Master of TESOL

Course Codes

Overview

The Master of TESOL course is designed to provide specialist training in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in overseas countries in which a Master's level qualification is the preferred requirement for employment.

The course has a one-year thesis and coursework stream (Stream 100A), a one and a half year thesis and coursework stream (Stream 150A), and a on and a half -year coursework-only stream (Stream 150B). Eligibility for each stream depends on the level of the applicant's previous qualifications and teaching experience.

The Master of TESOL, Stream 100A is a research-classified course. Graduates of streams 100A and 150A may be eligible for entry into PhD or DEd programs. The Master of TESOL, Streams 100B,150A or 150B, are coursework-classified.

Special Note: All students who wish to apply for a stream with a thesis component must submit an Expression of Interest before applying.

Please note that this course will not provide you with registration to teach in Australia.

Course Objectives

Students who have completed the Masters of TESOL course should be able to:

• demonstrate a high level of competence in the management and teaching of English to speakers of other languages;
• demonstrate a superior knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of TESOL;
• have an understanding of the theory and practice of research in TESOL;
• make effective use of the findings of educational writings and research in addressing TESOL-related professional problems;
• have the depth of knowledge and understanding that will enable them to be a resource for colleagues in TESOL-related professional situations.

Entrance Requirements for Streams 100A and 100B

An applicant may be eligible for entry into the Master of TESOL, Stream 100A or Stream 100B, if the applicant has:

• an appropriate four-year degree and Postgraduate Certificate in TESOL, or equivalent; or
• an appropriate four-year degree, comprising TESOL methodology studies, and at least two years of documented relevant professional experience; or
• three-year degree and Graduate Diploma in Education, comprising TESOL methodology studies, and at least two years of documented relevant professional experience.

Applicants for Stream 100A are required to submit a thesis proposal signed by their prospective supervisor with their application.

Students must also achieve a grade of H2A or better in the research method subject before being permitted to undertake the thesis component. Students achieving a grade of H2B may be allowed to undertake the thesis if they have the explicit support of their supervisor that they are capable of doing so. Students achieving a grade of less than H2B may be required to convert from a research masters to a coursework only degree.

Wherever possible, students should take the research method subject just prior to the commencement of the thesis.

Entrance Requirements for Streams 150A or 150B

An applicant may be eligible for entry into the Master of TESOL, Streams 150A and 150B, if the applicant has:

• an appropriate four-year undergraduate degree including a significant component of English Language Studies, or equivalent, and at least one year of documented relevant professional experience; or
• undergraduate degree and a qualification in teaching English to speakers of other languages and at least one year of documented relevant professional experience.

Course Structure

Stream 100A: Coursework and Thesis of 20,000 words (489AB)

Students are required to undertake 100 points of study, consisting of a thesis of 20,000 words with a research methodology component (75 points) and 25 points of coursework from the list below. Students must publicly present a research paper in the last six months of their candidature. Subjects that may be undertaken in external (online) mode of delivery are marked with an asterisk.

Students should choose an elective from below which relates to the area of TESOL research to be undertaken for the thesis.

Coursework subjects (select one):

or 25 points of other elective subjects approved by the course co-ordinator

Approved research methodology studies:

Stream 100B: Coursework

Students are required to undertake 100 points of coursework from the list below.

Students must take:

and two of the following subjects:

International students may also substitute 483-636 Teaching English in the International Context for the compulsory subject 483-603 Innovaton and Change in Language Education if they wish.

Stream 150A: Coursework and Thesis of 20,000 words (489BA)

Students are required to undertake a combination of the following compulsory subjects (75 points) followed by a Thesis A (20,000 words) with a research methodology component (75 points). Subjects that may be undertaken in external (online) mode of delivery are marked with an asterisk.

Compulsory subjects:

Important note: International students must replace the compulsory subject, 483-830 TESOL Professional Practice: Supervised Teaching, with 483-642 TESOL Professional Practice: Supervised Observation year long or 483-643 TESOL Professional Practice: Supervised Observation semester long, except where the Program Co-ordinator approves enrolment in 483-830 TESOL Professional Practice: Supervised Teaching.

International students may also substitute 483-636 Teaching English in the International Context for the compulsory subject 483-603 Innovaton and Change in Language Education if they wish.

Stream 150B: Coursework (489BC)

Students are required to undertake the following compulsory and elective subjects to accumulate 150 points. Subjects that may be undertaken in external (online) mode of delivery are marked with an asterisk.

Compulsory subjects:

Elective subjects (select any two of the following):

Important note: International students must replace the compulsory subject, 483-830 TESOL Professional Practice: Supervised Teaching, with 483-642 TESOL Professional Practice: Supervised Observation, except where the Program Co-ordinator approves enrolment in 483-830 TESOL Professional Practice: Supervised Teaching .

International students may also substitute 483-636 Teaching English in the International Context for the compulsory subject 483-603 Innovaton and Change in Language Education if they wish.

Period of Candidature

After being admitted to Stream 100A of the course, full-time students are required to pursue studies for at least one academic year and not more than two academic years. Part-time students are required to pursue studies for at least two academic years and not more than four academic years.

After being admitted to Streams 150A or 150B of the course, full-time students are required to pursue studies for at least one and a half academic years and not more than three academic years. Part-time students are required to pursue studies for at least three academic years and not more than six academic years.

Information Guide for Research Students

It is essential that all thesis students refer to the Research website at www.education.unimelb.edu.au/research/research_guide/index.html

Thesis Provisions

General Requirements and Thesis Supervision

Applicants for Stream 100A are required to write a preliminary thesis proposal and obtain a supervisor as part of the application process. The thesis proposal must be signed by the supervisor and the Associate Dean (Research)

All students enrolled in the thesis streams should finalise the topic of their thesis with their supervisor as early as possible, and must register the name of their supervisor with the School Office as soon as the matter is finalised.

The Thesis of 20,000 Words

The thesis permits the student to draw on the themes discussed in the various subjects undertaken, and to apply them to an area of particular interest. Although this work may rely to some extent on the work of others, it should be a new presentation which involves the writer in demonstrating research and writing skills, and also in collecting primary data from the field, or in building some new construct from available materials. The result should give clear evidence of research skills and critical judgment.

The thesis should demonstrate the student's ability to handle research and to present the outcomes in a disciplined way that conforms with normal scholarly conventions.

The thesis should be 20,000 words in length, excluding appendices. The thesis will be examined by two appropriate academics, at least one of whom is external to the University of Melbourne, neither of whom is the supervisor of the thesis. Theses produced for Stream 100A are required to be examined by two external examiners.

The thesis should not, as a general rule, take a part-time student more than twelve months to complete.

External Mode of Delivery

A small number of subjects within this course are offered in external (online) mode of delivery. It is possible to undertake a small number of subjects externally providing students select subjects that are available in external mode of delivery, but there are not enough external subjects on offer to enable students to undertake Stream 150B entirely by distance. Moreover, it is not possible to undertake the coursework and thesis streams entirely by distance as the thesis must be undertaken while on-campus at the University of Melbourne. Students wishing to undertake subjects offered in external (online) mode of delivery should first check that they meet the requirements to study externally.