Linguistics/Teaching English as a Second Language

A master’s degree in teaching English as a second language (TESL) opens many doors and a practical application of a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics. The program provides a strong foundation for students considering a long-term career in teaching English.

Students will learn effective methods for language instruction, curriculum design, lesson planning, and assessing all four key skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Graduates are ready to teach ESL in adult education, intensive English programs, community colleges and abroad.

A. Admission to the Blended Program Admission

Students may apply to a blended program if they:

1. Are a matriculated undergraduate student who has completed at least one semester at CSUN.
2. Have completed 60 units.
3. Have completed 9 units of upper-division coursework specific to the Linguistics, B.A., in residence at CSUN.
4. Have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 (“B”) at the time of submitting the change of major.
5. Have a minimum major GPA of 3.0 (“B”).
6. Have received a grade of “B+” or higher in LING 417.
7. Have fulfilled at least three of the six units of foreign language studies required. Three units of language study may be taken concurrently during the time of application.

Department Application Process

1. Students will not apply to the blended program via Cal State Apply.
2. Students will submit an application to the department chair, including:
   1. A completed application form.
   2. A personal statement that addresses the student’s motivations for applying to the blended program. The statement should be at least 400 words, but no more than 500 words.
   3. At least two CSUN faculty members listed that have agreed to be a reference. One reference must be an assistant, associate, or full professor in the department.

Advisement

Students admitted to the blended program receive advisement from the undergraduate academic advisor and the graduate program coordinator. Consult the degree road map for the suggested sequence of coursework.

See Student Finance and the Financial Aid and Scholarship Department for information on tuition and financial aid in a blended program.

International students should consult with the International and Exchange Student Center regarding questions about F-1 visa and OPT information.

B. Residency Requirements

Students in a blended program must meet undergraduate, blended, and graduate residency requirements. Double-counted courses must be completed at CSUN. See Blended Programs Requirements for more information.

C. Grade and GPA Requirements

1. Double-counted courses must be completed with a grade of “B” or better to be applied toward the master’s degree.
2. Students must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 (“B”) throughout enrollment in the blended program.

See also: GPA Requirements for Graduate Programs Policy.

D. Changing Blended Program Enrollment Status

Students enrolled in a blended program who do not meet the GPA requirements, change majors, or opt not to continue in the master’s program will be withdrawn from the blended option. Students should submit a change of major request to declare the traditional option. Students may still apply for graduate studies at CSUN during the traditional admissions cycle. See Blended Programs Requirements for more information.

E. Linguistics, B.A. (120 units)

Courses notated with an asterisk double count in the blended B.A.+M.A. program.

1. Required Courses (27 units)

LING 300 Approaches to Linguistic Analysis (3)
LING 402 Phonetics and Phonology (3)
LING 403 Introduction to Morphology (3)
LING 404 Syntax (3)
LING 408 Semantics and Pragmatics (3)
LING 417 Language Development and Acquisition (3)

Select one of the following:

LING 100 Demystifying Language: An Introduction to Linguistics (3)
LING 200 (How) Language Matters (3)
LING 230 Forbidden Language: Swearing and Taboo Language (3)
LING 250 Language(s) in California (3)

Select one of the following:

LING 310 Forensic Linguistics: Language and the Law (3)
LING 314CS Language in Life: Community-Engaged Linguistics (3)
LING 325 Language, Gender, and Identity (3)

Select one of the following:

LING 309 Language and Social Interaction (3)
LING 427 Languages in Contact (3)
LING 441 Sociolinguistics (3)
LING 447 Bilingualism in the U.S. (3)

2. Electives (12 units)

(Note: A course counted as required cannot count as an elective.)

Required Electives for the Blended Program

LING 502 Seminar in Research in Second Language Acquisition (3)*
LING 520 Issues in ESL Reading and Writing (3)*
LING 530 Introduction to TESL (3)*

Select one elective from the following:

