What is TESOL?
TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. People who pursue a TESOL Certificate do so to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively with non-native English speakers, either overseas or within the United States. Previous TESOL students have found work as an ESL teacher within the United States, as well as in Peru, Guatemala, Japan, South Korea, China, and Cyprus, as well as in other countries.
The TESOL Certificate and ESL Endorsement
Mississippi has one of the fastest-growing rates of English learners in the United States. These learners are tasked with learning grade-level content and English at the same time, and English skills are critical for learners’ success in American classrooms.
The Mississippi State University TESOL Certificate Program is designed to prepare in-service teachers to work effectively with English learners across grade levels and content areas.
This program will provide you with grounding in theoretical and empirical research in second language learning and teaching, as well as provide you with the skills you need to work effectively with English learners. It also meets the ESL licensure requirements for the Mississippi State Department of Education.
Benefits of a TESOL Certificate for Working Overseas
In addition to options for working with English learners within the United States, holders of a TESOL certificate and a Bachelor’s degree are strategically placed for a career teaching English as a foreign language in various countries outside of the United States. Many of these positions are with private businesses, private schools, or public school districts.
Holders of a TESOL certificate and a Master’s degree are in a competitive position to teach English at the university level in numerous countries outside of the United States. Mississippi State University graduates with TESOL Certificates have become:
- Graduate students in TESOL, Foreign Language, Applied Linguistics, and other programs;
- English as a Foreign Language teachers in China, Cyprus, Guatemala, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and other countries;
- Instructors in university English Language Institutes
Graduate Students
The Online TESOL Certificate is open to graduate students in good standing and to non-degree seeking graduate students. Please contact Dr. Megan Smith at megan.smith@msstate.edu for more information.
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students may enroll in TESOL Certificate courses with the permission of the TESOL Program Director. Please contact Dr. Megan Smith at megan.smith@msstate.edu for more information.
