The Moray House School of Education
Postgraduate Study - Taught Degrees

The MSc in Language Teaching is designed to develop the professional knowledge and skills of language teachers.

It is for you if:

• you are directly involved in the teaching of foreign or second languages in the classroom;
• you have some other role in foreign or second language education, for example in management, testing, curriculum/programme design, course book production or programme evaluation.

It is specifically designed to meet your needs if:

• you are a teacher of a language other than English as a foreign or second language;
• you are a teacher of English as a foreign or second language, especially if you have native or native-like proficiency in English and you wish to gain a qualification which meets the British Council's guidelines for TEFL Qualifying employment at accredited institutions in the UK.
  
  

This MSc is designed to develop the professional knowledge and skills of language teachers.

The programme draws on the University of Edinburgh's long and internationally recognised experience in language education and applied linguistics. It is based in The Moray House School of Education, but some of its courses, including core courses, are taught within the Institute for Applied Language Studies and the department of Linguistics and English Language.

You can study for the MSc in Language Teaching either full time (12 months) or part time (24 months).

Programme structure

In the first part of the programme (September to April) you will take four core courses (these are obligatory) and a minimum of two option courses.

In the second part of the programme (May to August) you will undertake a research project leading to the writing of a dissertation.

You will be given training in research methods and guidance on academic writing.

Courses and the dissertation

Core Courses:

Language Description for Language Teaching:
This course is designed to cover all the main areas of language description so as to meet the needs of foreign-language teaching professionals.

Language Learning & Teaching:
This course explores critically the relevance to the language classroom of alternative theories of language learning.

Language, Education & Society:
This course explores the political, social and educational aspects of language learning and teaching, and the use of foreign and international languages in an increasingly global world.

Professional Practice:
This course gives you a framework for considering your own and others' experience of language learning and teaching in relation to the contexts in which it has been acquired. We aim to develop your professional skills and to help you sustain the process of professional development in your future career.

Option Courses:

You can choose from the following:

• Computer Assisted Language Learning
• Language Programme Design
• Languages for Specific Purposes
• Language Testing
• Teaching practice and exploration of classroom issues (This course is open only to candidates who meet certain specific requirements. There is an additional fee for this course.)
• Teaching the Spoken Language
• Teaching the Written Language
• Teaching Literature in a Second Language
  

You can also choose from courses offered by the MEd in TESOL programme:

• Evaluation & Design of TESOL Materials
• Management and TESOL
• Techniques and Processes of Teacher Education
• Text and discourse in TESOL
• TESOL for young learners
  

You can also, with the agreement of the Programme Director, choose from courses offered by the MSc in Applied Linguistics programme, among them:

• Language and Identity in Bilingual Settings
• Cross-cultural communication

Please Note: Not all option courses run every year.

Dissertation:

The dissertation (about 15,000 words) gives you the opportunity to explore in some depth a language teaching issue of interest to you, while at the same time practising and developing your skills in research. Preparation for the dissertation includes taking the following course on research methods:

• Research Methods in Language Teaching
  
  

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Entry requirements

The entry requirements for this MSc are:

• a good first degree
• a minimum of two years classroom experience in teaching a foreign or second language
• (if your first language is not English) evidence of proficiency in English: for example IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each part, or equivalent.
  
  
  

How to apply

Apply Online

For details on how to apply and completing your application form, please follow the link below:

Details of How to Apply and Application Form

Please ensure that you complete all sections in the application form, including an account of relevant previous teaching experience (you may include a CV for extra information but please note your experience clearly on the application form).

Further information

If you would like further information about the MSc in Language Teaching, please contact the Programme Director:

Dr Aileen Irvine
The Moray House School of Education
Holyrood Road
Edinburgh EH8 8AQ

Email: Aileen.Irvine@ed.ac.uk

For further information on fees, scholarships, accommodation, and visas, or to ask for a University of Edinburgh application form, please contact the Postgraduate Office at:

The Postgraduate Office
College of Humanities and Social Science
The University of Edinburgh
David Hume Tower (First Floor)
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9JX

Telephone 0131 651 3122
Fax (0131) 650 6536
Email educationpg@ed.ac.uk

Useful information is also available on the following websites:

TESOL web pages
Postgraduate Office
International Office
Scholarships at the University of Edinburgh