About this course
Study the theory and practice of English Language Teaching (ELT) with our MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) master’s degree.
You can apply for this course if you have recently graduated and are starting your career in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL).
This UK-based MA ELT TESOL is ideal for graduates who want to teach English as a second or additional language, or work in the teaching education sector.
Our English language teaching master's degree will help you develop specialist knowledge and skills in TESOL and related linguistic areas.
On MA TESOL you’ll study the most recent approaches to the curriculum, assessment and pedagogy (interactions between teachers, students, and the learning environment and tasks) and have the opportunity to pursue your interests. Optional modules you can study include subjects like:
- learner autonomy
- English as an international language
On this TESOL studies course you’ll explore the theory and practice of English language teaching. You’ll be prepared to challenge current practices and take an innovative approach to your future career as a leader in the field.
Our graduates are employed across the world in all areas of the English language teaching profession.
If you’re already teaching English through TESOL and want to advance your career, take a look at our MA English Language Teaching TESOL course.
We regularly review our courses to ensure and improve quality. This course may be revised as a result of this. Any revision will be balanced against the requirement that the student should receive the educational service expected. Find out why, when, and how we might make changes.
Our courses are regulated in England by the Office for Students (OfS).
Course lead
Your course leader, Dr Sarah Rule, has research interests in language acquisition and processing.
Learn more about this subject area
Course location
This course is based at Avenue.
Awarding body
This qualification is awarded by the University of Southampton.
Download the Course Description Document
The Course Description Document details your course overview, your course structure and how your course is taught and assessed.
Entry requirements
You’ll need a 2:1 honours degree in a language or relevant subject.
Find the equivalent international qualifications for your country.
English language requirements
If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:
IELTS score requirements
- overall score
- 6.5
- reading
- 6.5
- writing
- 6.5
- speaking
- 6.0
- listening
- 6.0
We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.
Pre-masters
If you don’t meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.
If you don’t meet the academic requirements, you can complete a pre-master's programme through our partnership with ONCAMPUS. Learn more about the programmes available.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
Course structure
You'll study this master’s course full-time over one year. Each semester is made up of key modules you must study and gives you the choice to select what modules you want to learn.
Guest speakers will deliver seminars and you’ll have other extension activities as part of your TESOL learning.
You’ll complete your research dissertation project over the final 18 weeks of the course.
Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.
Modules
The modules outlined provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. As a research-led University, we undertake a continuous review of our course to ensure quality enhancement and to manage our resources. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Find out why, when and how we might make changes.
Year 1 modules
You must study the following modules :
Analysing Language for ELT/TESOL
This module encourages you to reflect on the analysis of the structure of language and its relationships to language teaching. It will demonstrate the kinds of analytic processes employed in linguistic analysis and identify the relationships between gramm...
Developing Approaches to Language Teaching
This module builds on your knowledge of language teaching methodologies developed in LING6022. It will focus on current issues in language teaching methodologies and address more specialised areas taking both a synchronic and diachronic which will comple...
Dissertation (ALLT/ELT)
The Masters dissertation gives you the opportunity to undertake an extended piece of independent research in Applied Linguistics or English Language Teaching, with guidance from a supervisor.
Principles of Communicative Language Teaching
This module will present you with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and allow you to examine them critically across educational contexts and purposes.
Research Skills
The aims of this module are to further develop the research, study and time management skills you will need for a substantial independent research investigation.
You must also choose from the following modules :
Assessment of Language Proficiency
A range of key constructs in assessment theory and currently popular techniques in assessing language proficiency are reviewed and critically discussed. The overall processes involved in designing and implementing assessment procedures which are valid, re...
Autonomy and Individualisation in Language Learning
This course explores the themes of learner autonomy, resourced-based and open and distance learning and their practical outworking in an institutional context. You will be encouraged to think through ways of facilitating learning and in particular to cons...
Digital Education and English Language Teaching
The module is intended to provide: a) a theory-based account of changes and innovations in technology which impact generally on the digital literacy skills and practices that students bring to class and, more specifically, on their potential implications...
English as a World Language
This module explores the rise of English to its current dominant status.
English as medium of instruction in global education
This module explores sociolinguistic and pedagogical dimensions of English Medium Education and CLIL classrooms around the world. EME/I is an umbrella term for multilingual education programmes where English is used as a medium of instruction to teach and...
Experiences of language teaching and learning: narrative inquiry in language education
This module introduces you to the study of storytelling, in different formats, as a way to gain knowledge, and as a powerful qualitative method to conduct research into our experience as language teachers and learners over the course of our careers.
Language and Intercultural Communication
This module will combine a theoretical understanding of intercultural communication with reflections and evaluations of your own intercultural experiences and applications of this to pedagogic settings and other practical settings.
Language ideologies in a globalising world
This module presents ideologies of English and other languages in the changing world where globalisation and the unprecedented spread of English are significant factors. It offers the opportunities of studying language ideologies in an extensive, comprehe...
