Certification in TESOL and World Language
The Department of Language and Literacy Education offers students two certification-only programs:
- TESOL: This certification-only program is for students who wish to pursue Georgia teacher certification in P-12 TESOL.
- World language education: This certification-only program is for students who wish to pursue Georgia teacher certification in P-12 modern or classical languages.
Highlights
- Learn from nationally and internationally renowned faculty
- Work with English learners in a variety of contexts
- Engage in the complexity of language acquisition and communication among people
- Most students complete the certification program in about a year
Curriculum
Both the TESOL and world language education certification-only programs require a minimum of 15-semester hours of coursework (five courses), two prerequisites, an internal final portfolio (Foliotek), and an external final portfolio (edTPA).
Develop your expertise through topics such as:
- Special education
- Culture in the classroom
- Curriculum and methods PreK-8 and 7-12
Additionally, students are required to complete 15 clinical practice or internship hours to receive Georgia certification.
Our nationally recognized faculty will work with you to customize your degree program.
How to Apply
Prerequisites
- Prerequisite courses must be taken prior to enrollment in the certification-only courses and may be taken on campus or online. They may also be accepted from other USG institutions.
- TESOL prerequisites: SPED and LING/LLED courses
- World language education prerequisites: SPED and TL courses (candidates may exempt the latter course with a level of “Superior” or “Distinguished” on the OPI and WPT ACTFL exams)
- Take and pass the Georgia Educator Ethics (360). Please contact Krista Vanderpool for more information on how to sign up for this test.
- TESOL students must take and pass the Content GACE exam for TESOL.
- World language education students must take the OPI and WPT (for modern languages only) and receive a minimum level of “Advanced Low” in both proficiency tests, as well as take and pass the Content GACE exam (for commonly taught languages only).
Admissions
- Apply as a non-degree-seeking student at UGA
- Once accepted into the program, print the planning sheet in the downloads section of this webpage and schedule a meeting with program advisor Tolosa-Casadont for programmatic guidance and complete the two steps below:
Deadline to Apply
- April 15
Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered on a rolling basis.
Additional Resources
Please use our online form if you have any questions for the department. Please be as specific as possible so that we may quickly assist you.All undergraduate students at UGA meet with an academic advisor each semester. This meeting is critical to a student’s success as a chance to discuss courses and electives, certification criteria, and general graduation requirements.
Almost all in-state students begin their studies at UGA paying limited tuition or fees. Please note that these amounts are subject to change and are meant to give prospective students an idea of the costs associated with a degree at the University of Georgia College of Education.
Students may qualify for a variety of assistantships, scholarships, and other financial awards to help offset the cost of tuition, housing, and other expenses.
Our students have a range of opportunities available outside the classroom as well, from professional organizations, experiential learning, clubs and other non-academic experiences.
See for yourself how much UGA College of Education has to offer! Schedule a tour of campus to learn more about the UGA student experience.