Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Master's in ESL Program Overview
Learn to teach English to diverse speakers in local and global contexts by building a strong foundation in second language pedagogy, assessment, applied linguistics, intercultural communication, and bilingual/multilingual education. Graduates are equipped to meet the needs of multicultural and multilingual learners, both children and adults, in a wide range of educational settings in the U.S. and abroad.
Expand on an ESL Education
Similar to an ESL Master’s Degree, the MA TESOL from HPU is also a master’s program for teaching English as a second language, or to speakers of other languages. A master's in ESL is appropriate for those who want to teach English abroad or work with ESL adults in the US.
Our MA TESOL is a 36-credit program. Courses are held online in synchronous sessions or at our urban Honolulu campus in 16-week semesters. HPU also offers a Graduate TESOL Certificate, which is an 18-credit program.
Tuition for the 2025-26 academic year is $861 per credit. To view estimated cost of attendance, visit hpu.edu/costs.
Take Action! Applying is Easy!
Two Entry Terms per Year
- Fall entry: August
- Spring entry: January
Admissions Requirements
- Application — apply at hpu.edu/apply ($55 app fee)
- Official transcript(s)
- Letter of recommendation (optional)
- Statement of Purpose (optional)
- English proficiency required for international students
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Why choose HPU for your MA TESOL?
Practical, hands-on approach to language teacher development
Dedicated faculty to help customize your degree plan for your career goals
Multicultural learning environment with students from all 50 states and more than four dozen countries
SAMPLE DEGREE PLAN
Full-time Enrolled, Fall Entry
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Fall - Year 1
- Prerequisite: AL 2000 Introduction to Linguistics
- AL 6000 Teaching Second Languages: Theory and Practice
- AL 6110 English Phonology and the Teaching of Pronunciation
- Elective
-
Spring - Year 1
- AL 6120 English Syntax and the Teaching of Grammar
- AL 6720 Second Language Reading and Writing
- Elective
-
Fall - Year 2
- AL 6710 Second Language Listening and Speaking
- AL 6961 Practicum I in TESOL
- Elective
-
Spring - Year 2
- AL 6730 Assessment in TESOL
- AL 7099 Practicum II and Capstone
- Elective
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Electives Offered
- AL 6140 Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers
- AL 6150 Using Corpora in the Language Classroom
- AL 6160 Second Language Vocabulary Development
- AL 6320 Language and Society
- AL 6600 Seminar in Second/Foreign Language Teaching
- AL 6160 Second Language Vocabulary Development
- AL 6740 Research and Issues in Computer-Assisted Language Learning
- AL 6750 TESOL Materials Development
- AL 6760 Teaching English to Children and Youth