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MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (distance learning)

Start date
February, April, July, October or December
Duration
30 months part-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Continuing professional development, Distance learning, Taught
Fees

Fees for October 2023 to July 2024:
£1,220 per module

Fees for October 2024:
£1,260 per module
More detail.

Are you interested in a career in English language teaching? Are you already a teacher of English and want to advance your professional standing? 

Our popular MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is designed for practising teachers of English to speakers of other languages. We explore different approaches to the teaching and learning of English and study the close relationship between language teaching theory and practice.

The programme encourages you to use the concepts and theories that you encounter during your course of study in your own classroom.

It is a set of interactive course materials to complete in part-time, self-study mode over a period of at least 30 months.

We also offer a full-time, on-campus programme over one year – for more information see Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages MA.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

 

My favourite thing about the MA TESOL(DL) course is the practical and circular nature between theory and practice. The literature has impacted what I do while teaching, while the experience in the classroom modifies my interpretations and strengthens my understanding of the literature.

James

Why study this course?

  • Flexibility – we have multiple start dates throughout the year so you have the option of choosing when to commence your studies with us. You can study at home, in your own time and at your own pace, so you can combine achieving a qualification with other commitments. You also have the benefit of developing your career without having to leave employment.
  • Study from anywhere in the world - You can access the online course material from anywhere in the world, so if you change jobs or even move countries, it is possible to continue your studies.
  • Real life application – you can begin to apply new knowledge and insights to your working life whilst you are still studying. Many students choose to tackle work-related topics in their dissertations.
  • Opportunity to attend our summer school – you will be able to attend one of our summer schools in Birmingham and/or Japan to learn more about the discipline and meet with academics and other students on the programme. We also run on-line training events such as inductions and workshops for our students.
  • Access to excellent resources – you will also have free access to a range of online resources and corpora held at the Centre for Corpus Research. You will also have access to the resources such as the Academic Writing Advisory Service and the Bank of Assessed Work to help with transitioning to postgraduate studies. We also have an extensive and growing range of books and journals available through the University’s online library.
  • Personal tutor – As a distance student you will have your own personal tutor whose job it is to guide and support you through the programme. He or she will be on hand to answer questions regarding the content of your programme and give advice on what to read and on writing your assignments.
  • Excellent reputation – The Department of English Language and Linguistics is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. The distance programmes have been running for more than twenty five years and have gained an excellent reputation. The online materials have been developed by experts in the field with a range of research interests and specialisms. The University of Birmingham is ranked equal 10th in the UK amongst Russell Group universities in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 according to the Times Higher Education

Modules

You will study four core modules and two optional modules before completing your dissertation.

Core modules

You will study four core modules:

Classroom Research and Research Methods

This course introduces the main concepts and some of the techniques used in research in and into second language classrooms. This involves looking at two kinds of research traditions:

  • ‘Action’ research, which is usually qualitative, and involves examining specific classroom interactions in a single period of time, generally with the intent of modifying or improving teacher behaviour
  • Experimental research, which is quantitative, and often involves looking at linguistic or other outcomes, often independently of classroom interaction, with the purpose of making general statements about, say, how language is acquired.

In addition, considerable space is dedicated to the kinds of instruments used to examine and measure factors which influence or are part of classroom events, such as the investigation of attitudes and beliefs and the observation of interactions in the classroom.

Finally, we discuss the different variables which influence classroom interaction: the roles, strategies, and behaviours of both teachers and students. Included in these sections is a review of some of the research carried out using the different observation systems.
Assessment: 4,000-word essay

Language Teaching Methodology

This module gives an overview of the development of, and current approaches to, English Language Teaching (ELT) methodology, including the teaching of grammar, reading, writing, speaking and listening. The module also includes a practical introduction to classroom-based research.

The primary intention is to introduce you to a wide range of ideas, which will allow you to reflect on your own teaching experience. At the same time, in covering such a large area, the module also lays down the groundwork for a number of other modules which you will go onto study as part of this programme.
Assessment: 4,000-word essay

Pedagogic Grammar

This module covers the main theoretical concepts and research findings underlying the description of the grammar of the English Language and the implication these have for the teaching of grammar in the classroom.

In this module, you will consider:

  • Prescriptive and descriptive grammars
  • Research into the benefits of teaching grammar explicitly
  • How the methodologies we employ influence the way we teach grammar
  • How grammar is represented in the language syllabus
  • The debate relating to the use of authentic texts in language teaching
  • The nature of spoken English and how its grammar differs of that of written English

Assessment: 4,000-word essay

Syllabus and Materials Design

This module considers the problem of reconciling syllabus and materials design with what is known about the process of language learning and examines the attempts that established approaches to syllabus design have made to solve this problem. The module goes on to propose a more radical solution involving the establishment of a pedagogic corpus, the use of task-based methodology, and the development of analytical exercises.