AFRS 395 African American Language (3)
ANTH 310 Language in Culture: Anthropological Linguistics (3)
CD 442 Speech Science (3)
CD 462 Language Disorders I (3)
CHS 333 Language and Society: Chicanas/os and Other Language Minority Children (3)
CHS 433 Language Acquisition of the Chicana/o and ESL Speakers (3)
CHS 482 Language of the Barrio (3)
COMP 310 Automata, Languages and Computation (3)
COMP 333 Concepts of Programming Languages (3)
COMP 410 Logic Programming (3)
COMP 569 Artificial Intelligence (3)
COMS 350 Nonverbal Communication (3)
COMS 356 Intercultural Communication (3)
COMS 450 Communication Research Methodology (3)
DEAF 484 Structure of American Sign Language (3)**
DEAF 485 Issues in American Sign Language (3)**
ENGL 400 History of the English Language (3)
ENGL 405 Language Differences and Language Change (3)
LING 100 Demystifying Language: An Introduction to Linguistics (3)
LING 200 (How) Language Matters (3)
LING 230 Forbidden Language: Swearing and Taboo Language (3)
LING 240 Language and Music (3)
LING 250 Language(s) in California (3)
LING 303 Human Language: Defining Our Biological Identity (3)
LING 309 Language and Social Interaction (3)
LING 310 Forensic Linguistics: Language and the Law (3)
LING 314CS Language in Life: Community-Engaged Linguistics (3)
LING 325 Language, Gender, and Identity (3)
LING 330 Fundamentals for TESL (3)
LING 331 Grammar for Teaching English as a Second Language (3)
LING 407 Language Varieties (3)
LING 411 Introduction to Historical Linguistics (3)
LING 427 Languages in Contact (3)
LING 430 A Linguistic Introduction to Cognitive Science (3)
LING 447 Bilingualism in the U.S. (3)
LING 455 Computational Linguistics (3)
LING 495A-Z Selected Topics in Linguistics (3)
PHIL 445 Philosophy of Language (3)
PSY 367 Cognitive Psychology (3)
SPAN 400 Structure of the Spanish Language (3)
SPAN 401 Language and Culture (3)
SPAN 425 Spanish Phonetics (3)
SPAN 497 Comparative Structure of Spanish and English (3)

*Double-counted courses.
**Taught in ASL.

3. Studies in a Language Other Than English (6 units)

Undergraduate majors are required to complete two progressive semesters (or equivalent) of one language other than English. Students with prior language experience can pass all or part of the language requirement by examination or other evidence at the discretion of the department.

4. General Education (43 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 43 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (E.S.) requirement.

If taken, LING 240 satisfies Area 3A Arts; LING 200 satisfies Area 3B Humanities; LING 230 and/or LING 309 satisfies 3-6 units of Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences; LING 303 or LING 310 satisfies Area 5 Physical and Biological Sciences, Upper Division; ANTH 310, CHS 333, COMS 356, LING 250 and/or LING 325 satisfies 3-6 units of CSUN Section F Comparative Cultural Studies. COMS 356 also fulfills the Information Competence requirement.

5. Campus Requirements (6 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 6 units of Campus Requirements as described in this Catalog. If taken, LING 310 meets the Lifelong Learning requirement.

6. Additional Units (24-32 units)

Additional elective coursework to complete the 120 unit minimum for the bachelor’s degree.

F. Teaching English as a Second Language, M.A. (24 units)

1. Required Core Courses (18 units)

2. Electives (3 units)

In consultation with the chair/advisor, candidates will select 3 units of electives at the 400-, 500- or 600-level. Coursework may include LING courses or courses in other departments in consultation with the chair/advisor.

Preapproved Electives for the M.A. in TESL

EED 577 Language Arts Instruction and English Language Development (3)
EED 626/SED 626 Literacy Instruction for English Learners K-12 (3)
LING 411 Introduction to Historical Linguistics (3)***
LING 427 Languages in Contact (3)***
LING 447 Bilingualism in the U.S. (3)***
LING 455 Computational Linguistics (3)***
LING 495A-Z Selected Topics in Linguistics (3-3-3)***
LING 500 Seminar in Phonetics (3)
LING 501 Seminar in Phonology (3)
LING 503 Seminar in Cognitive Linguistics (3)
LING 505 Seminar in Discourse Analysis (3)
LING 515 Survey of Applied Linguistics (3)
LING 541 Seminar in Sociolinguistics (3)
LING 566 Research Methods for Linguistics (3)
LING 578 English for Specific Purposes (3)
LING 590A-Z Selected Topics in Linguistics/TESL (3-3)
LING 604 Acoustic and Instrumental Phonetics (3)
SED 514 Computers in Instruction (3)
SED 625ESL Theory and Research in Teaching ESL in Multilingual Classrooms (3)
SPAN 425 Spanish Phonetics (3)***
SPAN 497 Comparative Structure of Spanish and English (3)***
SPAN 530 Spanish Dialectology (3)
SPAN 600 History of the Spanish Language (3)
SPAN 603 Seminar in Romance Linguistics (3)

***If not taken for the Linguistics, B.A. degree.

3. Culminating Experience (3 units)

In order to complete the M.A. degree in TESL, graduate students submit a graduate project, which is comprehensive in nature. Graduate students work on the different components of this project throughout the program; the final project is publicly presented during their last/graduating semester. These 3 units of culminating experience are part of the degree count. Graduate Project Students during their last semester will enroll in LING 698D. Students on academic notice or who have remaining incompletes, or who have not completed the foreign language component, will not be permitted to enroll in LING 698D until these issues are all resolved. Students who fail the graduate project a second time are disqualified from the M.A. in TESL degree program.

Total Units Required for the B.A.+M.A. Degree: 144