So I actually CAN make money from home...

January 9, 2012 2:43 PM

I'm looking for a fully online MA program in TESOL or a related field like Applied Linguistics, that is NOT meant for K-12 public school teaching, with the aim of professionalizing myself as an English tutor. I found the New School's program here, that would certainly cover all my bases, but I simply wouldn't be able to afford the cost. Can you help me find other options?

Things have drastically changed since I was in undergrad. I received my BA with honors, and went into a social studies teacher education program. I had to withdraw from it for logistical reasons in the first semester, despite having received good grades there. (I'm physically disabled, and I couldn't manage the traveling necessary for observations/student teaching.)

Subsequently, I went into a standard MA in History because I wasn't sure what else to do, which did not go well, and was derailed completely when I became really sick with gastrointestinal issues. (I'm still not exactly well, but the pain has decreased from "please let me die" to "this is annoying".)

I was very depressed, until one of my friends from Russia, in gratitude for a favor, posted an advertisement for me as an English tutor via Skype on her company's internal message board. I've been working part-time ever since at my first real job, and I love it. I'm convinced I want to switch fields and teach people online for a living, if I can, but given my limitations, where should I go to get an appropriate credential?

Aside from the New School, I checked out SUNY Empire State, but their Adult Learning MA is not especially specific to TESOL/ESL. Most of the others appear to be geared towards public school teachers, and have inflexible practicum requirements that I couldn't fulfill online. Any ideas, MeFi?

posted by StrikeTheViol to education (5 answers total)

I think University of Massachusetts-Boston might fit your needs. My cousin did an MA there in Adult Education.
posted by mareli at 2:56 PM on January 9

This one at Trinity Western is popular among many adult ESOL teachers in my area.
posted by smilingtiger at 4:51 PM on January 9

For posterity, I just applied to the University of Memphis' MA in English program, one of very few US online programs that meets my needs in terms of flexibility, and offered faculty attention right from the start to boot. Wish me luck!

UMass-Boston above has a really competitive MA in Applied Linguistics that is fully online, although it's apparently rigidly structured and very demanding, for the linguists interested in teaching out there. The only other option I explored was the USC MAT in TESOL, which I gathered was a more conventional program that might not have been the best fit.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 7:55 PM on February 6 [1 favorite]

As a final followup, I received my acceptance email from U of M today, and I'll start my program in June. I'm excited!
posted by StrikeTheViol at 3:25 PM on February 22

Coincidentally, I'm an undergrad in the English department at Memphis, so good luck. I had no idea they offered that kind of program. And if you ever happen to need a person on the ground, feel free to hit me up.
posted by woodvine at 2:18 PM on March 17 [1 favorite]