Master's Accelerator Program - Master of Arts - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

The Master’s Accelerator Program is a two-semester program exclusively offered to aspirational international students. Master’s Accelerator students benefit from comprehensive support and language for discipline-specific purposes. The curriculum will include advanced writing, public speaking, and research instruction. Each course is designed to help ensure success. The small class sizes, hands-on and interactive programs, and unique curriculum are designed to help them progress seamlessly into their master’s degree program. They will be enrolled as full-time students during both semesters of the Master’s Accelerator Program and will earn 9 credits toward their selected degree.

The Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MA/TESOL) Program prepares students for a career as an ESOL teacher or language specialist who helps them develop skills for diverse and global societies. The program also offers opportunities, especially at Gonzaga University's English Language Center (ELC), for current and future foreign language teachers who want to more deeply explore how language is learned and taught.

Courses integrate theory and practice to build knowledge on language and its use, the interrelationships of cultures, teaching methods and language acquisition. Students will work collaboratively with faculty and classmates to explore new ideas on learning and teaching. Hands-on projects and other field-based learning opportunities prepare them to plan, teach, reflect, research and lead in schools and the community.

The multicultural learning community is made up of students of all backgrounds, professional goals and language abilities, and there is a partnership with Gonzaga Global for those who wish to work on their language skills before joining the program. This exposure to diverse perspectives will help them better understand issues of second language acquisition and learning and teaching in a global society.

Gonzaga University also encourages student and faculty research and critical reflection on the form and substance of language learning and teaching. Through these projects, they could help contribute to the field’s understanding of language, the factors of communication and community building.