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Objectives
Program Requirements
Admission Requirements
Graduation Requirements
Curriculum
Featured M.A. TESOL Alumni

Objectives

English has become the most widely used language in the world today, particularly in the areas of science, commerce and education. Tens of thousands of students in developing countries are required to learn English in school. Thousands more study English in order to pursue careers or educational programs demanding English language skills. Refugees and immigrants to the United States desire English to survive and to establish themselves in their new homeland. There is thus a considerable demand for qualified teachers of English both here and abroad.

To help meet the need for trained Christian teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL), the Department of TESOL and Applied Linguistics offers two regular programs in TESOL: a Certificate in TESOL and an M.A. in TESOL. The programs are academically rigorous, yet focus on the practical aspects of teaching in a variety of settings. The department also seeks to serve teachers desiring to continue their professional advancement or upgrade their qualifications, and non-degree students interested in gaining basic teaching or tutoring skills, by offering a variety of separate courses, from introductory to advanced.

The M.A. in TESOL encompasses the goal of the certificate program plus the additional goal of broader academic training. Teachers are equipped for work in and beyond the classroom in administration, training, course design, etc.

The focus of the TESOL programs is post secondary and adult education. Those interested in K-12 ESL in U.S. schools should consult with the School of Education.

Program Requirements

The TESOL graduate programs require nine units of foundational work in language, culture, and Bible. Students who enter without such a background are required to take three units each of Introduction to Linguistics, Intercultural Communication and Bible (or their equivalents).

The M.A. TESOL program consists of 32 graduate units beyond the foundational units. A portfolio is required as a culminating experience for the degree. For specific details, refer to the TAL Handbook.

The M.A. in TESOL requires practice teaching.

The M.A. program requirements may be reduced for students with a background in TESOL, linguistics or English, but the minimum number of graduate units required is either 32 or 33, depending on the program, of which 24 must be taken through Biola. A minimum of 12 graduate units must be taken on campus.

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the M.A. in TESOL program must meet the qualifications specified in the Admission to the School of Intercultural Studies section, including a profession of Christian faith. In addition to these, foreign applicants who are non-native English speakers must demonstrate both spoken and written proficiency in English through an oral interview and by submitting their TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) results. The TOEFL must have been taken within the past five years. A score of 600 paper / 250 computer with a TWE score of 5 is normally required for admission to the graduate programs in the department. Non-native speakers are also expected to demonstrate oral English proficiency by means of an interview with a faculty member.

Because teachers and applied linguists are expected to have a high degree of competence in written English, all new graduate students, both native and non-native English speakers, are required to take the department’s Writing Proficiency Exam. If the results of the exam indicate that additional work in written grammar and composition is needed to enable a student to perform at the level expected for this field, he or she will be expected to do independent supplementary work on writing or to take and pass one or more writing courses available on campus, including special studies courses, SS 500 or SS 501, described below.

All graduate programs in the department require as a prerequisite a minimum of three semester units of acceptable Bible or theology coursework at the upper division or graduate level in addition to the specified foundational units. Foundational units may be taken concurrently with regular program courses but should normally be completed by the end of the first year.

Students normally begin their program in the fall.

Graduation Requirements

All students must successfully complete all required coursework with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 to qualify for graduation. No TAL course with a grade less than a B (3.0) will be counted for the Certificate or M.A.

The M.A. degrees are usually completed within two years by full-time students, but part-time students may have up to seven years.

Curriculum

Foundational Units

(May be taken concurrently with program courses.)

	Bible / Theology	3
	Introduction to Language & Linguistics	3
	Intercultural Communication	3
	Total	9

Certificate in TESOL

ISTE 509	Structure of English	3
ISTE 525	Introduction to TESOL — Adult	3
ISTE 527	Materials Evaluation & Preparation	3
ISTE 560	Communicating Values through TESOL	1
ISTE 614	Second Language Acquisition	3
ISTE 692	Practicum in TESOL II	3
	Total	16

M.A. in TESOL

All the Certificate in TESOL courses, plus the following:

ISTE 621	Advanced Methods & Techniques in TESOL	3
ISTE 632	Language Testing & Assessment	3
	ISTE or ISAL Electives	7
	Bible or World Perspective Elective	3
ISTE 697	Portfolio	0
	Total	32

Featured M.A. TESOL Alumni

Studying TESOL at Biola, with its community development courses, helped prepare Sarah (2006 graduate) for her Peace Corps assignment in West Africa:

When I first decided to enroll in the M.A. TESOL program at Biola two years ago, I wasn't quite sure how an English-language teaching career would fit with my passion to aid those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. However, I took a step of faith and trusted that God had a reason for both callings. During my second year of the program I took an elective course, Community Development: Models and Strategies, with Dr. Katrina Greene. The following semester, I decided to create an independent study with Dr. Greene on the effects of HIV/AIDS on African youth. I also took Course Design in TESOL, in which I designed a content-based EFL course combining preventative HIV/AIDS content with English language instruction for Malawian (African) high school students.

Looking back, I can clearly see how teaching EFL is a form of educational development and that health (specifically HIV/AIDS issues) can play a part of what is taught in the classroom. Soon I will be leaving for West Africa with the Peace Corps to teach English to middle or high school students in which I have been encouraged to integrate issues relating to HIV/AIDS. I know God has used Biola's TESOL program as well as other departments to prepare me for this teaching position.

