English as a second language additional teaching license

For teachers who already hold a teaching licensure, advance your career and skill set by earning an additional license to teach ESL in Minnesota K-12 classrooms. Our license is highly transferable to other states. Programs are individualized based on your past experience. This ensures you get maximum credit for previous academic work and experience.

This program is designed for working professionals. Most of the courses are offered in the evening during the school year and some are offered during the summer.

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About this program

Curriculum

The core curriculum topics include:

Following are the state-required competency areas and corresponding U of M course requirements for the ESL license.

Introduction to linguistics
English grammar for ESL teachers
Introduction to language acquisition
Language, culture and education
Teaching literacy in second language classrooms
Teaching speaking and listening in second language classrooms
Second language curriculum design
Assessing English learners
Practicum: Teaching ESL in the elementary school
Student teaching in second languages and cultures

In order to be recommended for your Minnesota K-12 English as a Second Language teaching license, you must successfully complete these licensure requirements required by the state of Minnesota.

This material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to the Office of Teacher Education at ote@umn.edu, 612-625-5060.

Master's of education

You can pursue the additional licensure alone or together with an MEd Professional Studies in Second Language Education. You will need to apply to both the additional licensure program and the MEd and then work with your adviser to plan your coursework to meet both requirements simultaneously.

How to apply

Application deadline and instructions

Required:

Current state of Minnesota teaching license.
Bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent with at least a 2.8 GPA.
Experience learning a second language (including American Sign Language) as demonstrated by:
- Four years of high school second language study OR
- Two years of college or university second language study ORA non-English language background and bilingualism in
- English and another language [nonnative English speakers must demonstrate proficiency in English at the "Superior" level on an Oral Proficiency Interview. Schedule an interview through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)] OR
- Significant experience in a second language community setting or a foreign country with a primary language other than English

Application Deadlines:

October 1 for Spring admission
February 1 for Summer admission
June 1 for Fall admission

Admission decisions are made up to eight weeks after the application deadline. The number of credits required to complete this program varies based on past coursework, which will be determined upon receipt of your application.

For additional information, contact faculty advisor, Sam David.

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Tuition and funding

Tuition varies depending on your degree program, student status, and residency.

If you are seeking only the certificate, you pay the CEHD departmental master's tuition rate. More cost information is on the CEHD site.

Application requirements

Adding a teaching license requires a current Minnesota state teaching license along with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or foreign equivalent with at least a 2.8 GPA.

To apply you will need:

Unofficial transcripts: Upload your transcripts into the application system; please do not mail your transcripts. Official transcripts are required only after you are admitted. Tips for uploading your transcript(s). Transfer credits must be evaluated and approved by a faculty advisor.
Resume: Upload in the Program Supplementary Information -Graduate Program Additional Application section.
Educational goal statement: Upload in the Program Supplementary Information section.
Current Minnesota teaching license: Upload in the Department\Program Forms section.

Complete only the following sections:

Personal information
Application information
Educational background
Employment/Residence information

International applicants

International applicants may also need:

An English translation of your transcripts, if the transcript is not in English.
A course by course evaluation may be required.
TOEFL scores. Official TOEFL scores are required. You may qualify for an exception if you have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States.

UMN TOEFL score requirements and submission guidelines

TOEFL registration and score submission

Additional admissions information

Earn your master’s in education

You can pursue the additional license alone or pursue the additional license and an MEd Professional Studies degree in the same program area concurrently.

You will need to apply to both the additional license and MEd program and then work with your advisor to plan your coursework to meet both requirements simultaneously. More information on application to the MEd program.

Contact the program faculty in your area of interest for more information:

Visual Arts License, Jim Bequette
Theatre or dance license, Betsy Maloney Leaf
English as a Second Language license, Sam David
Math licenses, Terrence Wyberg
Science licenses, Gillian Roehrig
World Languages, Sam David

Contact

We’re here to help. Simply complete one of these forms and a member of our department will be in touch.

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