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College of Humanities
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TESOL Minor

Minor Requirements

BYU’s Department of Linguistics offers a minor and a certificate in teaching English to adult speakers of other languages (TESOL). Students may earn either a minor alone or a minor and certificate.

Note: For education majors, the TESOL K-12 minor is available to those earning a teaching major and leads to an ESL Endorsement. It is offered through the School of Education. Contact the David O. McKay School of Education Advisement Center for the Teaching English Language Learners (TELL) program.

Career Opportunities

TESOL minor students are qualified for many overseas positions teaching English as a foreign language. They may also work in various ESL programs in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Possible teaching settings include adult education classes, intensive English programs, and English language learning programs around the world. Students in any major may apply for the TESOL minor.

Program Learning Outcomes

English Language Fundamentals: Demonstrate a foundational knowledge of the English language systems of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, and how these systems relate to the language competencies of listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.

Instructional Competence: Given the foundational knowledge of the English language systems and competencies, demonstrate fundamental competence in instructional methods and strategies when teaching English as a second or foreign language.

Faculty Advisors

Last Name Advisor Office Email Phone
A-F Grant Eckstein 4064A JFSB grant_eckstein@byu.edu 801-422-5946
G-L Norm Evans 4048 JFSB norman_evans@byu.edu 801-422-8472
M-S James Hartshorn 4061 JFSB james_hartshorn@byu.edu 801-422-4034
T-Z Mark Tanner 4063 JFSB mark_tanner@byu.edu 801-422-8154

Undergraduate TESOL Certificate

Students who complete the TESOL minor are also eligible to earn a TESOL certificate if they meet additional requirements. This certificate is more usable in the professional world than a minor alone, and it may be particularly useful if the student plans to teach abroad.

Certificate Requirements

  1. Complete a TESOL minor (18 credits).
  2. Complete a TESOL internship for academic credit after completion of the minor (LING 399R* - Academic Internships; 3 credits). Students should speak to Nicole Bay (nicole_bay@byu.edu) about getting credit for their internship; see the instructions on our Jobs and Internships page. (*Formerly ELANG 496R.)
  3. Provide evidence of the following:
    1. Evidence of a second language learning experience equivalent to 4 semesters of a second language (through classes or challenge exams).
    2. For students whose first language is not English, evidence of English language proficiency (at least an Advanced-low on the ACTFL OPI). Please visit the Center for Language Studies for more information to set up your OPI appointment (3086 JFSB). You may also contact them at cls@byu.edu.

Once the requirements have been met and the student graduates, the certificate will be mailed to the student.