Education with TESOL (Trinity Certified) - MA
Education has been taught at Keele for over 50 years, studied from an international and multi-dimensional perspective, focused on its broader role and impact on individuals, communities and the world at large. Building on the success of our established MA in Education, the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) pathway develops practical skills and techniques – such as classroom management and lesson planning – to support learners of English as an additional, second or foreign language. In addition to a Master's in Education, you will achieve the Trinity College (London) Certificate in TESOL, an internationally-recognised teacher training qualification.
We are in the process of refreshing our curriculum for the 2025/26 academic year to reflect best practices and the latest advancements in academia. New course content and modules will be available on this course page in due course.
Month of entry
- September
Mode of study
- Full time, Part time
Fees for 2025/26 academic year
- UK - Full time £10,100 per year. Part time £5,600 per year.
International - £16,600 per year.
Duration of study
- 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time or modular study up to 5-years
Why study Education with TESOL (Trinity Certified) at Keele University?
Course summary
Officially spoken in over 60 countries, English remains the most common universal language in the world and there are an estimated 1.5 billion English language learners.
With the English Language learning market predicted to hit $54.92 billion by 2027, our MA in Education with TESOL responds to growing demand for well-trained ESOL teachers.
Reflecting recent education reforms, you will delve into language learning theory and teaching methods, drawing on expertise of our staff developed in a variety of different contexts and countries - with the opportunity to put your teaching into practice with our international students or members of the local community.
In addition to a Master's degree, you'll have the opportunity to gain the professionally-accredited Certificate in TESOL, which is awarded by Trinity College London. Preparation for the moderation visit by the Trinity Assessor includes a minimum of six hours' teaching practice, though you have the option of also spending up to three months on an educational placement.
This will present you with a unique opportunity to put yourself in the shoes of people who do not speak English as their first language and appreciate 'what it feels like' for them to learn a new language. This will enhance your practice and understanding of issues surrounding teaching and learning foreign languages.
Studying education at Keele is shaped by our strong focus – in both teaching and research – on the broader role of education in enhancing human development and how education is related to the economy, society and people’s lives, their opportunities and identities.
This pathway is of particular interest to anyone seeking a career teaching English as a foreign language. It aims to develop exceptional teaching practice which positively engages learners and enables them to fulfil their true potential. It also provides an excellent foundation for further research or to pursue a PhD or a Professional Doctorate.
Other courses you may be interested in:
Next steps
Course structure
This specialist TESOL pathway provides practical experience of teaching English Language and develops the methodological knowledge to carry out successful classroom teaching. You will gain familiarity with a variety of language teaching methods, together with the systematic knowledge and critical awareness of phonological, lexical and syntactic features of contemporary spoken and written English.
On this pathway, you will study three compulsory core modules (90 credits), comprising two specialist modules which prepare you to take the Certificate in TESOL (60 credits) and the Research Methods module (30 credits) to develop advanced research skills. The TESOL certification requires compulsory teaching practice of at least six hours.
You will have a choice of optional modules to the value of 30 credits and will be required to do either a traditional Dissertation or Placement. The placement provides an excellent opportunity to help you improve a particular aspect of professional practice, teaching delivery or administration, providing opportunities for observations and collaborating with an on-site mentor. You will be placed in an educational setting, typically one day per week over three months.
The MA Education with TESOL can be studied as either a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course, with a September start date. It is also possible to study more flexibly part-time on a modular basis, accumulating degree credits by taking individual modules over a period of maximum of five years.
Recognition of Prior Learning
- If you already hold a postgraduate qualification in Education, you may be considered for Recognition of Prior Learning, which could contribute to your overall degree credits.
- Each application will need to be discussed on an individual basis and then reviewed by the University.
- More information and details can be found on our Recognition of Prior Learning application process webpages.
Modules
The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.
