Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics

This is a course for people who want to develop advanced scholarly and practical knowledge to teach English language and literacy to children, post-secondary learners or adults. You can commence this course as a qualified teacher or as a career changer to update your knowledge and skills and upgrade your existing teaching qualification.

The course builds your foundational knowledge and skills needed to teach English language and literacy and then offers you the option to specialise in 1) English language, literacy and/ or numeracy teaching in the adult education sector, 2) English as an additional language or dialect teaching in the primary or secondary education sector or 3) academic English teaching in the post-secondary education sector. As you progress to the later stages of the course, you will be able to choose from a range of electives that extend the depth of scholarly knowledge in contemporary topics in TESOL and applied linguistics.

In this course, you will be taught by experienced practitioners who have close connections with industry and who are research active in their specialist area of English language, literacy and numeracy education. This means that your learning will be authentic, research-informed and applicable to your teaching practice.

You will be studying with colleagues from a diverse range of settings, both local Australian students and international students. The classes in the course are interactive and draw on both academic staff input and also your experiences and knowledge as language and literacy learners and users.

The course features flexible study options, with classes held at times suitable for students working standard full-time hours. Credit recognition may be available if you are already a qualified teacher.

The course enables students to specialise in one of three streams. The first stream focuses on teaching English for academic purposes where graduates teach English to international students who are studying or seeking to study university courses in institutions where English is the medium of instruction; employers of these graduates are typically English language colleges or universities in Australia or overseas. The second stream is designed for teaching adults who are developing their English language, literacy and/ or numeracy skills as part of a migrant education and settlement program; a ‘second chance’ education program; a job-seeker, vocational or workplace program; or a community education program. Employers for graduates from this second stream include colleges in the vocational education and training sector, community education providers and industries. The third stream is for school teachers who work in Australia or overseas who teach English as an additional language and literacy to primary or secondary school students; graduates from this stream will typically be employed by schools.

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Course aims

This course equips teachers with in-depth research-based knowledge of topics in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. The course focuses on contemporary models of language, literacy and numeracy learning and teaching. It has both a strong focus on practice through two supervised teaching practicums, and an emphasis on recent developments in the field of language and literacy studies. The course consists of subjects that equip teachers with skills and in-depth knowledge in the areas of teaching practice, pedagogical grammars, global Englishes, discourse analysis, phonology and pronunciation, language development and language and literacy for specific purposes.

Study plan

To view the study plan please visit the UTS Handbook.

Course fees

For relevant fee information, please choose from the following:

Local student

International student

For this course, the cost per credit point for 2025 is $774. The total credit points are 72.

Careers

Career options include teacher of English as an additional language, adult literacy and numeracy/foundation skills in Australia or overseas, curriculum developer and program manager in the TESOL/ literacy and numeracy sector (applicants are advised to check with potential employing bodies regarding employment requirements).

Course structure

To view the course structure please visit the UTS Handbook.

Additional information

Course duration

This course is offered on a one-and-a-half year, full-time or three-year, part-time basis.

On campus - Weekly

Admission requirements

Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.

Applicants must have one of the following:

Completed Australian master’s degree, or overseas equivalent, in any field of study

Completed Australian graduate diploma or graduate certificate, or overseas equivalent, in TESOL and must be recognised as an AQF Level 8 qualification by being either:
- awarded by an Australian university; or
- listed on the National Register of Higher Education Providers and Courses with a valid accreditation at the time of the qualification being awarded to the applicant; or
- assessed as an overseas equivalent by ECCTIS, ERIC-NARIC or CEP.

Completed Australian bachelor’s degree, or overseas equivalent, in Education, Management and Commerce, Society and Culture, or Creative Arts

Completed Australian bachelor’s degree, or overseas equivalent, in any field of study AND A minimum of 2 years full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant professional experience

Applicants who do not meet the criteria above should consider applying for C06116 Graduate Diploma in TESOL and Applied Linguistics or C11254 Graduate Certificate in TESOL and Applied Linguistics.

Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application

For applicants who need to demonstrate work experience:

Curriculum Vitae AND Statement of service in one of the following formats:
- A 'Statement of Service' provided by the employer
- A completed 'UTS statement of service’ signed by the employer
- A statutory declaration confirming work experience (for Australian Residents only)
- An official letter from the applicant’s accountant or solicitor on their company letterhead confirming the applicant’s work experience or engagement with the business, duration of operations, and the nature of the business
- A business certificate of registration in original language and English (e.g. provision of ASIC documentation or ABN or similar documentation for Australian Businesses)

The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL iBT: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

International students

Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.

To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.

Applicants must have one of the following:

Completed Australian master’s degree, or overseas equivalent, in any field of study

OR

Completed Australian graduate diploma or graduate certificate, or overseas equivalent, in TESOL and must be recognised as an AQF Level 8 qualification by being either:

awarded by an Australian university; or

listed on the National Register of Higher Education Providers and Courses with a valid accreditation at the time of the qualification being awarded to the applicant; or

assessed as an overseas equivalent by ECCTIS, ERIC-NARIC or CEP.

OR

Completed Australian bachelor’s degree, or overseas equivalent, in Education, Management and Commerce, Society and Culture, or Creative Arts

OR

Completed Australian bachelor’s degree, or overseas equivalent, in any field of study AND A minimum of 2 years full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant professional experience

Applicants who do not meet the criteria above should consider applying for C06116 Graduate Diploma in TESOL and Applied Linguistics or C11254 Graduate Certificate in TESOL and Applied Linguistics.

Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application

For applicants who need to demonstrate work experience:

Curriculum Vitae AND Statement of service in one of the following formats:

A 'Statement of Service' provided by the employer

A completed 'UTS statement of service’ signed by the employer

A statutory declaration confirming work experience (for Australian Residents only)

An official letter from the applicant’s accountant or solicitor on their company letterhead confirming the applicant’s work experience or engagement with the business, duration of operations, and the nature of the business

A business certificate of registration in original language and English (e.g. provision of ASIC documentation or ABN or similar documentation for Australian Businesses)

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

Inherent requirements

Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential for successfully completing a course at UTS. You can find the inherent requirements for your course via the inherent requirements directory.

Recognition of prior learning

Students may be granted some recognition of prior learning if they have completed:

CELTA
Cert IV TESOL/TEFL/TEYL
DELTA
Primary teaching Bachelor's or Master’s degree qualification
UTS Bachelor of Education in Adult Education (Language, Literacy and Numeracy)
Master of Teaching or Bachelor of Teaching in ESL/EALD, English or LOTE.

Articulation with UTS courses

This course is part of an articulated program, comprising of the Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics (extended) (C04420), the Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics (C04305), the Graduate Diploma in TESOL and Applied Linguistics (C06116), and the Graduate Certificate in TESOL Applied Linguistics (C11254). Each course functions as an entry point and exit point for students.

UTS: Handbook

See the Master of TESOL and Applied Linguistics in the UTS: Handbook for comprehensive course details.

Information for international students

Find out about support services, the Australian education system, accommodation and more to help you get the most out of your study at UTS.

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