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Applied Linguistics and TESOL (with Professional Experience) at University of Portsmouth - UCAS

University of Portsmouth

Degree level: Postgraduate

Applied Linguistics and TESOL (with Professional Experience) (Taught)

Course options

2024 - 20252025 - 2026
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Course summary

Overview If you're a teacher of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL, ELT, EFL, EAP), or looking to begin a TESOL career, this two-year MA Applied Linguistics and TESOL (with Professional Experience) degree will enable you to enhance your skills and employability with real workplace experience. During your first year, you'll be taught by our linguistics experts at the University, learning to apply the latest TESOL theory to classroom situations and critically evaluate your own approaches to teaching in a global context. You'll also work on lesson and course planning and design, and learn how to conduct and analyse research into teaching techniques. If you've completed initial ELT, TESOL or TEFL teacher training but you don't yet have a minimum of three months full-time teaching experience, you'll also do an extra module to build up your practical teaching skills. In Year 2, you'll apply your learning on a 12-month work placement or professional experience programme tailored to your career goals. You'll graduate with the communication and intercultural skills and expertise to work as a more effective and well-rounded TESOL practitioner, in the UK or overseas. Eligibility This course accepts UK, EU, and international students. What you'll experience

  • Gain first-hand experience on a 12-month professional experience module or work placement related to your chosen career, such as in an English language school, allowing you to apply theory to practice and build a solid professional network
  • Enhance your abilities to teach English to speakers of other languages in the UK and around the world
  • Expand your knowledge of the theories and methods used in linguistics, and conduct and analyse research into teaching techniques
  • Reflect on your classroom practice in order to improve the way you teach
  • Learn to plan and design lessons and courses that create an effective and engaging learning experience for students
Careers and opportunities English is a global language. Those who teach English to speakers of other languages need expert training in the field, both theoretical and in the classroom, in order to provide the highest standards of teaching. This Master's course will give you an internationally recognised qualification, a year of professional experience, and the linguistics and teaching theory to gain a competitive advantage and deliver the best possible TESOL training. Graduates of this course have gone onto areas such as:
  • teaching English as a second/foreign language
  • teaching ESOL in the UK
  • teaching other languages, applying skills learning on this course
  • educational management and/or leadership
  • teacher training
  • materials writing
  • curriculum development
  • editing
  • publishing
  • advertising
Course structure This Master's degree will take 2 years (1 year at University and 1 year gaining professional experience). Year 1 – At University You’ll be in timetabled teaching activities such as lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical classes and workshops for about 12 hours a week. The rest of the time you’ll do independent study such as research, reading, coursework and project work, alone or in a group with others from your course. Most timetabled teaching takes place during the day, Monday to Friday. You may occasionally need to go to University and course events in the evenings. There’s usually no teaching on Wednesday afternoons. Year 2 – Professional Experience During the 12 months of your professional experience module, your working hours will depend on your employer and role but are likely to be around 35–40 hours a week. You'll also do around 7 hours of seminars/tutorials and work on your assessment, for which you'll need to dedicate independent study time.

Modules

Year 1 Core modules You'll take all core modules.

  • Second Language Acquisition (30 credits)
  • Theory and Practice of Tesol (30 credits)
Optional modules
  • Analysing Discourse (30 credits)
  • Analysing, Evaluating and Writing Materials (30 credits)
  • Dissertation Project (60 credits)
  • Professional Portfolio (30 credits)
  • Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching (30 credits)
  • The English Language Teaching Project (30 credits)
  • Using Language Corpora for Teaching and Research (30 credits)
  • World Englishes (30 credits)
Year 2 Core modules Professional Experience - 120 credits Other modules you'll study You'll also do a Placement Preparation module, which isn't worth any credits but gets you ready to identify, secure and apply for a relevant work placement. The Classroom Practice of TESOL module If you don't have a minimum of three months full-time teaching experience, you'll do an extra non-credit-bearing module to build on your practical teaching skills, The Classroom Practice of TESOL. On this module you'll have the opportunity to discuss, share and explore practical classroom techniques and materials in an informal workshop setting, including micro-teaching and guest speakers from publications such as National Geographic and Cambridge University Press. We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies. Therefore, course content is revised and regularly reviewed. This may result in changes being made in order to reflect developments in research, learning from practice and changes in policy at both national and local levels.

Assessment method

You’ll be assessed through:

  • written assessments
  • dissertation
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark. You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.

Entry requirements

A second-class honours degree or equivalent, plus initial teacher training and a minimum of three months full-time, relevant, teaching experience. If you do not have relevant teaching experience, you can still apply for our campus programme, and you will study an additional non-credit bearing module The Classroom Practice of TESOL at no additional cost.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.5.
Cambridge English AdvancedCambridge English: Advanced (CAE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 176.
Cambridge English ProficiencyCambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) taken after January 2015. An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 176.
TOEFL (iBT)91 with a minimum of 24 in Reading, 23 in Listening, 25 in Speaking and 24 in Writing.
PTE AcademicAn overall score of 61 with a minimum of 61 in each skill.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £10400 Year 1
England £10400 Year 1
Northern Ireland £10400 Year 1
Scotland £10400 Year 1
Wales £10400 Year 1
Channel Islands £10400 Year 1
Republic of Ireland £10400 Year 1
International £17900 Year 1

Additional fee information

Students who are resident in EU countries: please note that the net fee is inclusive of the Transition Scholarship Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. Fees may also go up in later years, in line with inflation. A tuition fee will also apply for the Professional Experience placement module, £1,040 / £1,880 depending on fee domicile (subject to increase for 2025/26).
Applied Linguistics and TESOL (with Professional Experience) at University of Portsmouth - UCAS