Program at a Glance
The MA in TEFL is a thesis-based program built around a focused core, a flexible range of electives, and a structured thesis pathway. The program develops students' understanding of English language teaching, foreign/second language learning, academic English, research methods and scholarly communication, with particular emphasis on English-medium instruction and English for Academic.
The program requires sustained engagement with theory, research, academic writing, and supervised inquiry. Through coursework and thesis-based study, students develop the conceptual, methodological, and scholarly competencies needed to examine issues in English language education critically, systematically and independently.
Structure
The program consists of 30 credits of coursework and a thesis. It includes:
Core Courses
The core courses establish the shared academic foundation students need to undertake graduate-level work in English language education. They are designed to help students:
Electives
Electives allow students to develop expertise in areas aligned with their academic goals, professional interests and thesis research. These may include areas such second language acquisition, language assessment, curriculum development and evaluation, material development, English for Specific Purposes, academic English, and supervision.
Thesis Pathway
Students complete an independent thesis supported by Thesis Seminar and Thesis Writing. These components guide students through the main stages of the research process, including topic development, research question formulation, proposal preparation, ethics approval, data collection and analysis, thesis writing, revision and oral defense.
The thesis pathway is designed to help students move from initial research interests to a coherent, ethically grounded, and methodologically sound study that contributes to English language education.
- Credits: 30
- Entry term: Primarily Fall
- Duration: Approximately 2 years full-time or about 3 years part-time
- Format: Full-time / Part-time
- Class schedule: Classes are delivered after 4:30 p.m.
- Delivery mode: On campus / face-to-face
- Application deadline: Normally first week of June for Fall intake, unless otherwise announced by the university
The MA in TEFL is a thesis-based program built around a focused core, a flexible range of electives, and a structured thesis pathway. The program develops students' understanding of English language teaching, foreign/second language learning, academic English, research methods and scholarly communication, with particular emphasis on English-medium instruction and English for Academic.
The program requires sustained engagement with theory, research, academic writing, and supervised inquiry. Through coursework and thesis-based study, students develop the conceptual, methodological, and scholarly competencies needed to examine issues in English language education critically, systematically and independently.
Structure
The program consists of 30 credits of coursework and a thesis. It includes:
- 3 core credit-bearing courses
- 7 elective credit-bearing courses
- 2 non-credit components: Thesis Seminar and Thesis Writing
- 2 GE-coded graduate courses
Core Courses
The core courses establish the shared academic foundation students need to undertake graduate-level work in English language education. They are designed to help students:
- develop advanced research knowledge through sequenced study in research methods, ethics, and academic practices,
- strengthen academic literacy and scholarly communication through sustained engagement with written academic discourse, academic argumentation, and discipline-appropriate conventions.
- prepare for independent, supervised research through Thesis Seminar and Thesis Writing, which guide proposal development, research design, implementation and completion.
- engage ethically and professionally in academic research and wider scholarly practices.
Electives
Electives allow students to develop expertise in areas aligned with their academic goals, professional interests and thesis research. These may include areas such second language acquisition, language assessment, curriculum development and evaluation, material development, English for Specific Purposes, academic English, and supervision.
Thesis Pathway
Students complete an independent thesis supported by Thesis Seminar and Thesis Writing. These components guide students through the main stages of the research process, including topic development, research question formulation, proposal preparation, ethics approval, data collection and analysis, thesis writing, revision and oral defense.
The thesis pathway is designed to help students move from initial research interests to a coherent, ethically grounded, and methodologically sound study that contributes to English language education.
