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The MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics prepares students for careers in teaching English to nonnative speakers of English, either in the U.S. or abroad. Students with MA degrees in TESL teach adults and younger learners in a wide variety of contexts, supervise language programs, work for testing organizations, and create language teaching materials. Students choose among optional specializations listed. The degree requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credits, including a final thesis or creative component (3 credits) and meeting a foreign language requirement that may be fulfilled in a number of ways. NOTE: Due to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, GRE scores will not be required for applicants seeking admission in Fall 2021. If an applicant has GRE scores, they can choose to self-report their test scores and have them factored into their admission decision.
Area(s) of Specialization (will appear on all ISU transcripts after graduation): Computer Assisted Language Learning (M.A.); Corpus and Computational Linguistics (M.A.); English for Specific Purposes (M.A.); Language Assessment (M.A.); Literacy in English as a Second Language (M.A.); Literature in English as a Second Language (M.A.); Teaching English to L1 Spanish Learners (M.A.);
Learning Goals that students in this program are expected to meet include:
Demonstrate independence, reflective practices and professionalism in teaching and assessment of English as a second language
Demonstrate knowledge of and confidence with the use of computer applications relevant to teaching English language teaching
Formulate important research questions to for guiding investigations that contribute to theory and practice in one or more areas of applied linguistics
Carry out research in one area of applied linguistics that will increase understanding of English language teaching
Evaluate research in the field to identify its contribution to theory, research and practice in applied linguistics
Communicate ideas, discoveries, and findings to others in a professional and creative manner
Collaborate with other professionals to create and investigate new knowledge, practices and products for English language teaching
August 2025
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
202 Catt Hall,
2224 Osborn Dr,
AMES,
Iowa,
50011, United States
Iowa State requires a bachelor’s or higher degree from a regionally-accredited college or university prior to beginning graduate studies.
International degrees must be comparable to a US bachelor’s degree or higher from a college or university regionally accredited/recognized by the Ministry of Education in that country.
A minimum cumulative grade point average equivalent to at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (B grade) is required for admission.
The minimum scores accepted by the Graduate College are:
Internet Based TOEFL (iBT): 95
TOEFL Paper (PBT): 587
IELTS: 7.0
Pearson Test of English (PTE): 68
Duo Lingo English Test: 115
Application Deadlines: January 5 for fall semester entry with financial support consideration. Early applications are encouraged. April 1 (fall entry) and October 15 (spring entry) with no consideration for assistantships, scholarships, or fellowships.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
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