M.A. Linguistics: English as a Second Language at University of South Florida

Programme overview

The M.A. in Linguistics: English as a Second Language prepares students to teach second languages to non-native speakers, building on a linguistics program dating to the early 1960s and applied linguistics preparation of ESL/ESOL/EFL educators since the 1970s. Alumni teach in public and private institutes in Tampa Bay and worldwide, and some continue to doctoral study.

Faculty: College of Arts and Sciences | Department: World Languages | Duration: 36 credit hours | Study mode: full-time | Location: Tampa, FL, United States

What you will study

24 credits of core (Applied Linguistics, Grammatical Structure of American English, Second Language Acquisition, Methods of Teaching ESL, ESOL Curriculum and Instruction, Language Testing, Cross-Cultural Issues in ESL), 9 credits of electives and a 3-credit internship. Non-thesis; exit assessments include written products, an oral exam and a portfolio. Proficiency in a language other than the student's native language is required by the end of the major.

Career pathways

Teaching second languages to non-native speakers.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Meet USF university admission and English proficiency requirements. Three letters of recommendation; two-page statement of purpose; CV; interview with program faculty. Proficiency in a second language is required by graduation.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Master's and Educational Specialist admission is offered for Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.

Final university deadlines for master's and Educational Specialist programmes: June 1 for Fall, October 15 for Spring, February 15 for Summer. Programme-specific priority deadlines apply for funding and consideration; priority applications receive maximum consideration and later applications are considered on a space-available basis.

The nonrefundable graduate degree-seeking application fee is $30, paid through the Online Graduate Application site; international applicants may pay by electronic fund transfer from international banks. Test scores (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, etc.) are required only if the programme requires them.

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