Modern Languages Department
Paulo Quaglio, chair and graduate coordinator
Old Main, Room 228
607-753-4303
Fax: 607-753-5965

Overview

Second language education in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) will prepare you to teach English language learners in virtually any setting (K-12, private schools, community colleges, 4-year colleges and universities, local community centers, abroad, etc.).

The program is called "non-certification" because it does not automatically lead to New York State K-12 certification, which public K-12 schools require. If you already have New York State certification in any teaching area, you will be eligible to apply for additional certification in TESOL. If you are not a New York State-certified teacher, our program will provide you with all of the necessary skills for you to teach in any other setting. If you have the goal of teaching in the public K-12 setting and do not have New York State initial teaching certification, our program is not for you. To accomplish this goal, you should look for a MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) or MST (Master of Science in Teaching).

Program Highlights

With the guidance of our expert faculty in TESOL, you will study methods of second language teaching, theory and research in first and second language acquisition, linguistics, English grammar in the context of TESOL, bilingual and multicultural education, and second language testing and assessment.

Culminating Experience

A comprehensive examination completes your program.

Career Potential

With the non-certification M.S.Ed. in second language education from SUNY Cortland, you are prepared to teach English as an additional language in any of the settings described above. You also may enjoy teaching English in adult education programs or to new immigrants and in citizenship programs within local community centers, colleges and universities across the United States.

Graduate Admissions

Evaluation Policy

At the State University of New York College at Cortland, we seek a diverse and academically strong student body. Our admission policy and practice will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, national origin or marital status.

Required Materials

1. Completed online Graduate School Application – Apply Now
2. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended to be forwarded directly to SUNY Cortland Graduate Admission Office
   Note: Candidates for admission must present evidence of bachelor's degree conferral prior to the start of their academic program.
3. Two letters of recommendation (submitted online with application)
4. A statement describing your professional and educational goals
5. New York State requires all SUNY teacher preparation programs to adopt college entrance assessments for admissions consideration.  Applicants are required to submit scores for one of the following:
   - Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
   - Miller Analogies TEST (MAT)
   - edTPA with a passing score or as set by New York State
   - The Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators

Admissions Criteria

Preference will be given to:

• An undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale)
• Scores of at least 280 (GRE), 400 (MAT), or 450 (Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators)

Note: Qualified applicants who do not meet all of the above requirements will be considered on an individual basis.

Language Requirement

As a candidate for the M.S.Ed. in Second Language Education: TESOL (Non-certification), you must demonstrate competency in a foreign language by completing college-level study or the equivalent of a language other than English to the fourth-semester level (intermediate II, 202). Applicants who do not meet this requirement can complete it during the program; for these applicants, this becomes a graduation requirement.

Deadlines

Fall semester applications: July 1
Spring semester applications: Dec. 1
Summer semester applications: April 1

Applications submitted after the deadline may be considered on a space availability basis.
Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 607-753-4800 to check availability.