basis. Applicants should have:
  • an undergraduate degree with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA,
  • 2 references,
  • better than a 450 on the GRE Verbal test or better than a 527 composite score on the Praxis I test,
  • a statement of purpose that shows interest in the field.
  • Second language speakers of English must also have a TOEFL score of 55 (213 on the iBT Test)
Degree Requirements

The Basic ISD ESOL/Bilingual MA program consists of 12 three credit courses, 36 credits in all, including courses in Instructional System Development, teaching methods, linguistics, testing, cross-cultural communication, theories of language acquisition and educational research. A project seminar course and a practicum course complete the program.

The ISD ESOL/Bilingual MA with Thesis program consists of 11 three credit courses and a 6 credit course for thesis writing, 39 credits in all. Most of the required courses are the same as for the basic program, but exclude the project seminar and practicum courses and include a course either in methods of field research or a quantitative research methods course in addition to the thesis course.

The ISD ESOL/Bilingual MA program with K-12 Certification requires 9 additional credits beyond the basic program, and 12 additional credits for students who plan to follow the thesis program. K-12 Certification requires 100 days of internship experience in public elementary and secondary schools, in accordance with requirements made by the Maryland State Department of Education.

The ESOL Post Baccalaureate is a 4 course program. The 2 required courses are Methods of Teaching ESOL and Cross Cultural Communication. Elective courses include 2 methods courses of teaching reading and writing, a grammar of American English course, a course on testing and evaluation for ESOL teachers, a course on Linguistics and Bilingualism, a course on Theories of second language acquisition, and a course on technology for ESOL teachers. Note: All courses taken for the Certificate can be applied to the MA in ESOL if the student wishes to continue his/her studies.

Course Offerings

EDUC 601: Human Learning and Cognition (Required)
EDUC 602: Instructional Systems Development I (Required)
EDUC 771: Research Designs in Education (Required)

EDUC 688: Methods and Techniques in Teaching English as a Second Language (Required)
EDUC 625: Teaching Reading and Writing to the ESOL/Bilingual Student I (Required)
EDUC 689L: Linguistics and Bilingualism (Required)
MLL 625: Intercultural/Cross-Cultural Communications (Required)

EDUC 655: Teaching Reading and Writing to the ESOL/Bilingual Student
(Elective - required for K-12 Certification)
EDUC 636: English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Testing and Evaluation
(Elective - required for K-12 Certification)

MLL 670: Second Language Acquisition and Learning: From Theory to Practice
(Elective - required for K-12 Certification)
LING 694: American English Structure for ESL/EFL Teachers: Phonology, Morphology, & Syntax (Elective - required for K-12 Certification)
EDUC 689E: Technology for the ESOL Teacher (Elective)

EDUC 791S: ESOL Internship Phase I (Required for K-12 Certification)
EDUC 792L: ESOL Internship Phase II (Required for K-12 Certification)
EDUC 792S: ESOL Practicum (Required for non-K-12 Certification students)

EDUC 794: ISD Project Seminar in ESOL (Required for non-thesis option)
EDUC 684: Introduction to Field Research Methods in School or Community
(Elective for Thesis Option)
EDUC 645: Qualitative Research Methods (Elective for Thesis Option)
EDUC 799: Master's Thesis Research (Required for Thesis Option)

(Click here to download course descriptions.)

Internships and/or K -12 Student Teaching

The Internship is a field-oriented experience in a setting consistent with the student's professional preparation and career goals. It provides the student the opportunity to put into practice the skills and knowledge acquired in the program's courses. Internships last from 3 to 6 months and can be done in the United States or abroad. The program has internship agreements with institutions in Ecuador, Korea, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay. Some internships include paid round trip transportation and room and board. Internships can also be arranged individually by the student.

Students who add the K -12 ESOL Certification option to their program are required to do 2 semesters of student observation/teaching in K -12 ESOL public school programs in the Baltimore/Washington area. This internship is experienced at both elementary and secondary schools. Students who are employed as ESOL teachers can use their employment site to satisfy this requirement. An internship at an accredited K -12 international school program abroad is possible but must be worked out by the student and the participating school.

Thesis Research

Thesis option students develop a research proposal and write a thesis under the guidance of a mentor and several faculty advisors. Thesis students can do their thesis research in the United States or abroad. Many of our students who have gone on to doctoral programs have found their thesis experience helpful.

Frequently asked questions about ACADEMICS:

1. What are some of the strengths of the program?

Full-time Faculty: Members of the Program faculty belong to the Departments of Education and Modern Languages/Linguistics. They are international in make-up with expertise in applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, instructional systems development, psychology, research, ESL and EFL program development, methodology, curriculum development, and testing and evaluation. They have had considerable experience with K-12, adult, and university programs, both ESOL and bilingual, throughout the U.S.and abroad.