Compulsory Core Modules
ENL-40008 (Certificate in TESOL Part A) (30 credits)
This module, the first part of your preparation for the Trinity College (London) Certificate in TESOL, provides the key foundations of English language teaching, which includes an introduction to the structure of the English language. You will learn about some of the principal methodologies and techniques for teaching, such as classroom management and lesson planning, as well as practical skills such as giving instructions and board work. You will be given the opportunity to experience learning an unknown language without recourse to translation, as well as begin to develop skills in teaching practice and classroom management by observing experienced teachers.
ENL-40009 (Certificate in TESOL Part B) (30 credits)
This is the second module leading to the Trinity College (London) Certificate in TESOL and the main focus is on enhancing your knowledge of the uses of English while continuing to develop your classroom skills. You are encouraged to use your creativity to develop and evaluate various types of learning materials including audio-visual sources, and to examine different types of syllabus design. At the same time, you will continue to develop your practical experience through teaching language learners in the community and groups of visiting international students. Throughout the module we discuss career development and how you can find employment both in the UK and overseas.
EDU-40123 Research Methods (30 credits)
This module addresses issues about research design, as well as qualitative and quantitative research. You are prepared to consider the ethical issues entailed in designing and conducting various forms of enquiry, such as narratives, life histories, auto/biographies, case studies and other qualitative or ethnographic methods. The module also explores the political and social contexts related to the research process and analysis. It considers aspects of the research process such as the researcher's own reflexivity, and the negotiation of consent and involvement in the research process.
Core Optional Modules
You will choose one of the following core modules.
EDU-40164 Placement Module
This module offers an educational work-based professional experience through a three-month placement in either primary or secondary school. During the placement, you will observe practitioners in the education workplace. You will work with your assigned school-based mentor to identify educational topics that your placement school would like you to research. You will then plan the scope and nature of research evidence that will need to be collected to research these topics.
You will subsequently develop and conduct a small research project on a topic chosen by your placement school, following the 'Spiral of Enquiry' methodology. The module will finish with a 15,000 - 18,000 words dissertation.
OR
EDU-40027 Dissertation
The purpose of the Dissertation is to contribute substantially to the Research methods training. You are to demonstrate an understanding of the philosophy and principles of research (empirical or non-empirical) and show competence in the design, execution and reporting of a research project. You will develop your ability to carry out subsequent research independently and to commission, manage and evaluate the research activities of others. The dissertation may be empirical or non-empirical in nature. The dissertation is normally a student project rather than original research, though it can be part of a research project for which you have considerable responsibility for and is underpinned by the research module which must be successfully completed prior to undertaking this module. The dissertation’s target word limit is 15,000 words.
Optional Modules
EDU-40118 Issues in Inclusive Education (15 credits)
Inclusive education has been positioned and promoted as a positive reaction to segregated schooling, inequality and prejudice. Inclusion, more generally, has permeated policy and social discourse in the last few decades as a concept and practice that attempts to include everyone into the local community. For example, community work rather than imprisonment, community housing rather than mental (health) institutions and not least of all, mainstream education is promoted for all pupils including those with a range of difficult learning needs. In the face of this, politicians and policy makers emphasise their commitment to issues of inclusion and social justice and in the process the meanings, policy and practice of inclusive education have been rethought - nowhere more so than in relation to special educational needs. This module offers insights into many different aspects of inclusive education.
EDU-40114 Reflecting on Practice (30 credits)
This module is intended to foreground the significance of reflective practice in enabling practitioners to develop informed insights and perspectives on key philosophical, social cultural and political debates about education/workplace setting. You will engage actively with a variety of theories and practices associated with reflective practice, with more thoughtful reflection being posited as the key to reflective practice. You will reflect on an aspect of your practice and develop an action plan for future practice. You will be assessed through a reflective assessment that you will develop over time (including an official observation of practice), related to critically analysing an aspect of your practice.
EDU-40100 Global Education Issues (15 credits)
This module explores the changing world of education in the context of social, political, economic and cultural globalisation. It reflects on the 'nature’ of international identity, both for teachers and students, and critically explores what 'international’ means, educationally, in this context. The module aims to enable you to understand, and reflect critically on the expansion, origins, tensions, and challenges experienced in international education. It invites you to critically examine the primary aspects of globalisation and their impact on education in any setting and to explore the concept of professional identity in the context of a globalised education policy and practice.
