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Teaching English as Second Language Minor

Teaching English at Home and Abroad
  • 21

    Credit Hours

  • 6

    ESL Courses

  • 1

    Foreign Language Course

program completion feature
program completion feature

Offers

Small class sizes offering personal attention and guidance

Dedicated faculty with expertise in teaching English language learners

Applied learning opportunities in area classrooms

Increased marketability with this additional certification

Program can be completed in as little as one year

“ The classes are small so I feel like I really get to know my professors and get to talk with them, and they make every effort to get you involved at schools here locally. ”
Sarah Elementary Education, TESL Minor
Sarah, Elementary Education, TESL Minor
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About Watson’s TESL Program - Learn more about Watson’s undergraduate and graduate programs in Teaching English as a Second Language.
Teaching English as a Second Language Minor Program Overview

Demand for ESL Educators

The Southeastern region of the United States has experienced very rapid growth in the past two decades. Immigrants and their families are coming to this area and adding to our communities and schools. However, there is a shortage of teachers that are prepared to work with immigrant children and the children of immigrants. North Carolina, in particular has a great need for more ESL teachers.

Training & Experience

The Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) program at UNCW offers several programs to help alleviate this shortage, and you can be part of the solution! The TESL minor provides students with knowledge of second language acquisition, cultural differences, linguistics and instructional strategies for meeting the education needs of students for whom English is a second language.

For students enrolled in teacher preparation programs at the Watson College, the minor leads to North Carolina add-on teacher licensure in English as a Second Language education (grades K-12), once you have earned your initial North Carolina teacher licensure.

UNCW students majoring in English or a foreign language, who will not apply to enroll in a teacher preparation program at the Watson College, may also have interest in the TESL minor. These students will earn an ESL minor, without teacher licensure.

There are many companies and schools outside the United States that employ native speakers of English as teachers. This field is increasingly competitive and is called English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Having the ESL Minor on your transcript will make you more marketable when applying for international jobs. Students who wish to pursue an ESL Minor may do so by applying directly to the TESL program.

View Student Learning Outcomes

Sample Courses

Sample Courses
TSL 265 Teaching English Language Learners
TSL 326 Applied Linguistics for ESL
TSL 423 Applied Language Acquisition
TSL 417 Second Language Methods
TSL 418 Assessment for English Language Learners
See The Full Curriculum

How Do I Apply?

UNCW students in any field of study are eligible for the Teaching English as a Second Language minor. To declare the minor:

  1. Consult with your advisor.
  2. Log onto MySeaport and click on the Academics tab at the top of the screen.
  3. Select the "Major Declaration/Curricular Updates" link, located under the Student Services menu on the left side of the screen.
  4. Read and follow instructions to declare a minor.
  5. Click "Add minor/ cluster" link. Make selections from the drop-down menu.
  6. Click "Submit Changes" button.

NOTE: Students not yet accepted to the Watson College, or who are pursuing a major outside of teaching, are encouraged to contact the TESL Program Coordinator before applying for the TESL minor.

Program Coordinator

Dr. Eleni Pappamihiel
tesl@uncw.edu 
910.962.2746

Learn more about our

Teaching English as a Second Language Programs

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