Language in Society
This module will introduce you to ways of exploring the reciprocal relationship between language and society from contemporary sociolinguistic perspectives.
Pragmatics in global contexts
Second Language Learning
This module introduces the different theoretical approaches which have been adopted for studying the acquisition of language, and examines and assesses current theories of first and second language acquisition in the light of empirical evidence.
Teaching Foreign Languages to Younger Learners
This module will address the implementation and adaptation of language teaching methodologies to address the unique challenges inherent in instructed, early foreign language (FL) learning. The novel aspect of the module will lie in its systematic explorat...
Writing and Written Language
The module examines the techniques of process, product, context, and instruction of writing in a second language. The first deals with composing and the writer in relation to the text; the second deals with the text produced, its structure and organisatio...
Learning and assessment
Learning
The learning activities for this course include the following:
- lectures
- seminars
- research projects
- independent study
Your contact hours will vary depending on your module choices.
Assessment
We’ll assess you through:
- exams
- presentations
- dissertation
You’ll also receive ongoing assessment and feedback through lecture and seminar activities.
Dissertation
You’ll complete your dissertation during the final 18 weeks of this full-time course. On this project, you’ll need to conduct research in an area related to the teaching of English.
Academic Support
We’ll assign you a personal tutor, and you’ll have access to a senior tutor.
Careers
You’ll be prepared to start your career as a English language teacher in state and private schools across the world.
You can also work in Education Ministries or in the publishing industry.
Careers services at Southampton
We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022). Our Careers, Employability and Student Enterprise team will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:
- work experience schemes
- CV/resume and interview skills workshops
- networking events
- careers fairs attended by top employers
- a wealth of volunteering opportunities
- study abroad and summer school opportunities
We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:
- our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
- a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
- our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared
Fees, costs and funding
Tuition fees
Fees for a year's study:
- UK students pay £9,250.
- EU and international students pay £26,500.
Deposit
If you're an international student on a full-time course, we'll ask you to pay £2,000 of your tuition fees in advance, as a deposit.
Your offer letter will tell you when this should be paid and provide full terms and conditions.
Find out about exemptions, refunds and how to pay your deposit on our tuition fees for overseas students page.
What your fees pay for
Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.
Find out how to pay your tuition fees.
Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:
10% alumni discount
If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton, you could be eligible for a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.
Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)
This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course. Find out if you're eligible.
Southampton Humanities Postgraduate Global Talent Scholarship
Twenty scholarships of £5,000 are available to international students joining our postgraduate master’s courses at the School of Humanities in September 2023.
Find out more about the Southampton Humanities Postgraduate Global Talent Scholarship, including eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
Southampton Arts and Humanities Deans Global Talent Scholarship
Ten scholarships of £10,000 each are available to international students studying for an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate master’s degree in Arts and Humanities.
Find out more about the Southampton Arts and Humanities Deans Global Talent Scholarship, including eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
Other postgraduate funding options
A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s study. Both from the University and other organisations.
Funding for EU and international students
Find out about funding you could get as an international student.
How to apply
- Use the 'apply for this course' button on this page to take you to our online application form.
- Search for the course you want to apply for.
- Complete the application form and upload any supporting documents.
- Submit your application.
For further details, read our step by step guide to postgraduate taught applications.
Application deadlines
There are different deadlines for this course. Depending on which country you permanently reside in, applications are expected to close:
- Applicants permanently resident in China: Wednesday 29 November 2023 - midday UK time
- Applicants permanently resident in other countries: Wednesday 29 May 2024 - midday UK time
- Applicants permanently resident in the UK: Wednesday 3 July 2024 - midday UK time
We advise applying early as applications may close before the expected deadline if places are filled.
Our admissions process for this course means that we look at batches of applications together. We send offers to applicants on a continuous basis. Due to the high number of applications, we may not be able to make you an offer, even if you meet the course criteria.
Application assessment fee
We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for a postgraduate taught course.
This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees and is payable per application. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.
If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you’re applying for certain scholarships, you will not need to pay the fee. PGCE applications through GOV.UK and Master of Research (MRes) degree applications are also exempt. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.
Supporting information
When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course.
You’ll need to include information about:
- your knowledge of the subject area
- why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
- how you intend to use your qualification
References are not required for this programme.
Please include the required paperwork showing your first degree and your IELTS English language test score (if you are a non-native English speaker) with your application. Without these, your application may be delayed.
What happens after you apply
You'll be able to track your application through our online Applicant Record System.
We receive a high volume of applications for this course. This means you may not receive a response to your application for up to 12 weeks.
If we offer you a place, you will need to accept the offer within 30 working days. If you do not meet this deadline, we will offer your place to another applicant.
Unfortunately, due to number of applications we receive, we may not be able to give you specific feedback on your application if you are unsuccessful.
We may invite you to an interview, which will take place by phone if you live abroad. You'll get an email from the admissions tutor if we'd like to talk to you before offering you a place.
Equality and diversity
We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.
Got a question?
Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.
Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000
