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Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) (BEd)

Bachelor of Education (BEd)

Why study Teaching English as a Second Language?

Share the gift of language and open doors for your students. As a teacher, your passion for people — both young and old — helps them fulfill their potential. When you study Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), your mastery of teaching the English language gives your students the skills needed to compete in the global marketplace.

With a curriculum that straddles theory and practice, you will have the opportunity to observe experienced teachers and instruct students as a student teacher. You’ll also:

  • Study the major features of English language sounds
  • Compare the grammatical structures of other major languages to English and learn to identify typical mistakes made by non-native speakers
  • Learn teaching techniques aimed at children, adolescents and adults

Students graduate ready to take their place in classrooms in Quebec, across Canada and overseas, and are eligible for certification from the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur.

Program Details

A Bachelor of Education degree with a specialization in TESL takes a minimum of four years (120 credits) of full-time study, depending on your academic background.

Options:

See full degree requirements in the Undergraduate Calendar.

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Inside Canada

March 1

Certain programs have extended their deadlines. Please check program availability.

N/A

Admission to this program is only available for the Fall Term.
 

Outside Canada
(International)
February 1    N/A

We reserve the right to close admission to a program at any time after the official deadline without prior notice.

The program requires 120 credits of core and elective courses. The core courses involve a stimulating and well-balanced group of selections from three areas: theory courses, method courses, and internships. The internships are undertaken in elementary, secondary and adult level classes. The program has a strong emphasis on language learner development.

Sample courses

  • Teaching English as a Second Language Pedagogy
  • Computers in Language Learning
  • Testing, Evaluation and Course Design
  • Language Acquisition

Read course descriptions in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Step 1

  1. Apply for Admissions online. You can also submit your application by logging in to the Student Hub and going to My CU Account.
    • For external applicants
      Fill out the Undergraduate Application. There is a $100 CAD fee. Then continue with the steps below.
    • Internal applicants
      Read and follow the instructions for a degree transfer. There is a $46 fee. Then continue with the steps below.
       
  2. Fill out the Additional Information application form / Renseignements Complémentaires and upload this document online using the document type ‘Teaching English as a Second Language Application’. You can also upload your documents by logging in to the Student Hub and going to My CU Account.

  3. Obtain 3 referees (2 academic, 1 work-related)

    Download Academic Reference form (English) / Téléchargez formulaire de référence académique (Français)

    Referees can e-mail the forms to: application.support@concordia.ca

    *Please ensure you allow sufficient time for your referees to send their letter of recommendation and reference form.

Additional Information for Applicants:

Student ID #

  • If you were a student at Concordia, you will have a Student ID number.
  • For new students, the Concordia Student ID is ONLY generated when an admission application is "submitted and finalized". After finalizing the application the Student ID number will be on the email the University sends to you.
    • If you haven't submitted or finalized the application, please indicate the application number on the Reference Form instead.

Step 2

  1. English Composition Placement Test (ECPT)
  • All candidates need to take an English Composition Placement Test. The results will be used for assessing the candidate and the possible imposition of specified make-up courses upon admission.
  • This test does not replace the language proficiency requirements for admission to the university (ex. TOEFL/IELTS). 
  • Department of English Placement test website
  • The next Placement Test session is scheduled to begin March 7 and will remain open until April 30. 
  • Students who already have a Moodle account will be able to enroll into the test directly.
  • Applicants who are new to Concordia and do not yet have an active Moodle account should send the English department assistant (assist.english@concordia.ca) their Netname, student ID, full name and email associated with their Concordia application to have an account activated.
  • Candidates can take the test after the March 1 deadline; however, it is strongly advised to take the test as early as possible as this will delay a decision to be made on your application.

Step 3

  1. Interview
    • Selected applicants will be notified via e-mail for an interview. The day and time will be provided. Interviews are conducted by faculty members and will last approximately 35 minutes.

Graduates are prepared to take on challenging positions as teachers, researchers and administrators in the public and private sector.

The Department has several specialized facilities that support student engagement in the practical application of their studies. The Sage language lab supports the development of skills required for the program in the Teaching of English as a Second Language.

Computers are integrated into all aspects of student life at the graduate and undergraduate levels and every seminar room is designed to support computer use by faculty members and students alike.

Students also benefit from the resources and support of the TESL Student Association.

Learn more about student resources & facilities.

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