EDU-40122 Education, Employment and Professional Identity (15 credits)
This module explores changing patterns of education and work, the dynamic relationship between these two institutions, and how this has developed over time. It examines the wider social, cultural and economic contexts that shape both educational and work institutions, and how these affect the lives and identities of those involved in them. The module considers the way in which wider changes linked to globalisation, post- industrialism, education reform and marketisation, and related social and economic shifts, have affected people’s experiences of education and employment, their social relationships and sense of self. The course draws upon a range of concepts and approaches, including: globalisation, post-industrial society, credentialism, human capital, gender and theories of self and identity. It critically examines evidence about the changing labour market, and its impact upon educational institutions.
EDU-40202 International Comparative Education (15 credits)
This module enables you to understand and explain the differences in educational policy and practice across selected countries. The module focuses on comparisons in terms of governance, roles and responsibilities, and in terms of balances between the imperatives of competition, striving to maintain standards and being inclusive. The module aims to develop your comparative analysis skills using a range of sources including research, statistics, policy documents and personal experience/accounts and themed discussion. It illustrates how roles and responsibilities among educational stakeholders vary across the countries and regions according to history, and to political and economic priorities. The module asks theoretically productive questions of other education systems based on critical reflection on your own contexts.
Next steps
Entry requirements
Next steps
Entry requirements
The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.
Typical offer
Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.
Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information
UK
2:2 degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Bangladesh
60% in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in any subject from a public university or CGPA 2.8 in a 4-year degree or 3-year degree with a 2-year Master's in any subject from a private university
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
We don’t accept degrees from certain universities, please see our Bangladesh Country Page for more information
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Canada
70% or C or a GPA of 2.5 in a degree (Ordinary or Honours) in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
China
70% in a degree in any subject or 65% in a degree in any subject from a '211' university
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Ghana
Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
India
55% or CGPA 6/10 in any degree of three years or longer
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Kenya
Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nepal
60% / 2.4 in a 4-year Bachelor's degree in any subject
or
65% / CGPA 2.8 in a 3-year Bachelor's degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Nigeria
Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Pakistan
We accept a range of qualifications from Pakistan. Please visit our Pakistan Country Page for more information
or we will consider demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need an English language qualification (see below)
South Africa
Second class division 2 / 60% in a Bachelor's degree with Honours in any subject
or
Second class division 1 / 70% in an Ordinary Bachelor's degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Sri Lanka
55% in a Special Bachelor's degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Uganda
Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
Zimbabwe
Second class degree in any subject
or
demonstrated relevant professional qualifications or experience
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
English language requirements
All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group C.
References
Normally, you will need to provide at least one academic reference to support your application unless you have been out of study longer than two years. If it has been more than two years since you last studied on a degree-level programme, you will normally need to provide an employment reference instead. For more information about Academic References, please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages.
Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose
Please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages for guidance on what to include in your personal statement.
Recognition of Prior Learning
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which enables applicants to receive recognition and formal credit for learning acquired in the past through formal study or work and life experiences.
RPL can also be requested for admission onto the start of a programme in lieu of the admission requirements. For more information, see our Recognition of Prior Learning web pages.
Professional qualifications and work experience
The majority of our courses will consider relevant work experience and/or professional qualifications at the appropriate level, as an alternative to an undergraduate degree for entry. The work experience should be for a sustained period and at a suitable level, based within a relevant sector to your chosen course.
Admissions staff will review your work experience and/or professional qualifications during the assessment of your application to ensure suitability in terms of relevancy, level and appropriate learning outcomes.
General information
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application.
Funding
Living costs
Keele University is located on a beautiful campus and has all the facilities of a small town. Student accommodation, shops, restaurants and cafes are all within walking distance of the teaching buildings. This is a very cost effective way to live and to reduce your living costs.
Scholarships and funding
We are committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Please visit our scholarships and bursaries webpage for more information.
