Kent’s MA in Applied Linguistics with TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) provides teachers with advanced knowledge of linguistics and language pedagogy, informed by research and scholarship, to enhance, develop and inform an understanding of language learning and classroom practice.

The programme is offered by the Department of English Language & Linguistics, and benefits from staff expertise in areas of linguistics that inform classroom practice (such as syntax, morphology, semantics, pragmatics and phonetics), raising awareness of these fields and applying them to TESOL. Students gain an understanding of the theory, methodology and interdisciplinary nature of TESOL, as well as a firm foundation in linguistics.           

Practical teaching opportunities are a feature of the programme, including teaching to peer groups and international students. There is also the opportunity to observe language classes.

Students begin by studying eight modules across the Autumn and Spring terms, before writing a 12,000-word dissertation or teaching portfolio over the summer, supervised by an expert in the department.

The programme is an ideal for teachers aiming to improve their understanding and abilities in communicating across the barriers of language and those who wish to build an international dialogue.

About the Department of English Language and Linguistics

English Language and Linguistics (ELL) is a dynamic and growing department with a vibrant research culture. We specialise in experimental and theoretical linguistics. In particular, our interests focus on quantitative and experimental research in speech and language processing, variation and acquisition, but also cover formal areas such as syntax, as well as literary stylistics. In addition to English and its varieties, our staff work in French, German, Greek, Romani, Korean, Spanish and Russian.

Staff and postgraduates are members of the Centre for Language and Linguistics (CLL), a research centre that seeks to promote interdisciplinary linguistic research. We also have links with research networks outside Kent, and are involved with national and international academic associations including the Linguistics Association of Great Britain, the British Association of Academic Phoneticians, the Linguistic Society of America, the Association for French Language Studies and the Poetics and Linguistics Association.

We welcome applications from students interested in MA and PhD research. Please see our staff and research pages for more information on the topics staff are able to supervise.