The details

Course: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Full-time

Duration: 1 year

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Language and Linguistics

This is a Masters course that can take you into employment anywhere in the world.

If you are enthusiastic about teaching English to speakers of other languages, then our course offers you vocationally-relevant, research-led training of the highest quality, taught by academics known for their teaching excellence.

You explore teaching methods and the description of English used in the investigation of language learning and teaching, and study additional topics according to your needs. These might include:

How second language learners acquire the four skills as well as language systems
How the four skills, vocabulary and grammar can be taught
How language learning can be assessed and tested
How different aspects of the psychology of language learners and teachers influence learning and classroom practice
How language lessons are planned, how materials are evaluated and designed, and how language classrooms can be managed

You also gain hands-on teaching experience through our one-term Teaching Practice module.

Whether you have no prior teaching experience or are already an English language teacher, this course can be adapted to suit you. If you have little or no previous teaching experience, you receive ‘hands on' teaching practice throughout our teaching practice module, while if you already have substantial teaching experience, you can undertake specialist study through our educational leadership and management options instead

You'll be part of our Centre for Research in Language Development throughout the Lifespan (LaDeLi), a unique research centre specialising in all aspects of language learning and development.

We are 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021). We're top 25 in the UK for linguistics in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

If you want a global outlook, are interested in human communication, and want to study for a degree with real-world practical value in an established department, welcome to Essex.

Part-time study is only available for the October entry point. This course is usually available with a January and October entry point. However, please be aware, the January 2026 entry point has been temporarily suspended. The next January entry point will be in January 2027.

Why we're great.

Perfect the skills to take on a TESOL role anywhere in the world
Study in our world-renowned language and linguistics department, ranked 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021).
Enjoy the flexibility of a course which adapts to suit your needs and builds on your experience

Our expert staff

Our staff are internationally renowned and our research has demonstrable impact, leading to our department being recognised as 1st in terms of research impact (REF 2021). We maintain excellent student-staff ratios, and we integrate language learning with linguistics wherever there is synergy.

In applied linguistics Karen Roehr-Brackin and Adela Gánem-Gutiérrez focus on the learning of second and further languages, whilst Tracey Costley, Christina Gkonou, Neophytos Mitsigkas and Nasser Jabbari focus on issues to do with the classroom teaching of English as a foreign language.

Christina Gkonou has conducted extensive research into the effects of individual factors like anxiety on success in language learning and teaching, and Tracey Costley has taught English in Europe and the Far East for many years before coming to Essex, with ongoing research.

Karen Roehr-Brackin is a leading expert on the relationship between metalinguistic knowledge (conscious awareness of the rules of language) and language learning ability, and Adela Gánem-Gutiérrez is a leading expert on the use of computers and the role that interaction in the classroom plays in language learning. Florence Myles authored the best-selling Second Language Learning Theories.

Specialist facilities

The study of linguistics provides the opportunity for plenty of hands-on experience as well as theoretical work. You might be listening to interviews, studying language processing, or analysing sounds, so we provide extensive facilities to allow you to fully engage with a wide variety of linguistics methods:

Our Eye-Tracking Lab has equipment for monitoring responses times and eye movements when individuals are presented with pictures and videos.
Our Psycholinguistics Lab has computing facilities for measuring how long it takes individuals to reach to words, texts and sounds.
Our Linguistics Lab is where we run behavioural experiments.
Our EEG Lab is used for recording brain activity during reading, listening or watching video of language materials.

Within our department we also offer:

An exciting programme of research seminars and other events
Our Languages for All programme offers you the opportunity to study an additional language alongside your course at no extra cost
Our Albert Sloman Library houses a strong collection of books, journals, electronic resources and major archives.
Meet other language enthusiasts through out student-run Linguistics Society.

Your future

Takers of our MA TESOL come with the specific intention of entering the ELT/TESOL profession, which they duly go on to do.

Experiences English language teachers also join us to update their expertise and return to the classroom with a career enhancement.

The specialist knowledge you gain enables you to take senior or specialist roles, not necessarily only in the classroom but also in educational advice and management, programme evaluation, syllabus design and teacher education.

We also work with the University's Careers Services to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

UK entry requirements

A 2.2 degree or international equivalent in one of the following subjects:

Education
English Language and Literature
English Language Studies
Linguistics
Modern Languages
Teaching (English)

You may also be considered with a lower-class degree if you have teaching experience or if you have a 2:2 degree in an unrelated area but which contains a substantial element of English language, language education, linguistics, language studies or language teaching, or who can demonstrate a personal or professional interest or expertise in English and/or English language teaching.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Graduate Admissions team at pgquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum component score of 6.0 in writing and 5.5 in all other components.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Course structure

Most of our courses combine compulsory and optional modules, giving you freedom to pursue your own interests. The purpose of the list of modules below is to illustrate the range and variety of topics available on this course. Depending on the course structure, you are able to choose between many of these modules to tailor your study to your individual interests.

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The course content is therefore reviewed on an annual basis to ensure our courses remain up-to-date so modules listed are subject to change.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 07: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 08: OPTIONAL

(15 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 09: OPTIONAL

(15 CREDITS)

Teaching

Postgraduate students of English Language and Linguistics would typically attend a two-hour teaching event for each module every week. Seminars would usually have about 20 students.

Postgraduate students of translation modules typically involve two hours of classes per week. Interpreting modules typically involve four hours of classes per week. Classes usually contain up to 20 students within each group.

Teaching methods include lectures, demonstrations and learning by teaching others
We run a weekly departmental seminar, attended by both staff and students

Assessment

Your eight one-term modules are assessed by coursework and you are also assessed on your dissertation

Dissertation

Your 12,000-word dissertation allows you to focus in-depth on your chosen topic from April onwards
Close supervision by a member of staff within our Department

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

Find out more

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.