Texas has several campus-based programs awarding TESOL or related graduate degrees, but no Texas university offers a master’s degree that you can earn purely online. Some graduate programs have a hybrid format in which you attend some classes onsite and the remainder online. Among the degrees awarded are:
- Linguistics
- English as a Second Language
- Second Language Education and Culture
- TESOL
- Bilingual/Bicultural Education
- Applied English Linguistics
- Teaching English as a Second Language
ESL Teacher Certification
The Texas Education Agency determines all requirements for public school ESL, bilingual, and sheltered English teachers in the state. The Texas English Language Learners Portal, a project of the TEA, summarizes the requirements for ESL and bilingual teachers in Texas K-12 classrooms, as of 2012. Candidates must pass any relevant certification or endorsement examinations, which are administered by ETS and called the Texas Examination of Educator Standards (TExES). The TEA’s Educator Certification Online System specifies which Texas universities, colleges, and certification programs offer coursework, certification, and graduate degrees that align with state requirements. Among the approved areas relevant for ESL teaching in K-12 classrooms are:
- Bilingual Generalist (in any of several languages)
- Bilingual Education Supplemental (in any of several languages)
- English as a Second Language Generalist
- English as a Second Language Supplemental
- Reading Specialist
Note that some of these licenses are further categorized by grade level.
Alternative Certification Options
The TEA administrates a webpage dedicated to Becoming a Certified Texas Educator Through an Alternative Certification Program (ACP). Candidates must select an area of specialization, such as teaching ESL or bilingual students, and select one of the approved ACPs listed on the Educator Certification Online System.
The Texas Teachers Alternative Certification website delineates an alternative licensure process for candidates who hold bachelor’s degrees but no master’s degree or teaching license.
TESOL Master’s Programs
Texas A&M University offers an MA/MS degree in English with a focus on TESOL. Students who demonstrate foreign language proficiency earn a Master of Arts and students who do not demonstrate foreign language proficiency earn a Master of Science. U.S. News & World Report places University of Texas at Austin among the top 5 of its rankings of graduate education schools, as of 2013. The school offers a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on Bilingual/Bicultural Education. University of Texas at San Antonio‘s interdisciplinary MA-TESL program encompasses ESL and EFL educator training.
