VSU Offers New Online Master’s Degree in ESOL

VALDOSTA  – Valdosta State University now offers an online Master of Arts in Teaching, with a major in English to speakers of other languages. 

The Master of Arts in Teaching is an initial certification program at the graduate level for those interested in teaching English to speakers of other languages at the K-12 level.  

“The English to speakers of other languages field at the K-12 level is incredibly diverse in the U.S.,” said Dr. Ransom Gladwin, program coordinator. “There are elementary English to speakers of other languages teachers, secondary teachers, and teachers in bilingual immersion programs, just to name a few options.” 

The program prepares students as professional educators through a series of linguistics, second language acquisition, and methods courses. Students in this program learn English to speakers of other languages policy and protocols and complete a semester of student teaching. 

“The job market for English to speakers of other languages is strong in the United States and a U.S. certification is an outstanding credential to qualify for teaching English to speakers of other languages positions around the world,” said Gladwin. “This program accepts all majors, so it is a great way to combine social and global interests into a specific career path.” 

The program is ideal for undergraduate students who want to use their language skills to teach English to speakers of other languages. It is offered by the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, which is housed in the College of Arts and Sciences at VSU.   

The Master of Arts in Teaching, with a major in English to speakers of other languages is a 36-credit-hour program. The Department of Modern and Classical Languages is preparing an option for current undergraduate students that will allow a seamless transition into the graduate program – with nine credit hours counted toward both the undergraduate and graduate degrees. This means they can finish the program in one full academic year, attending classes during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. 

Contact Dr. Ransom Gladwin at (229) 333-5948 or rgladwin@valdosta.edu to learn more. 

On the Web:
http://www.valdosta.edu/programs/mat-education-english-to-speakers-of-other-languages/