Education MEd, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Emphasis
The Master’s Degree in Education is an accredited program appropriate for K-12 teachers, specialists, department chairpersons, and those who work in informal learning or international educational settings. Candidates choose electives that will support their personal growth and development as an educational leader to impact the communities with which they work.
Diverse candidates will engage in a learner-centered environment committed to the success of historically marginalized and diverse students, research, and community engagement. Within diverse education settings, candidates will: advance pedagogical knowledge, recognize inequalities in educational opportunity, design differentiated assessments to inform practice, critically examine professional practice, and demonstrate commitment to ethical professional practice.
It is important that both candidates and advisors plan ahead to ensure courses are taken when they are offered in the schedule. Programs must be planned with an academic advisor and meet the approval of the faculty advisor, adhering to the College of Education and UMSL Graduate School policies.
The M.Ed. program with an emphasis in TESOL is designed to meet the need for teachers who can apply knowledge about language learning to their culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. This program meets the requirements for a Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) endorsement in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the general graduate admission requirements of the Graduate School, described in the UMSL catalog. Students are considered for admission to the graduate program in Education only after they have formally applied for admission through the Graduate School. Applications may be completed on-line.
Degree Requirements
Curricular Program
The M.Ed. in Education consists of 4 required courses (12 hours) plus candidate choice from emphasis areas and electives (18 hours) for a total of 30 hours. Program requirements are met by:
(a) completing 2 required foundation courses (6 hours) toward the beginning of the M.Ed. program
(b) completing the coursework for an emphasis area and/or electives (18 hours)
(c) completing the 2 exit research capstone classes (6 hours)
Most emphasis areas indicate 3-6 required courses. In addition, electives allow candidates to construct an individualized set of target courses. Transfer graduate credit from another institution may also fit into elective hours.
Candidates seeking certifications with the master’s program may require additional coursework and State of Missouri assessments (Reading, TESOL, initial teacher certification).
| Course Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| Students are required to complete the following courses within the first 15 hours of study. | ||
| TCH ED 6010 | Examining History, Community and Social Justice in Education | 3 |
| TCH ED 6030 | Instruction, Learning, and Assessment 1 | 3 |
| Required Research Courses | ||
| These two research courses should be taken in sequence (not concurrently) at the end of the program. Candidates will design and execute a piece of original practitioner research and present their findings in a public forum. | ||
| TCH ED 6909 | Teacher Action Research I | 3 |
| TCH ED 6910 | Teacher Action Research Capstone | 3 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
- 1
Students earning the TESOL emphasis area will be required to take TCH ED 6240 instead of TCH ED 6030 in order to meet state certification requirements.
Specific Requirements for the Emphasis Area
In addition to the Required Core (12 hours), candidates seeking an emphasis in TESOL are required to complete the following coursework (18 hours) for a total of 30 hours.
| Course Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| TCH ED 6210 | Foundations Of Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages | 3 |
| TCH ED 6220 | Principles of Second/Foreign Language Acquisition | 3 |
| TCH ED 6224 | Integrated Curriculum Development for Content Teaching of English Language Learners | 3 |
| TCH ED 6230 | Cross-Cultural Communication in the Classroom | 3 |
| TCH ED 6250 | Methods and Materials for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages | 3 |
| TCH ED 6260 | Practicum in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |