Program Overview

Our Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate is a 12-hour program designed for individuals who want to teach English as a foreign language overseas or are interested in working with adult English language learners at the community college and/or university level in the United States. The certificate is available at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

The current international job market requires a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and a TESOL credential to qualify for employment and a working visa in most countries. Additionally, community college and university level English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching positions in the United States requires the TESOL credential.

Interested in earning a master's degree? Check out our online master's in TESOL!

Admission Requirements

If you’re interested in this certificate program, please contact Dr. Mostafa Papi prior to submitting your application.

Admission to the certificate program is required. You are not enrolled in a certificate program by virtue of being enrolled in related courses; you must apply to and be admitted to the certificate program in order to be considered enrolled.

IMPORTANT: In order to be eligible for admission to a graduate certificate program, an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution.

Admission to College of Education (COE) certificate programs requires submission of the Certificate Admissions Form to the appropriate department Certificate Program Coordinator (Dr. Mostafa Papi) and to the COE Office of Academic Services and Intern Support prior to the completion of two courses offered in the certificate program.

The Certificate Admissions Form must identify the courses and anticipated semesters you intend to take to fulfill certificate requirements. Courses in the certificate program may be applicable to a graduate degree; however, you should consult with your major professor to determine which courses are applicable to specific graduate programs.

If you are not a current FSU student, you must also apply for admission to the University (select one):

Course/Degree Requirements

School of Teacher Education English, Elementary & Special Education BS/MS Students:

Required:

  • TSL 4520 – Crosscultural Communication for Foreign/Second Language Teachers (3) (fall)
  • TSL 4251– Applied Linguistics for Second Language Learning (3) (spring)
  • FLE 3033 – Methods for Teaching FSL (3)
  • TSL 4945 – Internship: Teaching ESOL (3) (every semester)

School of Teacher Education Other BS/MS Students:

Required:

  • TSL 4324 – ESOL Instruction in the Content Areas (3) (every semester)
  • TSL 4945 – Internship: Teaching ESOL (3) (every semester)

Select Two Electives:

  • TSL 4441 – Second Language Testing and Evaluation (3) (fall)
  • FLE 3033 – Methods for Teaching FSL (3)
  • TSL 4081 – Teaching English as  Second Language (3) (spring)
  • TSL 4144 – Foreign/Second Language Curriculum and Materials (3) (summer) 
  • TSL 4341 – Grammar Instruction for Foreign and Second Language Teachers (3)

All Other Undergraduate Students:

Required:

  • FLE 3033 – Methods for Teaching FSL (3) (fall)
  • TSL 4945 – Internship: Teaching ESOL (3) (every semester)

Select Two Electives:

  • TSL 4441– Second Language Testing and Evaluation (3) (fall)
  • TSL 4081 – Teaching English as a Second Language (3) (spring)
  • TSL 4144 – Foreign/Second Language Curriculum and Materials (3) (summer)
  • TSL 4341 – Grammar Instruction for Foreign and Second Language Teachers (3)

All Other Graduate Students:

Required:

  • TSL 5345 – Methodologies for Teaching Foreign and Second Languages (3) (fall)
  • TSL 5940 – Field Lab Internship (3) (every semester) 

Select Two Electives:

  • TSL 5440 – Foreign and Second Language Testing and Evaluation (3) (fall)
  • TSL 5944 – Foreign and Second Language Education in Practice (3) (spring)
  • TSL 5142 – Curriculum Design and Materials Development in Foreign and Second Language Education (3) (summer)
  • TSL 5350 – Pedagogical Grammar for Foreign and Second Language Teachers (3)
  • TSL 5525 – Crosscultural Communication for Foreign/Second Language Teachers (3)

After all certificate coursework is completed, but no later than two weeks after grades post, a Certificate Completion Form must be filled out and submitted to the Program Coordinator. Approved completion forms will be forwarded for processing and be posting to your official transcript.

Tuition & Aid

Information about tuition and fees can be found here. Please note that students may incur costs associated with the purchase of books/materials for courses.

Contact(s)