Admission Requirements

• Master of Arts

Degree Requirements

• Master of Arts

Mailing Address:
School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics (MC 315)
601 South Morgan Street
Chicago, IL 60607-7120

Campus Location: 1729 UH
Program Code: 20FS0301MA
Telephone: (312) 996-0254
E-mail: rcameron@uic.edu
Web Site: http://www.uic.edu/depts/engl/programs/TESOL/program_overview.htm
Head of the Department: Astrida Tantillo
Director of Graduate Studies: Richard Cameron

The School of Literatures, Cultural Studies, and Linguistics offers course work leading to the Master of Arts in Linguistics with a concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)/Applied Linguistics. The Interdepartmental Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies is available to students in this program.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirement, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

Master of Arts

• Baccalaureate Field No restrictions. Prior academic work should include the equivalent of at least two years of a foreign language and a broad background in the humanities and social sciences. Training in mathematics or philosophy is also desirable. Applicants may offer backgrounds in education rather than in the liberal arts.
• Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) of undergraduate study.
• Minimum English Competency Score
• TOEFL 600 (paper-based); 250 (computer-based); 95, with minimum subscores of Reading 24, Listening 24, Speaking 24, and Writing 22 (iBT Internet-based TOEFL).
• IELTS 7.0, with subscores of 6.5 for all four subscores.
• Letters of Recommendation Three required. Letters must be sent directly to the department by professors who are familiar with the applicant’s recent work. Those with teaching experience may submit letters from their supervisors.
• Personal Statement Required; 250 words; the statement should address the applicant’s reasons for wishing to do graduate work in linguistics and the relationship of this work to the applicant’s professional and other goals. Applicants who are not native speakers of English must submit a four- to five-page summary of their educational experience, emphasizing work in English and other literatures and languages and concluding with a statement of reasons for wanting to do graduate work in the United States; this replaces the 250-word statement required of other applicants.
• Nondegree Applicants Nondegree applicants must submit a transcript from their baccalaureate institution.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

Master of Arts

• Minimum Semester Hours Required Varies by option. TESOL/Applied Linguistics with thesis, 44 and TESOL/Applied Linguistics with internship, 49.
• Course Work At least 12 hours must be at the 500-level.
• Required Courses: LING 405, 483, 531, 583.
• Selective Courses A: Two courses from the following: LING 480, 540, 556, 567.
• Selective Courses B: Two courses from the following: LING 487, 559, 586, ENGL 555.
• Electives: One additional course from selective list A or B, or related course, to be approved by an advisor.
• Comprehensive Examination Required; written. Students cannot take the examination more than twice.
• Thesis, Project, or Course-Work-Only Options Students must complete either a thesis or an internship. They must earn 8 hours of LING 598 for thesis research or 13 hours of LING 594 for an internship.
• Other Requirements All students must demonstrate proficiency in one foreign language either by examination or by completion (with a grade of B or higher) of appropriate course work beyond the second-year university level.

Interdepartmental Concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies

Students earning a graduate degree in this department may complement their courses by enrolling in a concentration in Gender and Women’s Studies after consulting with their graduate advisor. See Gender and Women’s Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for more information.