Strong Biola community connections with faculty, classmates, and alumni helped Darla (2003 graduate) build a career in TESOL:

I came to Biola's M.A. TESOL program with some teaching and teacher training experience, after three years in Istanbul, Turkey, at Istanbul Technical University. As my love for teaching English grew, I knew I needed training to continue to grow professionally and to fill in the holes of my on-the-job training. During my time at Biola, I learned TESOL methodology and research, as well as how to share God's heart for the nations. I also grew through strong personal relationships outside of the classroom with my classmates, the Biola faculty, and other Biola alumni.

Biola's location in Southern California means there are many opportunities to teach ESL while studying. During my first year in the TESOL program, I taught ESL at Language Systems International, and in my second year I taught at a more academic-intensive English program at Hope International University. When I finished my M.A. in TESOL, I moved into a full-time position at Hope as the Academic Coordinator of the ESL program, and I soon became the Associate Director of International Student Programs. I then moved to California Baptist University in Riverside to found and direct a new ESL program. At both Hope and CBU, my connections with Biola continued as I mentored novice teachers from Biola, hired experienced teachers from Biola, used my Biola connections to network throughout Southern California to develop both Hope and CBU's ESL programs, and taught in a Biola summer teacher-training course. Now, my husband and I will be moving to Saskatchewan, Canada, where I will begin ESL teacher training at Briercrest College.

I'm grateful for ongoing connections with my Biola classmates who continue to share stories of teaching with me, and my Biola faculty who continue to mentor me by sharing course outlines and suggestions as I move into this new stage of my career in TESOL. I'm so thankful that God brought me to Biola. While my relationship with Biola started on the first day I began classes, it didn't end when I finished my degree. It still continues to this day, and I'm sure the relationships will continue into the future.

Practical courses and accessible faculty--that's what Belinda (1999 graduate), now in Central Asia, appreciated about the Biola M.A. TESOL program:

During my first year of teaching conversational English in Central Asia, I fell in love with teaching and knew then that I wanted a degree to prepare me for future work abroad. I was thrilled at how practical the coursework in the Biola M.A. TESOL program was. The assignments that I completed for courses such as Introduction to TESOL, Materials Evaluation and Preparation, and Values and TESOL, I've been able to use over and over during my four years here. As we now look to set up an English program through our non-governmental organization, I will be drawing on what I learned from Course Design and Testing & Assessment to help create a solid program. I was also pleased at how accessible the professors were during my degree studies. And even now, I know they are only an e-mail away!

Equipped for both language learning and teaching...Read Angie's (2005 graduate) story:

I applied to Biola's M.A. TESOL program while on a one-year internship in Central Asia, during which I realized how important it was for me to be trained in English language teaching. Our organization's goals align with Biola's and I was happy to be studying with faculty who shared my international perspective and vision. It was also great that my husband could study at Talbot at the same time! While I studied I also taught ESL locally — the teaching helped shape the assignments I did, and the coursework helped me improve in my teaching.

Upon graduation we returned to Central Asia and to our original project. Eventually, I will be using my degree as I teach EFL, but in the meantime we're studying Russian, and my TESOL studies have been valuable for that as well. I now have dozens of perspectives, theories, and resources to address my daily struggles with Russian. My time in Biola's M.A. TESOL program was definitely worthwhile. I have become a better language learner and I feel well equipped to participate in the professional TEFL environment here in Central Asia.

Faith and academics in harmony is what Sherise (2003 graduate) valued in the Biola M.A. TESOL program:

I started the M.A. TESOL program at Biola after an abrupt end to my job in corporate America. I had long been restless about where God was calling me in regards to the nations, particularly China. Although I had had short-term TESOL experiences, I knew I needed training. I also knew my studies needed the framework of a godly perspective, one that would sharpen my focus in my future plans.

The courses in the Biola TESOL program provided the pedagogical and theoretical underpinnings for me to become a professional in the field. Most distinctive, however, was the allowance for faith and academics to harmoniously reside. I still cling to the truths imparted in the Values in TESOL course as I am now on the field. If I did not have the perspective of my role as an English Language Teacher intertwined with my role as an Ambassador of the King, I would have quit the profession long ago. Biola's TESOL program equipped me for both of these roles.

Teaching ESL full-time at UC Irvine, Jee-Eun (2002 graduate) still relies on a course she took as part of her Biola M.A. TESOL studies:

Before starting Biola's M.A. TESOL program I had a TESOL certificate through the University of California Irvine Extension and I had taught in China and Kenya. I thought I knew what the courses would entail as I pursued the masters degree to both learn more and open up further opportunities. I ended up getting even more than I expected. What I received included spiritual support from the professors and my fellow students as well as strong academic coursework.

I want to especially mention the course Communicating Values through TESOL, which still guides my daily lesson planning as I work with international students from various backgrounds in the Intensive English Program at the University of California Irvine. This course brought everything I had learned about theories of language and methods of teaching together with the role of the Christian teacher. It taught me how to make discussions of values and beliefs relevant and practical for my students. I still remind myself of the various activities I experienced in that class as I now try to make my students aware of the values inherent in the issues we face in our daily lives.