The UK’s most dynamic TESOL degrees

As more parents see the perks of English-medium international schools, career opportunities in this field are increasing. In the last 10 years, the number of such institutions has risen steadily, recording over 12,000 institutions and 6.1 million students today.

In Asia, the international schools market collects US$33.8 billion in total annual tuition fees. As of March 2021, Indonesia and Thailand have 377 and 254 English-medium international schools. To stand out from the competition, many recruit talent from all over the world to join its teaching staff. It’s common for teachers to have master’s degrees and beyond.

Many international schools in Thailand usually require a relevant degree and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) with qualified teacher status. Two to three years’ experience at an English-speaking school, plus a teaching license, are prerequisites as well. Similar requirements for a bachelor’s degree, plus related work experience, apply to international schools in Indonesia.

Join them for a rewarding career in one of the noblest professions in the world, starting with a world-class qualification from one of these UK universities:

Edge Hill University

Award-winning, well-ranked, attractive, located in the North-West of England close to Liverpool and Manchester — these features describe Edge Hill University. It is included in the top “1,000 institutions in the world”  and has recently been awarded Modern University of the Year in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 and was awarded TEF Gold, the highest rating in the national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), in 2017.

Edge Hill offers the ideal programme for those passionate about teaching English to speakers of other languages, deepening their knowledge, understanding and practical skills in language teaching, learning and education: MA TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). You will expand your knowledge of contemporary theory in English language teaching and enhance your professional, practical, and reflective skills as well as further developing your ability to carry out research in the field of English language teaching.

If you seek to move into a senior English language teaching role, the Educational Management of TESOL module will equip you with the know-how of leadership models and theories and how they can be applied to educational contexts drawing on examples from students’ TESOL experiences. The module focuses on the leadership and development of people and teams as well, covering aspects such as the development of teachers through professional development performance review, observations, mentoring and coaching.

The MA TESOL is offered full-time on-campus and from September 2022, part-time online. Generous scholarships for international students are available — more details can be found here. The Postgraduate Excellence Scholarship, valued at 3,000 pounds towards the tuition fees of a postgraduate, MBA or MRes programme, will be awarded to full-time, overseas fee-paying students based on academic merit.

The English language teaching sector sees year on year growth so join Edge Hill’s MA TESOL programme, an excellent choice for language teachers seeking to advance their career.

Nottingham Trent University

Source: Nottingham Trent University Facebook

Nottingham Trent University is where brilliant minds come together to crack complex issues. At its School of Arts and Humanities, a diverse, supportive and collaborative community is creating, exploring and innovating. Students here are piquing their curiosities about language, histories and global cultures — as they develop their intellectual and practical skills.

The school offers innovative programmes built on this ethos. The result? Employable graduates with a superlative student experience to look back on. One of these programmes is the MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Spanning one year full-time or two to five years part-time, this postgraduate taught programme is designed for those with no or very little prior English language teaching experience (less than two years). If you wish to become an English language teacher to speakers of other languages, this very practical programme is for you.

In practical sessions, you will be involved in demonstrating a range of teaching methods, including designing teaching materials, planning lessons and tests, practising teaching in a peer group and analysing real lessons through DVD observations. Expect to collaborate with coursemates from Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Mexico, Poland, Switzerland and the UK.

“The Teaching English to Young Learners module was very interesting since we acted as real teachers teaching through stories, drama, songs and poems,” shares Amal

Hanashi, who studied the MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

“We also acted as young learners to understand the process of acquiring a language. I also enjoyed the Exploring English Language Learning and Teaching (ELT) module. I studied various useful methods of teaching English. The most interesting part about the ELT module is the practice we got at teaching in a real classroom under our tutors’ supervision.”

University of St Andrews

There are many reasons to choose the University of St Andrews. A location on the east coast of Scotland, with globally-famous golf courses and beaches. A world-class reputation. Over 140 student societies and 50 sports clubs. Buildings steeped in history. Cutting-edge modern facilities. Flexible assessment methods. Top in the UK for student academic experience according to the National Student Survey 2021. A strong support network of advisers.

All these and more draw teaching aspirants to head to the small town nestled on a rocky headland overlooking the North Sea. Here, you can pursue a flexible range of postgraduate TESOL qualifications: MSc degrees, Postgraduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Certificates. Depending on your interests and professional plans, you can also study TESOL or a qualification with a specialism in one particular area of TESOL.

These programmes are delivered by the International Education Institute, led by staff with experience in a wide variety of contexts and countries and are committed and passionate about education, English language teaching, innovation and research.

“Studying in the department at the University of St Andrews is definitely a rewarding experience,” says Lijun Yin from China. “Teachers who are always ready to help, small classes where everyone has the opportunity to voice their opinions, walks along the beach when things stress you out. Those memories of studying in this lovely seaside town will always stay in my mind. As a result of my studies in St Andrews, I now have a teaching post at a transnational university in China.”

TESOL courses are offered at these levels: Master of Science (MSc), a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) or a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert). If you’re interested in a particular field of TESOL, you can choose one of five specialism to focus on: Assessment and Evaluation, Teaching Young Learners, English Medium Instruction, English for Academic Purposes, and Technology for Teaching.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International