TESOL MA

Master of Arts in TESOL


We offer a 36-point Master of Arts degree in TESOL General studies for students wishing to teach in any of a variety of settings, except in the New York State public schools. Through comprehensive and innovative coursework, hands-on experiences in our on-campus language school, and research projects, you’ll explore the teaching and learning of English to speakers of other languages.

Please note: The General Track does not prepare students to obtain New York State PK-12 Certification in ESL.

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Admission Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.

Master of Arts

  • Points/Credits: 36
  • Entry Terms: Fall
  • Enrollment Formats: Full-Time, Part-Time

Application Deadlines

Entry Term AvailablePriority DeadlinesFinal DeadlinesExtended Deadlines
SpringN/AN/AN/A
SummerN/AN/AN/A
FallJanuary 15, 2025April 1, 2025N/A

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines, such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

 Requirement
 Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume
 Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed
 Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable)
 $75 Application Fee
 Two (2) Letters of Recommendation
 Video essay required (included in online application)
 English Proficiency exam required for all non-native English speakers, see program website for acceptable exams and score minimums

For admission-related inquiries, please contact AHadmission@tc.columbia.edu.

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2024-2025)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

The TESOL MA General track offers a 36-point Master of Arts degree for students planning to teach in any variety of settings, except in New York State public schools. Graduates typically take positions, such as teaching adults in community colleges, Intensive English Programs on four-year campuses, private schools with language programs, and jobs abroad. Through comprehensive and innovative coursework, hands-on experiences in our on-campus language school, and research projects, students explore the theories and practices of English language teaching to speakers of other languages.

Students earning the Masters of Arts degree have five types of requirements: (1) general courses,(2) track-specific courses, (3) elective courses within AL and TESOL, (4) out-of-program breadth courses, and (5) an exit project. 

All course decisions must be made in consultation with the student's assigned faculty advisor. Students should choose elective and breadth courses that align with their career path. Below are the descriptions for the MA in TESOL General: 

General Courses (15 points):

  • A&HL 4000: Educational linguistics (3)

  • A&HL 4085: Pedagogical English grammar (3)

  • A&HL 4087: Introduction to second language acquisition (3)

  • A&HL 4088: Second language assessment (3)

  • One language use course from the list below (for AL and TESOL General only):

  • A&HL 4001: Sociolinguistics and education (3)

  • A&HL 4090: Introduction to Corpus Linguistics

  • A&HL 4104: Discourse analysis (3)

  • A&HL 4105: Conversation analysis (3)

  • A&HL 4106: Text and textuality (3)

  • A&HL 5020: Interactional sociolinguistics (3)

 Track-Specific Courses for the MA in TESOL (9 points): 

  • A&HL 4077: TESOL classroom practices (3)

  • A&HL 5301:  Practicum I: Integrated skills (3)

  • One course from the following:

  • A&HL 6301: Practicum II: Listening (3)

  • A&HL 6302: Practicum II: Speaking (3)

  • A&HL 6303: Practicum II: Reading (3)

  • A&HL 6304: Practicum II: Writing (3)



Elective Courses (6 points):

Elective courses in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (6 points):

  • A&HL 4101: Phonetics and phonology (3)

  • A&HL 5085: Advanced syntax (3)

  • A&HL 4001: Sociolinguistics and education (3)

  • A&HL 4104: Discourse analysis (3)

  • A&HL 4105: Conversation analysis (3)

  • A&HL 4106: Text and textuality (3)

  • A&HL 5020: Interactional sociolinguistics (3)

  • A&HL 5105: Classroom discourse (3)

  • A&HL 5106: Language socialization (3)

  • A&HL 6031: Advanced conversation analysis (3)

  • A&HL 4089: Teaching writing to ESL students (3)

  • A&HL 4090: Introduction to Corpus Linguistics (3)

  • A&HL 5011: Technology-based language teaching and material design (3)

  • A&HL 6097: Task-based language teaching  (3)

  • A&HL 5008: Interlanguage analysis (3)

  • A&HL 5087: SLA in the classroom (3)

  • A&HL 5090: Computational Linguistics for Applied Linguists (3)

  • A&HL 6087: Advanced second language acquisition (3)

  • A&HL 5199: Topics in language assessment (3)

  • A&HL 5512: Historical perspectives on language testing research (3)

  • A&HL 5519: Instructed second language acquisition and assessment (3)

  • A&HL 6000: Second language test validation (3)

  • A&HL 6040: Classroom-based language assessment (3)

  • A&HL 6060: Generalizability theory for second language assessment research (3)

  • A&HL 6089: Second language performance assessment (3)

  • Courses can be taken at an affiliate campus in the Columbia community with advisor’s approval.

Breadth Out-of-Program Courses (6 points): 

Breadth courses are Teachers College classes offered outside of the AL/TESOLProgram. Note that they must be approved by the assigned academic advisor. Exit Project:

  • In addition to course requirements, students must complete a master’s degree project written on a research topic arising from their course-related interests and subject to approval by an advisor (The advisor can be different from or the same as your assigned academic advisor). This project can be a review of literature on a scholarly topic or a practice-motivated review of literature or it can be an empirical paper. It is normally completed at the beginning of the last semester of study. For more information, click here

Students can normally expect to complete the M.A. in Applied Linguistics or TESOL in four semesters (i.e., two years).

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