Program Overview

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is a special area of concentration within the Instructional Systems Development (ISD) Master's Program.  The Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics cooperates with the Department of Education in offering the ESOL/Bilingual program.  The concentration is designed to train both prospective and experienced teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL).  It provides the students with a strong theoretical and practical foundation in applied linguistics, language acquisition, ESL/EFL methodology, testing, cross-cultural studies and curriculum development.  The ISD core of the program prepares the students for the analysis, design, and development of instructional programs and their systematic operation, evaluation and maintenance.  Students in the M.A. program can choose to add K-12 ESOL certification to the ESOL/Bilingual concentration.

I. Degree Requirements
II. Courses Offered 
III.  Internships and/or K-12 Student Teaching 
IV. Thesis Research
V. Career Opportunities 
VI. Admissions 
VII. Financial Aid
VIII. Diverse Student Population

Degree Requirements

     Prerequisite requirements for K-12 ESOL Certification include 3 hours in language learning/acquisition, and 3 hours in the structure of American English.   

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 Courses Offered

(click on a course to see the its description and syllabus)

ØEDUC 601: Human Learning and Cognition
ØEDUC 602: Instructional Systems Development I 
ØEDUC 771: Research Designs in Education
ØEDUC 684: Introduction to Field Research Methods in School or Community (Thesis Option) 
ØEDUC 645: Qualitative Research Methods (Thesis Option) 
ØEDUC 688: Methods and Techniques in Teaching English as a Second Language 
ØEDUC 625: Teaching Reading and Writing to the ESOL/Bilingual Student I
ØEDUC 655: Teaching Reading and Writing to the ESOL/Bilingual Student II
ØMLL 612: Linguistics and Bilingualism
ØMLL 625: Intercultural/Cross-Cultural Communications
ØEDUC 636: English as a Second Language/Foreign Language Testing and Evaluation
ØMLL 670: Second Language Acquisition and Learning: From Theory to Practice
Ø LING 494: American English Structure for ESL/EFL Teachers: Phonology, Morphology, & Syntax
ØEDUC 791S: ESOL Practicum (field experience) in School
ØEDUC 792L : ESOL Internship (Certification Option)
ØEDUC 794: ISD Project Seminar in ESOL (Non-Thesis Option)  

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  Internships and/or K-12 Student Teaching

     The internship is a field-oriented experience in a setting consistent with the student's professional preparation and career goals.  It provides the student the opportunity to put into practice the skills and knowledge acquired in the program's courses.  Internships last from 3 to 6 months and can be done in the United States or abroad.  The program has internship agreements with institutions in Ecuador, Korea, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay.  Some internships include paid round trip transportation and room and board.  Internships can also be arranged individually by the student.

     Students who add the K-12 ESOL Certification option to their program are required to do one semester of student teaching in K-12 ESOL public school programs in the Baltimore/Washington area or at accredited K-12 international school programs abroad.

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 Thesis Research

     Thesis option students develop a research proposal and write a thesis under the guidance of a mentor and several faculty advisors.  Thesis students can do their thesis research in the United States or abroad.  Many of our students who have gone on to doctoral programs have found their thesis experience helpful.  See sample theses titles.   

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 Career Opportunities

      The ESOL concentration (ISD M.A. Program) prepares students for a wide variety of ESOL and ESOL- related careers.  The program provides academic and professional training for:

Ø      Teaching English as a second or foreign language in universities, community colleges and language institutes in the U.S. and abroad;
Ø      Administering and/or teaching in K-12 ESOL and bilingual programs in public and private schools in the U.S. and in international schools abroad;
Ø      Working with refugee, migrant and immigrant groups.

Graduates of the program have:
Ø      Taught ESL and EFL at all levels;
Ø      Become Peace Corps volunteers;
Ø      Worked as ESOL and/or cross-cultural trainers (K-Adult) for cross-cultural training organizations, school systems, state and government agencies, and corporations that deal with bilingual/bicultural groups;
Ø      Assumed administrative positions in K-12, English Language Institutes, and government and business ESL/EFL programs.  

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Admissions 

     Applicants for admission to the ESOL concentration (ISD M.A. Program) must meet the general requirements for admission to the University of Maryland Baltimore Graduate School.  To be considered for admission to the ESOL concentration (ISD M.A. Program), the applicant must have a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and a Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score, with a minimum of 450 on the verbal.  International students must have a minimum of 550 on the TOEFL.  Non-native speakers of English are also required to attain a satisfactory score on the Program's Oral Proficiency Interview (FSI/IRL equivalent) by the end of the program.  Enrollment in the ESOL Program is limited and only a select number of students are admitted to the program for each semester.  Currently, the program is capped at 85 students.

     The ISD M.A. Program’s application review process is on-going.  The program follows the admissions deadlines set by the University of Maryland Graduate School.  The Program’s Admissions Committee meets and makes decisions periodically throughout the review cycle.  Favorable consideration is given to applications received early in the review cycle.  Applicants who are not admitted during the review cycle will be notified.  In some cases, they will be asked if they want their application to be placed in the next review cycle for consideration.  The fall semester review cycle runs from December 2- July 1.  The spring semester review cycle begins July 2 and ends December 1.  An applicant’s file is considered complete and ready for review when all documents have been submitted.  Documents include:  application and letter of intent, official transcripts, official GRE scores, and three letters of recommendation.

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 Financial Aid

UMBC attempts to meet the demonstrated financial needs of its students through grants, loans and campus employment.  The ESOL/Bilingual M.A. Program also assists in finding part-time work for all students, which can include employment in local schools or colleges, government agencies, or corporations.  There is one Graduate Assistantship available in the ESOL/Bilingual M.A. Program Office each school year, and several others within the Department of Education. 

For prospective Maryland public school teachers, the Maryland Higher Education Commission offers several scholarships including the Sharon Christa McAuliffe Memorial Award and the HOPE Scholarship.  You must contact them directly (tel.: 410-260-4545) for current applications and deadlines.   

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Diverse Student Population

           The ESOL/Bilingual M.A. Program seeks to recruit students from the 50 U.S. states and around the world.  Our students have undergraduate degrees in a number of majors including mathematics, economics, linguistics, and foreign languages.  This makes for a diverse student population and an intellectually stimulating environment.  See Student Profile Fall 1999.  

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