Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does the program prepare teachers for all levels of ESL and EFL?

Yes. Graduates of the program are prepared to teach both ESL and EFL at elementary, secondary, adult, and college levels. All courses are designed to incorporate both ESL and EFL theory, methodology, and practice. Students can choose to focus on any area in their outside assignments, special projects, and papers. The majority of the students prepare for teaching both ESL and EFL. Some focus on K-12; others focus on teaching adults.

2. Is there a K-12 teaching certification option in the program?

 Yes. Students who plan to teach in K-12 ESOL public and private school programs in the U. S. or accredited K-12 international schools abroad can add the K-12 certification option to the M.A. program. Students who add this option do both a field experience (practicum) and student teaching (internship) in public or private school ESOL programs in the Baltimore/Washington area or at accredited K-12 international schools abroad.  Upon completing the requirements for the option, students are granted State of Maryland K-12 ESOL certification. This is not an add-on certificate. Maryland K-12 certification is reciprocal in most states. It is also accepted in accredited international schools abroad.

3. What are some of the strengths of the program? 

Full-time Faculty

The faculty for the program are members of the Departments of Education and Modern Languages/Linguistics. The faculty is international in make-up and has expertise in applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, instructional systems development, psychology, research, ESL and EFL program development, methodology, curriculum development, and testing and evaluation.  The faculty works with K-12, adult, and university ESOL and bilingual programs throughout the U.S. and abroad. Because of extensive contacts, the faculty plays an important role in helping students identify internships, thesis topics, and employment possibilities, both in the U.S. and abroad.  

Internships in the U.S. and Abroad

Prospective employers look for practical, hands-on, on-the-job experience when hiring. The UMBC program has a very strong internship component which provides this experience. Students are provided with practicum and internships in the United States in K-12 ESOL programs, English language institutes at colleges and universities, government agencies, and business and industry. Outside of the U.S., the program has internships with colleges and universities in Egypt, Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, and China. It also has internship agreements with Binational Centers in Mexico and Ecuador, and private language institutes in Chile. Some of these internships include a monthly stipend, round-trip transportation, and board and room.

Resource Center for Language and Culture

The program has its own Resource Center at the University. This center provides a centralized location where the students can meet, study, and use the very large collection of cross-cultural, foreign language, and ESOL journals, texts, videos, and other materials.  The Resource Center for Language and Culture is used by local, regional, and international ESL/EFL, cross-cultural, and bilingual programs.  

 Diverse Student Body

Students in the program come from all parts of the United States and several countries. They represent diverse cultural and academic backgrounds and experiences. The program actively recruits students with undergraduate diplomas in many areas including mathematics, international relations, economics, chemistry, English, linguistics, African-American studies, political science, and foreign languages. This diverse student population makes for an intellectually exciting and active program. 

During Program and Post-program Employment

Students in the program have many opportunities to tutor, teach, and work in local K-12 ESOL programs, colleges/universities, English language institutes, special language programs in business and industry, and ESOL/bilingual support centers. Salaries range from $5 to $40 per hour depending on the type of employment.  The program maintains a job bank and subscribes to many job placement services. It also acts as a U.S. recruiter for EFL programs in Mexico and Ecuador. Because of the program's theory to practice emphasis in ESL/EFL methodology, instructional systems development, and cross-cultural education, the graduates are sought out by employers and programs needing these skills. The internships add to the graduates' employability.

 Broad-based Preparation

Besides providing a strong foundation in applied linguistics, language acquisition, ESL/EFL methods, testing, and curriculum development, the program also places a strong emphasis in the areas of instructional systems development and cross-cultural training. The instructional systems development (ISD) core of the program prepares the students for the analysis, design, development, operation, and evaluation of instructional programs. As a result of this training, some graduates, very early in their careers, are hired to develop, administer, or evaluate instructional and/or training programs.

4. How large is the program? 

The program has 95 students, about half of which are part-time (1-2 classes/semester) and the rest full-time (3-4 classes semester).

5. What is the difference between the non-thesis and thesis options?

Students who choose the non-thesis option attend a project seminar class and take a written comprehensive exam at the end of the program.  Thesis option students, many of whom are planning to go on to a doctoral program upon graduation, develop a research proposal and write a thesis under the guidance of a mentor and several faculty advisors.

6. How difficult is it to be admitted into the program?

Admission into the program is competitive. Applicants first must meet the University of Maryland Graduate School Baltimore admission requirements (see graduate catalog). All applications are screened by the program's admissions committee. Final decision is based on the applicant's past academic experience, GRE scores, recommendations, and letter of intent. We actively recruit students from diverse backgrounds and academic preparations.   At present, approximately 10-15 new students are accepted each semester.