TESOL Mission/Vision/Goal
Program Mission: The Mission of the TESOL doctoral program at Alliant is to meet the international demand for specialists in teaching English to speakers of other languages and to prepare graduates for leadership roles in educating and empowering English language learners in a global society.
Program Vision: The TESOL Doctorate Program of Alliant will become nationally and internationally recognized and respected as the premier doctorate program for educating practitioner-scholars in the TESOL field with a focus on methodology, applied research, program design and implementation, psycholinguistic and socio-cultural factors of second language acquisition, and technology-enhanced language teaching. The program will develop a community of learners through collaboration with other researchers, practitioners, and universities around the world.
Program Focus: The TESOL doctorate program focuses on: the design, evaluation and implementation of second language programs; applied linguistics research; social, psychological and cultural factors of second language acquisition; the integration of technology in second language teaching; and, teacher training.
Program Outcomes
All HSOE doctoral programs are aimed at preparing educational practitioners to be effective and creative educational leaders in their respective fields, providing them with a strong repertoire of knowledge and skills and professional dispositions. The Doctorate of Education in TESOL Program prepares students to:
- Acquire a strong theoretical knowledge base in TESOL, second language acquisition, and applied linguistics research.
- Acquire the ability to apply TESOL and second language acquisition theory and research to TESOL methodology.
- Acquire the ability to read, interpret, and evaluate professional literature.
- Acquire the ability to conduct and evaluate original field research and present the findings.
- Acquire a deep understanding of the role of linguistics and the impact of social and cultural factors in learning and teaching a second language.
- Acquire a strong knowledge base in TESOL program design, development, and evaluation..
- Acquire the ability to integrate technology into TESOL teaching and learning.
- Become active members and advocates of the TESOL profession.
- Acquire knowledge and skills to design, implement, and evaluate teacher training programs for ESL/ESL instructors.
Admissions Process
Prerequisites: All applicants to the TESOL EdD are expected to have a strong background in TESOL methodology and second language acquisition. Additionally, all applicants are expected to have a minimum of two years prior EFL/ESL teaching experience.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the requirements stipulated in the ‘’Application Procedures’’ section of this catalog as well as meet the following:
Degrees: Applicants must possess at least a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institute of higher education or the international equivalent and have demonstrated superior academic performance in the completion of their master’s degree.
GPA: Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their Master’s degree
Transcripts: Official transcripts must be submitted from all accredited institutions of higher education attended by the candidate. When official transcripts are not immediately available, candidates may supply unofficial documents and be admitted on a conditional basis.
Interview with TESOL Admissions Committee: Upon receipt and review of all documentation, the candidate will be considered for final admission. Final admissions decision will be made by the systemwide program director and TESOL Admissions Committee.
Recommendations: Each applicant must provide three written confidential recommendations from persons who can attest to the applicant’s academic and professional abilities and proven accomplishments in education.
Goal Statement Essay: Applicants must submit an academic and professional autobiographical essay and goal statement essay.
Writing Test: All TESOL applicants will be required to take the TESOL Writing and Critical Analysis Test in which they read and write a critical analysis of a journal article. Based upon the evaluation of student’s Writing and Critical Analysis test, an additional prerequisite Graduate Academic Communications Skills course may be required.
TOEFL for International Students: International students must have a 575 score (233 computer-based; or 83 Internet-Based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and a Test of Written English (TWE) score of 5.
Upon receipt and review of all documentation, the candidate will be considered for final admissions. Final admissions decisions will be made by the program director and the HSOE Doctoral Admission Committee.
Transfer of credit from another institution may be awarded on the following basis:
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A maximum of 24 semester units beyond the master’s degree may be transferred from a regionally accredited institution. All such coursework must have been earned in addition to the master’s degree required coursework.
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The request to accept credit to be transferred must be approved by the program director.
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Credit that has been used to complete a second master’s degree may be considered for transfer.
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Credits must have been earned within seven years prior to the request for transfer. Waivers of this requirement may be considered by program faculty on a case by case basis. All waivers must be approved by the dean.
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Coursework being considered for transfer must be equivalent to Alliant coursework for which it is being applied. Students are required to submit transcripts, catalog course descriptions and other documentation.
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All coursework must be completed successfully with a grade of B or higher.
TESOL Advising
Each Student is assigned a faculty mentor to assist with their professional and academic development. The TESOL Academic Advisor and faculty mentors assist students with their Master Plan of Study (MPS) and the Academic Advisor registers students in appropriate courses (per their MPS) each semester.