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M.S. Degree in Bilingual, Multicultural Education & TESOL

The Master of Science Degree in Bilingual, Multicultural Education & TESOL is designed for individuals interested in English and foreign languages who want to enter the areas of bilingual, multicultural education, and the teaching of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). This page addresses the following three topics: course requirements, the capstone experience, and admission procedures.

 

Program Course Requirements

With the approval of the graduate adviser, students select graduate courses from the department's offerings. Students must maintain an average of B (3.0) or higher. They enroll in a minimum of 30 credits of coursework; six core courses are required. Following are the lists of core and elective courses. Recommended course cycles are also provided.

 

Coursework

The six required core courses are:

  1. FLA 502:  Descriptive Linguistics
  2. FLA 503:  Second Language Acquisition
  3. FLA 510:  TESOL:  Principles and Practices
  4. FLA 511:  TESOL:  Methods and Materials
  5. FLA 515:  Bilingual Education:  Principles and Practices
  6. SOC 510 or EDU 563 or URB 560

    7. SOC 510:  Ethnic and Racial Relations
    EDU 563:  Anti-Bias and Multicultural Perspectives in the Classroom
    URB 560: Ethnic Realities in the American Community


Electives include:

  • FLA 512:  TESOL Practicum (1-6 credits)
  • FLA 517:  Literacy Development for ELLs
  • FLA 518:  Content-Based Instruction for English Language Learners
  • FLA 521:  Assessment for English Language Learners
  • FLA 590:  Thesis Seminar and Thesis (6 credits, required for thesis option)
  • FLA 600:  Independent Study
  • EDU 592:  Research in Education
  • ENG 504:  The Teaching of Writing
  • ENG 505:  Applied English Linguistics
  • ENG 510:  History of the English Language

Course Cycles

Of the required six core courses, four are required to be taken in a sequence.  The sequence is designed to build a pedagogical framework upon a strong theoretical foundation in linguistics and language acquisition theory.  The four core course sequence is:


FLA 502:  Descriptive Linguistics
FLA 503:  Second Language Acquisition
FLA 510:  TESOL: Principles and Practices
FLA 511:  TESOL: Methods and Materials

A handout entitled Course Cycle: MS in Bilingual Education/TESOL is available upon request.  This document contains an explanation of the four course sequence. It also provides a calendar of course offerings and recommended course cycles: one to complete in two years, and one to complete in four years, for the teacher who wishes to take one course per semester.  A sample recommended two-year degree cycle is as follows:

Year I. Fall: FLA 502, 515; Spring: FLA 503, 517; Summer: FLA 518

Year II. Fall: FLA 510, 505; Spring: FLA 511, 521; Summer EDU 563

 

Capstone Experience Options

Students complete the master's degree by following one of three capstone options:

  • Comprehensive Examination Option - 30 Credits

Students enroll in 30 credits of coursework, including all core courses. Upon completion of coursework, they must pass a comprehensive examination. This exam requires the student to create three essay exam questions in consultation with the adviser. The faculty approve the three questions and select one, for which the student then writes a paper within a three-week period. At the end of the semester, the student presents an informal, oral form of the paper at the program's Capstone Colloquium. See Comprehensive Exam instructions.

  • Thesis Option - 33 Credits

With the permission of the graduate adviser and the chairman, students may exercise the thesis option. Students earn 27 credits of coursework, including all core courses. They also receive six credits for completion of the thesis.

  • Special Applied Project - 36 Credits

With the permission of the graduate adviser and the chairman, students may exercise the special applied project option. This option allows students to apply their theoretical and methodological competencies to the creation of an instrumental project. Students earn 33 credits of coursework, including all core courses. They receive three credits for the completion of the applied project.

 

Requirements for Admission

Candidates must apply to the Graduate School and present:

  • bachelor's degree transcript from an approved, accredited institution
  • minimum of a 2.7 QPR in an undergraduate program that includes a background in foreign languages, the arts and humanities, mathematics and science, and social and behavioral sciences
  • statement of intent
  • copy of Connecticut state certification, if candidate currently is certified
  • minimum TOEFL score of 600, if candidate is a non-native speaker of English and does not have a degree from an English-speaking institution of higher education.

Submit the letter of intent and copies of certification directly to the TESOL Program. Submit application and all other materials directly to SCSU's Office of Graduate Studies. You may receive an application by contacting the Office of Graduate Studies, or you may apply online via their Web site.

Once all materials are received, the candidate's file is reviewed for admissions. The accepted candidate will then be required to meet with a program adviser to create a planned program of study. The department reserves the right to require additional courses of students whose experiences and training indicate deficiencies. Application deadlines are April 1 for fall semester and November 1 for spring semester.