The TESL Certification Program at Montclair State University provides students with the knowledge and skills to serve English Language Learners in P-12 school settings. Linguistics majors who wish to obtain the TESL certification must apply and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Once admitted, students will be matriculated into the B.A. in Secondary Education program as a second major.
Please visit the Teacher Education Program website for the required professional sequence of courses and other important Program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Students are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook.
Students must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in their Linguistics courses and a 3.0 GPA overall to be admitted to this program. The TESL methods course required for the Teacher Education Professional Sequence is LNGN 403. In addition, students must pass the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and the Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) with a score of at least Advanced-mid prior to the Student Teaching semester.
Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 36 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-9 | |
| Major Requirements | 36 | |
| Teacher Education Program Requirements | 36 | |
| Free Electives | 9-3 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| LNGN 210 | Introduction to General Linguistics | 3 |
| LNGN 220 | Structure of American English | 3 |
| LNGN 230 | Language in Society | 3 |
| LNGN 245 | Language and Culture | 3 |
| LNGN 300 | Syntax | 3 |
| LNGN 301 | Semantics | 3 |
| or LNGN 302 | Pragmatics | |
| LNGN 331 | Phonetics | 3 |
| LNGN 332 | Phonology | 3 |
| Major Elective Courses | ||
| Select four of the following: | 12 | |
| Language of Food | ||
| Language of Propaganda | ||
| Dialectology | ||
| Bilingualism | ||
| History of the English Language | ||
| Semantics (Course not used in Required Courses section may be used as an elective.) | ||
or LNGN 302 | Pragmatics | |
| Principles of Second Language Learning | ||
| Language and the Mind | ||
| Special Topics in Linguistics (May be taken with written department approval.) | ||
| Independent Study (May be taken with written department approval.) | ||
| Psycholinguistics | ||
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Second Major in Secondary Education
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | 3 | |
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | 3 | |
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Mathematics course. | 3 | |
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course. | 4 | |
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | 3 | |
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 3 | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | 3 | |
| Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete EDFD 200 as part of the Teacher Education sequence. | ||
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Interdisciplinary Studies course. | 3 | |
| Students in P12 Subject Area Teaching programs complete SASE 210 as part of the Teacher Education sequence. | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on language placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in the same language. Requirement is automatically fulfilled by language major courses. | 3-6 | |
| World Cultures | ||
| Requirement may be fulfilled by course selected in General Education - Social Science: Global Cultural Perspectives. Requirement may also be fulfilled by major coursework. See list of courses. | 0-3 | |
| Total Credits | 3-9 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar | 1 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication | 3 |
| 4 | 6 | ||
| Total Credits 10 | |||