Internships in the U.S. and Abroad: The UMBC program has a strong internship component. With program connections to local school systems and a variety of international situations, students are provided with opportunities for practicum and internship experiences throughout Maryland and in such countries as Korea, Ecuador, Mexico, Turkey, Egypt and China.

Resource Center for Language and Culture: The program has its own Resource Center at the University. This unique center provides a wealth of materials in a place where students can meet and study. The Center's very large collection consists of cross-cultural, foreign language, and ESOL journals, texts, videos, and other materials.

Diverse Student Body: The students in the program come from various parts of the United States and from around the world. They bring a rich variety of academic and professional experience to the program. Many have been ESL/EFL learners themselves.

Program and Post-program Employment: Program students have many opportunities to tutor, teach, and work in ESL related settings. Opportunities exist in local K-12 ESOL programs, colleges/universities, English language institutes, special language programs, and ESOL/bilingual support centers. Salaries range from $10 to $40 per hour. The program maintains a job bank and subscribes to many job placement services. It also acts as a U.S. recruiter for EFL programs in Korea, Mexico and Ecuador. Prospective employers seek out program students and graduates because of the program's theory to practice emphasis.

Broad-based Preparation: Besides providing a strong foundation in applied linguistics and ESL/EFL methodology, the program also places a strong emphasis in instructional systems development (ISD) and cross-cultural training. The ISD core of the program prepares students to analyze, design, develop, operate, and evaluate instructional programs. Because of this training, many graduates are hired for administrative jobs with instructional and/or training programs.
2. Does the program prepare teachers for all levels of ESL and EFL?

Yes. Graduates of the program are prepared to teach both ESL and EFL at elementary, secondary, adult, and college levels. All courses are designed to incorporate both ESL and EFL at elementary, secondary, adult, and college levels. All courses are designed to incorporate both ESL and EFL theory, methodology, and practice. Students can choose to focus on any area in their outside assignments, special projects, and papers. The majority of the students prepare for teaching both ESL and EFL. Some focus on K-12; others focus on teaching adults.
3. How long will it take me to finish the ESOL/Bilingual M.A. program?

The basic program requires 12 courses to complete. Full-time students can complete the program by taking 3 courses each fall and spring and 1 or 2 courses in the summer. This would enable them to finish in a year and a half. Part-time students taking 2 courses per semester would need 2 and a half years to complete the program. Students interested in taking the certification option should expect to take at least an additional semester to complete the program. The internship experience requires a full academic year, and course loads in addition to the internship should not be too demanding. Students choosing the Thesis option often also require an additional semester to complete the program.
4. How large is the program?

The program has approximately 85 MA students and 20 Certification students. Approximately one half of these students are part-time (1-2 classes/semester).
5. What is the difference between the non-thesis and thesis options?

Students who choose the non-thesis option attend a project seminar class and take a written comprehensive exam at the end of the program. Thesis option students, many of whom are planning to go on to a doctoral program upon graduation, develop a research proposal and write a thesis under the guidance of a mentor and several faculty advisors. The thesis preparation takes the place of the project seminar. The thesis option requires 3 more credits than the non-thesis option.
6. How difficult is it to be admitted into the program?

Admission into the program is competitive. Applicants first must meet the University of Maryland Graduate School Baltimore admission requirements (see graduate catalog). All applications are screened by the program's admissions committee. Final decisions are based on the applicants' past academic experience, GRE scores, recommendations, and letters of intent. We actively recruit students from diverse backgrounds and academic preparations. At present, approximately 10-16 new students are accepted each semester.
7. What is K-12 ESOL Certification? How could it be useful to me?

Obtaining K-12 ESOL Certification will enable you to be hired as an ESOL teacher in a Maryland public school system. ESOL teachers in Maryland teach English language learners in a variety of ways depending on their job placement. Opportunities are available at both elementary and secondary levels. ESOL teachers teach self-contained classes, pull-out classes and in inclusion situations depending on the system and placement they receive. Maryland ESOL Certification is recognized in many other states and in American schools overseas. Each state has its own requirements for certification and may require additional training, but Maryland certification standards are similar to and more rigorous than those of most other states.
8. How much more course work does it take to get the M.A. plus K-12 ESOL Certification?

The non-certification option requires 36 credits including a 3 credit student teaching option called the practicum. The certification option requires 45 total credits including 9 credits of student teaching called the internship.
9. Do I need to decide now if I want to pursue K-12 ESOL Certification in addition to the M.A.?

No. You can decide to pursue certification after you have started taking courses at UMBC. Once on campus, you can talk more extensively with your academic advisor and with students who are already studying for certification so that you can make a more informed decision.
10. Can I get credit toward the MA for courses that I have already taken?

Students can transfer up to 6 credit hours (2 courses) toward the master's degree. These courses must be of a similar nature to courses that are required for the degree and they must be at the graduate level. The courses can be from any accredited university or college. Prospective students can take one or two courses in the program as non-degree students with the permission of program advisors. These courses do not assure acceptance into the program, but they can be counted toward the degree if the student is admitted.

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