Program Details
The CTESL program (Post-Degree) prepares teachers of English as a second language (TESL) and English as a foreign language (TEFL) for adult learners. This is a 5 credit program for students who already have a degree in Applied Linguistics or another subject, or who are currently enrolled in an Honours (i.e. 4-year) degree program at Carleton University. Others with a strong academic background or extensive experience in the teaching of English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) may also be admitted to the program with the permission of the School of Linguistics and Language Studies.
Students may earn a concurrent CTESL as part of an Honours BA in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics & Discourse Studies, or as part of a Combined Honours BA in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics & Discourse Studies and another discipline, or as part of an Honours degree in another discipline.
Certificate & Employment
The Carleton CTESL program is for ESL teachers and for professionals dealing with adult learners. It is not an education program for teaching in the K-12 school system. Most Canadian Ministries of Education require that teacher qualifications come from university faculties of education. Nonetheless a number of Carleton CTESL graduates do work at that level, using their CTESL as an additional qualification.
The CTESL program is recognized by TESL Ontario, the professional organization for TESL practitioners, as a qualification to teach ESL to adults in government-funded programs in the province, and the qualification is transferable to most other provinces in Canada. CTESL candidates who wish to obtain TESL Ontario qualifications are advised to consult the TESL Ontario website for details of the requirements for certification, particularly as regards the teaching practicum component.
Carleton CTESL graduates have been very successful in getting employment in Canada and abroad, teaching in colleges, universities, private language schools, community-based programs, and as consultants.