If you are already certified to teach any subject in North Carolina and you want to teach ESL, all you have to do is take and pass the Praxis II ESOL. If you want to add any subject area to your current certification, you must pass the Praxis II for that area.
However, ESL is a complex field that changes often. The coursework offered at UNCW not only prepares you for the Praxis II ESOL, but also provides a core of professional knowledge necessary for success in your new teaching position.
UNCW has an ESL Add-on Licensure program. It consists of 6 courses that can be completed in one year. The ESL add-on program is a distance education program that can be completed in a completely online format.
You should apply for the Master’s of Education (M.Ed) degree. This degree is 33 credit hours and includes all the courses required in the ESL add-on. The M.Ed program is a distance education program that can be completed in a completely online format.
You should apply to our Master’s of Arts in Teaching (MAT). The MAT is a 33-credit hour program with an internship component. The MAT program is a distance education program that can be completed in a completely online format. For more information on the internship, go to Office of Teacher Education and Outreach.
All of our courses are offered in an online format, so you never have to physically come to Wilmington. However, there are several courses that have optional meeting times. In these classes, you would be in front of your computer at a certain time on a certain day per week. These meetings are recorded for students who cannot participate live.
Tuition and fees tend to change frequently. Generally speaking, our Distance Education programs are cheaper than main campus courses. For more specific information, please view the page about Understanding My Billing Statement, Tuition, Fees and Charges to my Account.
Remember to check tuition and fees for Distance Education (not main campus) Programs and bear in mind that many figures are for a single credit hour. All our courses are 3 credit hours.
This would depend on your own schedule and how many courses you take per semester. Generally full-time students take 1-2 courses per semester.
If you work at a school as an ESL teacher’s assistant, you can keep this job while doing your teaching internship. However, your teaching internship must be done full time during school hours, and if you are working toward NC teacher certification, you must be in NC to complete your internship.
If you’re interested in going outside the US to teach English as a Foreign Language, there are several options. Please contact Dr. Lynn or Dr. Pappamihiel for more information.