Languages, M.Ed.

Emily S. Beck, Program Director
843.953.5412
becke@cofc.edu

http://lcwa.cofc.edu/academics/grad-progs/index.php

Mission Statement

The mission of the M.Ed. in Languages Program is to satisfy the professional development needs and career goals of practicing language teachers and consultants (ESOL and Spanish) by deepening their content area knowledge in second language acquisition, linguistics, and language instruction.

Program Description

The program is intended for working professionals who wish to further their understanding of language acquisition by pursuing a graduate degree. All classes are offered online and students may take courses on a full-time or part-time basis.

The core curriculum focuses on cross-cultural competencies, the linguistic, psychological and social influences that affect the acquisition of a second language, as well as advanced teaching approaches, educational research, and educational technology. There are two emphases: Spanish and teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Students in the Spanish emphasis also explore the varied literary, cultural, and linguistic dimensions of relevance to Spanish speakers throughout the world, while students in ESOL examine the cultural and linguistic aspects of language acquisition to prepare them to work more effectively with English language learners in the US and abroad.

Students also complete various capstone experiences. Students are asked to consult with the Director early in their course of study. The degree must be completed within six years of the entrance date.

Although the M.Ed. in Languages is a degree in Education, it does not lead to initial teacher certification in South Carolina. However, it can lead to add-on certification in Spanish or ESOL.

Admission Requirements and Application Deadlines

Institutional Requirements

A completed application form with a nonrefundable application fee of $50.
Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework. An earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required.
International applicants should refer to the International Students area within the “Admissions Information” section of the catalog for information on providing appropriate documentation with the application.

Program Requirements

Applicants holding a valid teaching certificate/license from any state will be admitted as long as they have a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 2.500 or better on a 4.000 scale. Note that for the Spanish emphasis, a bachelor’s degree in Spanish or the equivalent is required. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required.

Please provide:

A copy of the applicant’s valid teaching certificate
Two letters of recommendation
Statement of goals
Evidence of command of English (if English is not the primary language). A TOEFL score of 79 or greater is required.

Applicants without a valid teaching certificate/license will be considered on a case-by-base basis. The program steering committee will consider a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, a GPA of 2.500 or better on a 4.000 scale, at least 30 credit hours of undergraduate coursework or an equivalent in Spanish (for the Spanish emphasis only), and other teaching experience non K-12 public schools (private settings, teaching abroad, or adult education among others).

Please provide:

Two letters of recommendation
Statement of goals
Evidence of command of English (if English is not the primary language). A TOEFL score of 79 or greater is required.

Application Deadlines

Fall: March 1, Priority; July 1, Final
Spring: November 1
Summer: March 1

Provisional Admission

Students who do not meet the requirements for admission may be admitted provisionally until the deficiencies are corrected. Conditions of provisional acceptances that lead to regular degree status will be clearly outlined for such applicants by the steering committee.

Non-Degree Status

Teachers seeking re-certification credit or other qualified individuals wishing to take coursework may be admitted as non-degree-seeking students. Advanced undergraduates may, under certain conditions, request permission to enroll in M.Ed. classes (6-hour limit). Non-degree-seeking students who later wish to be admitted to the degree program may apply up to six semester hours of credit taken in non-degree status.

Transfer Credit Policy

An applicant or student of the M.Ed. in Languages program can seek approval from the Program Director to accept up to nine transfer credit hours. These courses must have a grade of B or higher, and can count toward the M. Ed. in Languages degree requirements. Courses with a grade of “Pass” or “Satisfactory” will not be accepted. These courses must be catalog courses and not professional development courses to count in this program.

Program Requirements

Languages, M.Ed.

Student Learning Outcomes

Languages M.Ed. (PDF)