Program Availability
The Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate is open to eligible students in the U.S. (including the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories). The program is closed to students residing in countries other than the U.S. except for U.S. military and State Department personnel and their family members with APO/FPO addresses.
Why Earn a Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate at Indiana State?
Students in the Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate program are prepared to teach English to non-English-speaking individuals in the United States and abroad. The certificate meets the requirements for licensure in Indiana in combination with an existing teaching license. The program is also appropriate for students wishing to teach English abroad in settings that do not require a license.
Note: If you already have an Indiana teaching license, you can add the English as a New Language/English Language Learners licensure by completing Indiana State’s Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate and the English Learners Core Content examination. Licensure will be awarded for the level of your original license.
Benefit from Additional Teaching Experiences
Enhance your learning in the Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate program with your choice of two years of study in a non-native language (including French, German, Japanese, Latin, or Spanish); a three-month experience living in a non-native culture; or three months of teaching English as a second language/foreign language or another form of a cross-cultural experience. You must provide official documentation (for example, a letter from a principal) detailing your teaching experiences.
Learn from Our Excellent Faculty
As a student in our Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate program, you will benefit from faculty who are dedicated lifelong learners of language and linguistic studies. They are committed to helping you excel academically as you work toward proficiency in teaching non-English-speaking individuals.
In addition, our small class sizes allow you to receive individualized feedback from professors who will mentor you through teaching experiences. Faculty often lead field trips to museums and cultural sites of interest, including art exhibits, musical performances, restaurants, and other cultural attractions in the Midwest. Your instructors will also host conversation tables and viewing parties for international films.
What You’ll Learn in the Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate Program
Our Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate includes 12 credits focusing on language acquisition, English syntax, and teaching English as a second language. In addition, you will complete one elective course – chosen from the following topics:
- Linguistic Diversity in the United States
- Morphology
- Topics in Sociolinguistics
- Language Differences and Linguistic Universals
- Phonetics and Phonology
- Professional Seminar in Language Education
This Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate can be earned while pursuing another graduate program by taking one of the courses each semester for two years. It also can be completed in one year by taking two courses each semester. These courses are also usually available online during the summer.
Career Possibilities for Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduates
Indiana State’s Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate program prepares students to work abroad as teachers of English to non-English-speaking individuals, particularly to adult learners. Students also work as English as a Second Language/Foreign Language teachers or bilingual teachers in adult education organizations, libraries, vocation centers, prisons, and more.
Admission Requirements and Application Instructions
The Teaching English as a Second Language Graduate Certificate program supports a rolling curriculum, allowing students to begin the program in any semester. For assistance with the application process, or to determine if materials have been received by the program, please contact Brenda Lower (Brenda.Lower@indstate.edu).
Admission is based on the following requirements.
Admission Requirements and Information
Applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree (in any major) from a regionally accredited institution (for international students, a degree granted by a recognized institution).
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative 3.0 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale in the applicant’s major field of study. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA between 2.7 and 3.0 may be provisionally admitted based on the strength of other submitted application materials.
The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not required for this program.
Application should include a current curriculum vitae/resume and a written personal statement describing the applicant’s interest in the certificate and intended use of the skills acquired.
Application should include contact information (name, phone number, and email address) for three references who know the applicant in an academic and/or professional capacity. Important: Explain to your references that they will receive an email from Indiana State University requesting that they submit a letter of recommendation. Please ensure that your references expect to receive this request. It will be sent to your references immediately upon completing the application.
Application Instructions
The following are application instructions and deadlines for the Teaching English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Graduate Certificate program.
Complete Indiana State University’s online application for graduate admission at apply.indstate.edu/apply/.
Submit official transcripts from all colleges previously attended. To be official, transcripts must be sent directly from the college attended to: Graduate Admissions, Indiana State University, Welcome Center, 318 North Sixth Street, Terre Haute, IN, 47809. E-transcripts should be sent to admissions@indstate.edu.
Submit a nonrefundable application fee of $45.00 (U.S. citizens and permanent residents) or $65.00 (international students) payable by Visa, MasterCard, or check or money order, payable to Indiana State University. Submit payment to: Indiana State University, Graduate Admissions, Welcome Center, 318 North Sixth Street, Terre Haute, IN, 47809.
Submit the following as part of the online application process https://apply.indstate.edu/apply/.
- A current resume or curriculum vitae.
- A written personal statement that describes the applicant’s interest in the certificate and intended use of the skills acquired.
- Contact information (name, phone number, and email address) for three references who know the applicant in an academic and/or professional capacity. Important: Explain to your references that they will receive an email from Indiana State University requesting that they submit a letter of recommendation. Please ensure that your references expect to receive this request. It will be sent to your references immediately upon completing the application.
- International applicants submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or provide equivalent evidence of language proficiency. Submit scores to: Indiana State University, Graduate Admissions, Welcome Center, 318 North Sixth Street, Terre Haute, IN, 47809. For important information, see Instructions for International Students.
Next Steps
Once admitted, students receive notification from the University as well as their University ID number needed to activate their University Username on the MyISU Portal. The Portal offers access to online registration, University records, and other important University services, including e-mail and University announcements.
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Language Studies Teaching (BA)
Bachelor's
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TESL and Linguistics (MA)
Master's
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Language Studies (BA)
Bachelor's