Master of Arts in TESOL
A PATH TO BECOMING A CONFIDENT, INNOVATIVE, AND REFLECTIVE LANGUAGE EDUCATOR
Hawaiʻi Pacific University's Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) prepares graduates to teach as well as to use their knowledge of second language acquisition to critically evaluate classroom practices and creatively implement curricular and programmatic innovations. HPU MA TESOL graduates are expert language educators who are highly valued in the U.S. and around the world in teaching positions for English and other languages. An HPU MA TESOL degree also opens the door to diverse career paths in international education such as program development and administration, educational assessment and publishing, teacher education, curriculum development, cross-cultural experiences, student support services, immigration services, and fields where language education skills are an asset.
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Student Experiences
Scholarships Available
Flexible Course Options
Discounted Tuition rates for MIlitary & Partners
Learn By Doing with Practicum Experience
The HPU TESOL program has a well-deserved reputation for its practical, hands-on approach to language teacher development. Nearly all TESOL students take two practicum courses. In the first, they observe language classes in a variety of settings both on and off campus. In the second, they serve as assistant or autonomous student teachers. In addition, TESOL students often work as student tutors in HPU’s Center for Academic Success, assisting other students with English, world languages, math, and other subjects. They also find both paid and volunteer opportunities for professional development off-campus. Literacy programs, language centers, and public schools are all located within easy walking distance or a short bus ride of HPU classrooms.
Program length: 36 credit hours or 12 semester-courses (1 prerequisite course) - typically completed in 2 years
TESOL Career Resources
Curriculum & Courses Tailored to Career Pathways
Students who complete the MA TESOL program will be prepared to ASK:
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Attitudes of a professional: Towards Colleagues and students, MA holders will demonstrate teamwork and sensitivity. Towards the discipline, MA holders will demonstrate a spirit of inquiry, critical thinking, and reflection. Towards the global community, MA holders will demonstrate cultural sensitivity and global citizenship.
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Skills in spoken and written communication, in academic and pedagogical research, and in teaching including materials development and lesson planning, delivery, management, and assessment.
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Knowledge of the major subfields of linguistics, the theories of a second language acquisition, and the principles of language teaching methods: MA holders will be able to articulate their own philosophy of language teaching, explaining the principles on which it is based.
Full-time enrolled, August entry
Year 1 Fall Semester (9 credits)
Prerequisite: AL 2000 Introduction to Linguistics
- AL 6000 Teaching Second Languages: Theory and Practice
- AL 6110 English Phonology and the Teaching of Pronunciation
- Elective
Year 1 Spring Semester (9 credits)
- AL 6120 English Syntax and the Teaching of Grammar
- AL 6720 Second Language Reading and Writing
- Elective
Year 2 Fall Semester (9 credits)
- AL 6710 Second Language Listening and Speaking
- AL 6961 Practicum I in TESOL
- Elective
Year 2 Spring Semester (6 credits)
- AL 6730 Assessment in TESOL
- AL 7099 Practicum II and Capstone
- Elective
Full-time enrolled, January entry
Year 1 Spring Semester (9 credits)
- AL 6120 English Syntax and the Teaching of Grammar
- AL 6720 Second Language Reading and Writing
- Elective
Year 1 Fall Semester (9 credits)
Prerequisite: AL 2000 Introduction to Linguistics
- AL 6000 Teaching Second Languages: Theory and Practice
- AL 6110 English Phonology and the Teaching of Pronunciation
- Elective
Year 2 Spring Semester (6 credits)
- AL 6730 Assessment in TESOL
- AL 7099 Practicum II and Capstone
- Elective
Year 2 Fall Semester (9 credits)
- AL 6710 Second Language Listening and Speaking
- AL 6961 Practicum I in TESOL
- Elective
Electives Offered
- AL 6140 Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers
- AL 6150 Using Corpora in the Language Classroom
- 6160 Second Language Vocabulary Development
- AL 6320 Language and Society
- AL 6740 Research and Issues in Computer-Assisted Language Learning
- AL 6750 TESOL Materials Development
- AL 6760 Teaching English to Children and Youth
Check out the TeSOL Graduate Certificate
The Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is an 18-credit program designed with courses in three areas: linguistic theory, pedagogy (teaching methods), and practicum.
"The TESOL class sizes are small which lends itself to small interactions and community-building. Also, the more you learn about TESOL, the more you realize it is linked to other fields, widening your perspective even more.”
Join HPU's Strong Alumni Network
Yuka Saruwatari (MA TESOL ‘17), an English teacher at Bihoku High School in Japan, developed her connection to Hawai'i Pacific University 10 years ago when she enrolled in a summer workshop with HPU TESOL instructor Jean Kirschenmann, at the Nagoya University of Foreign Studies.
HPU alumna Ryoko Tazawa (MA TESOL, 2011) and TESOL professor Hanh Nguyen contributed stories to "The Hawaiʻi Book of Rice: Tales, Trivia, and 101 Recipes" (December 2024, Watermark Publishing), edited by HPU's Graduate TESOL Certificate alumna Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi.
In a recent panel discussion featuring alumni from Hawaiʻi Pacific University's TESOL program, graduates shared their varied and inspiring career trajectories.
Apply to Earn your MA TESOL Degree at Hawaiʻi Pacific University
Individuals wishing to apply to the MA TESOL degree program at HPU are required to submit the following:
- Application form
- $55 Application Fee
- Academic Transcripts
- Résumé/CV
- Statement of Purpose essay (optional)
- One letter of recommendation (optional)
- Start dates: Fall and Spring semesters
- International Students: English Entry Level Requirement