This is a very practical module designed for practising teachers. It demonstrates that a syllabus is a lot more than simply a list of items at the start of a handbook.

The module introduces you to a variety of different types of syllabus such as the traditional grammatical syllabus, the lexical syllabus, the functional-notional syllabus, and the task-based syllabus. You are encouraged to look at a range of teaching situations and consider how different type of syllabus can be used to meet the needs of different types of language learner. The later parts of the module look at materials development, evaluating material and how to adapt course books so the content is ‘lifted off the page’.
Assessment: 4,000-word essay

Optional modules

You will also choose two optional modules from a range which typically includes:

  • Corpus Linguistics
  • English Language Teaching Management
  • Functional Grammar
  • Language and New Media
  • Language Testing
  • Multimodal Communication
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Second Language Acquisition
  • Teaching Language to Young Learners

For more information, see our distance learning module descriptions

Dissertation

In addition to your taught modules, you will conduct a piece of independent research with the support of a supervisor, culminating in a 15,000-word dissertation.


Please note that the optional module information listed on the website for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

Fees

This programme is charged per module.

  • Fees for 20-credit modules for students starting from October 2023 - July 2024: £1,220 per module
  • Fees for 20-credit modules for students starting from October 2024 - July 2025: £1,260 per module
  • Students who start between October 2023 and July 2024 will continue to pay module fees at the rates shown here throughout the duration of this course. An invoice will be issued for each module, at the time that you register onto that module.
  • A fee is also payable for the dissertation (worth 60 credits) and this is charged at the applicable rate for the academic year in which it is submitted. As a guide, dissertation fees are £3,780 for October 2024 entry.

Scholarships and studentships

Scholarships to cover fees and/or maintenance costs may be available. To discover whether you are eligible for any award across the University, and to start your funding application, please visit the University's Postgraduate Funding Database.

How To Apply

Application deadlines for this programme are as follows – 

Entry point: 1 February – application deadline 1 January
Entry point: 1 April – application deadline 1 March
Entry point: 1 July – application deadline 1 June
Entry point: 1 October – application deadline 1 September
Entry point: 1 December – application deadline 1 November

Please note: Deferral requests for this programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will not normally be permitted for more than one calendar year from the start date originally applied for. 

Making your application

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

We usually ask for a good Honours degree in a relevant subject, or overseas equivalent. However, when considering your application, we look at your qualifications and work experience as well as your academic credentials. If your first degree is in an unrelated subject but you have relevant professional experience you may well be eligible for the course. For this reason, it is important to provide details of any current and/or previous employment in your application; it is always helpful to include a current CV but please complete the relevant sections of the application form as well. 

International/EU students

Academic requirements: We accept a range of qualifications from different countries - use our handy guide below to see what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements: standard language requirements apply for this course - IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.5 in any band. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our English for Academic Purposes Presessional Course - if you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.5 in any band is equivalent to:

  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 22 in any band
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 176 in any component

Learn more about international entry requirements

International Requirements


Course delivery

Our study materials are produced by academic staff in our department, and are available online through the University's 'virtual learning environment'. They contain aims and objectives, reading lists, summaries of readings, activities and commentaries, discussion and reflection tasks, indexes and details of assignments required. On joining you are provided with a course handbook that introduces you to the team, provides details of their roles and expertise and gives all the contact information you will need so that if you have any difficulties or questions you will know who to contact for help and guidance.

Although much of the course is delivered through the virtual learning environment, support is always available. You will have a personal tutor and dissertation supervisor to guide you and answer any questions, and you will be able to consult academic staff in Birmingham via video calling software such as Zoom or Teams.

We also run week-long face-to-face seminars in the summer. These are free, and open to all distance TESOL students.

Each module represents up to 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, assignment preparation and independent study.

Distance learning in the College of Arts and Law

For more information on distance learning including answers to frequently asked questions, student experiences and funding opportunities, please see our distance learning website

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for employment and this will be further enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University.

The University's Careers Network provides advice and information specifically for postgraduates that will help you to develop an effective career and skills development strategy, and to make the most of your time with us at the University. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team to deliver local support.

In addition to a range of campus-based events and workshops, Careers Network provides extensive online resources, and comprehensive listings of hundreds of graduate jobs and work experience opportunities.

You will also be able to access our full range of careers support for up to two years after graduation.

Postgraduate employability: English Language and Linguistics

Birmingham's English Language and Linguistics postgraduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by employers, particularly in relation to verbal and written communication. They also develop crucial skills in organisation, time management, analysis and interpretation of information.

Many of our graduates enter roles for which their programme has prepared them, such as becoming a language analyst or data scientist. Others use their transferable skills in a wide range of occupations including teaching, research administration and events.