Accelerated MA-TESOL

Accelerated M.A. in TESOL and Intercultural Studies. 

The M.A. in TESOL & Intercultural Studies (36 credit hours) prepares teachers for a career in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages in the U.S. and internationally. Graduates of this program work as teachers and administrators in colleges, universities, adult education programs, and as administrators in K-12 English learning programs. All of the courses are offered both residentially and in online form.

Benefits of the Accelerated M.A.

• Save money on tuition. Up to 16 credits of graduate-level course work can be earned by students who are full-time undergraduates, saving up to 40% of the cost of the MA degree.
• Earn the degree more quickly. After finishing the undergraduate degree, students may need only two semesters to complete the M.A. program, which typically requires three semesters of study.
• Convenient residential and online options. In addition to the courses offered on residentially, the MA degree can also be earned online once a student leaves campus. The M.A. in TESOL & Intercultural Studies can be finished in any location, including overseas.
• Simpler application process. As a benefit to Wheaton College undergraduates, the accelerated MA application is in a simpler format than the application for the M.A. program.

Pathways to the Accelerated M.A.

Wheaton College undergraduates can apply for the Accelerated M.A. program during their sophomore or junior years and can begin taking courses once they have earned 80 credits toward their undergraduate degree. Undergraduates can take up to 8 credits of graduate work per semester and up to 16 credits total.

• Pathway 1 - Five-year M.A. TESOL Option for Education Majors
  To maximize the benefits of the Accelerated M.A., these students should begin taking the graduate versions of the required ESL/BIL courses during their junior and senior years. For instance, instead of taking LING 325 Principles of Assessment, they should take LING 617; instead of LING 329 they should take 614; instead of LING 331, they should take LING 639. If LING 325 and 329 have already been taken, the graduate versions of these courses are waived and students can take an approved elective instead.
• Pathway 2 - Five-year M.A. TESOL Option for non-Education Majors (English, Anthropology, Business, Foreign Languages, etc.)
  The MA in TESOL can be earned by students from any undergraduate major. This program can be very flexible and depends on the student’s undergraduate requirements. It is possible to take graduate courses each semester as the student’s schedule allows.
• Pathway 3 - Accelerated M.A. + TESOL Flex (online MA program)
  Students who leave campus after graduating with a bachelor’s degree may complete the M.A. in TESOL by taking online courses in the TESOL Flex format. If they take jobs (teaching or otherwise), move home, or move to another country, they can continue the MA degree program online, finishing in 1-2 years.

For specific information about the sequence of courses in each pathway, please contact Dr. Sara Vroom Fick or Dr. Alan Seaman.

Learn more about the MA In TESOL and Intercultural Studies!