TESL Certificate - Degree Requirements

Courses are 4 credits unless otherwise noted

LING 390

Introduction to Linguistics

LING 438

Second Language Acquisition

LING 471

Understanding the International Experience

LING 492

Structure of English

LING 477 & 478

TESOL Methods I - Methods II and Portfolio

LING 475 -OR- LING 439

Curriculum Design & Materials Development OR Language Assessment

Language Educational Elective*

Selected in consultation with academic adviser

Linguistics electives-8 credits  (upper division)

Selected in consultation with the academic adviser

Total credits for TESL Certificate required courses: 40

Language Requirement for Native Speakers of English

Native speakers of English, or students holding an undergraduate degree from an English-medium institution, must also satisfy a second-language proficiency requirement.

There are several ways to satisfy the Non-English language proficiency requirement, including:

• Verified transcripts of at least two full years of previous study of a second language from PSU or another institution
• Completing the 203 level of a language class taught in the Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literature at PSU
• Passing a language proficiency test administered by the Dept. of Foreign Languages and Literatures at PSU

Students who are non-native speakers of English can satisfy the TESL Certificate's second language requirement by showing a TOEFL PBT score of 550, or TOEFL iBT score of 80.

Upon acceptance to PSU, the Office of Degree Requirements will automatically list English as the foreign language for all students who have:

Transcripts which show that the student has completed his/her high school or university in a non-English medium institution

Documented TOEFL score = 550 (PBT) or 80 (iBT)