In Summer 2015, UGA’s first Online Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages program (TESOL) will begin. This program will be great for a variety of students.  It was designed with working professionals in mind who may not be able to go back to school in person or full time but would like to continue their education.  Undergraduate and graduate students interested in teaching abroad are also encouraged to apply. They can even take the classes as they are teaching abroad and learn through experience and get help from their instructors. 

This is a graduate level certificate, so it will be very in depth. The practicum in the last semester of the course is very crucial to earning your teaching certificate.  Dr. Jiyoon Lee, the coordinator for the program, says that “This program will give students a better understanding of how language works and how to teach language.” Each of the five courses explores a different area of TESOL.  Students will learn from faculty members who are renowned in the diverse aspects of language learning from the science end of the continuum (e.g. cognition and assessment) to the art of language learning which includes creativity and language play.

Online learning is a great platform for students interested in the TESOL field.  Students in the program can learn at their own pace, studying the material, and chatting with classmates teaching English from around the world.  Dr. Lee said that the program is “tailored to individual student’s needs” because of all of the different tools that online learning offers. The program also provides for more one-on-one time with the professor, even if the discussions are not face-to-face. Of course, it does offer flexibility with schedules.

Visit the TESOL program page to learn more.

Learn more about Dr. Jiyoon Lee on Dr. Lee’s profile page.