Please note, if your course offers a January start date, the January 2025 start date falls in the 2024/25 academic year. Please see the January 2025 fees for the relevant fees for starting this course in January 2025
Planning your funding
It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our Financial Support Team.
For continuing students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
Next steps
Your career
The MA Education with TESOL responds to the rapidly growing opportunities for teaching English across the world, developing exceptional teaching practice that places learners' needs at its core.
You will develop knowledge of a range of related global educational issues, such as creativity, inclusion, leadership and management, and understanding of learners with diverse linguistic backgrounds.
Keele students who have graduated with the Trinity College (London) Certificate in TESOL have gone on to teach in Language Schools and University Language Centres in countries such as Japan, China, Singapore, Vietnam, Brazil, Mexico, The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
In addition to teaching and leadership positions in language schools here in the UK or internationally, this MA Education with TESOL can prepare you for positions not only in schools, but also in education administration, policy advice, social care, the health sector, advertising and marketing, the charity sector, youth services, the arts sector and the local government.
Graduates on our sister course, the MA in Education, have progressed to senior positions within school settings, as well as careers in other organisations, including British Council in Thailand and Malaysia, the Qatar Foundation, international schools in countries such as Thailand, South Africa and Malaysia and in roles responsible for educational programmes, apprenticeships and training for local government and British Rail.
The personal and professional skills learned on this master’s degree include clear and analytical thinking, originality, problem-solving, persuasive writing and speaking, innovative questioning and effective reasoning, all of which can open a wide range of careers.
The course is also excellent preparation for doctoral study or careers in research or academia with previous master’s students continuing with PhD studies or a Professional Doctorate at Keele and other excellent institutions in the UK and elsewhere.
Positions may include:
- Academic
- Careers advisor
- Community education officer
- Counsellor
- Development and training officer
- Education administrator
- Education consultant
- Headteacher
- Local government officer
- Marketing executive
- Education officer
- Principal/Vice-Principal
- Policy officer
- Private tutor
- Special educational needs teacher
- Teacher of English (as a foreign language)
- Teaching assistant
- Youth worker
Next steps
Teaching, learning and assessment
How you'll be taught
Teaching is delivered via a mixture of large and small group activities, individual tasks, and workshop sessions. You'll receive practical training in the most up-to-date methodologies in English Language teaching. You’ll also receive research training, in preparation for your dissertation, supported by a personal dissertation supervisor.
Throughout the course, there is a focus on contemporary issues in education and a desire to equip you with relevant knowledge and skills, for example, collating and analysing secondary data, something regularly done in schools to identify issues around attainment or attendance.
We also refer to current trends, issues and topics. One exercise focuses on media coverage of a particular educational topic, considering how it influences our thinking. For example, students previously considered inclusive education in the context of migrants, looking at newspaper articles that represent the migration crisis, thinking about what that means for education and how schools can respond in inclusive ways.
Where possible, we invite external practitioners to share their direct experiences. In the past, this has included guest speakers, for example, a special needs headteacher highlighting issues around inclusion, and someone from local government when students were examining policy and how policy makers influence our perceptions through speeches and press coverage.
For those already working in educational settings, the opportunity to discuss experiences with other practitioners can provide opportunities to share best practice or find solutions to any classroom issues you face.
As a postgraduate student, you are also able to attend the School’s annual research seminar series, which will enable you to become involved in the School and University's research culture. Past seminars have covered the early mathematical development of children, neoliberal educational reforms in de-industrialised spaces, the notion of the educated educational practitioner, and decolonising higher education.
Teaching schedule
Teaching takes between September and May. Students may also attend placements until mid-July.
Semester 1 runs from the end of September to the end of January, with an assessment period in January.
Semester 2 runs from the last week of January to the middle of June, with the assessment period in June.
Semester 3 runs from June to the end of September. During this period, students will spend most of their time working on the Dissertation or attending placements, if they have chosen to do so.
How you’ll be assessed
The programme is assessed through written work in the form of essays, case studies, policy analyses/policy briefs and research proposals; these are complemented by the use of a reflective portfolio and critical commentary that draws on the work undertaken in the modules throughout the programme. You will also be assessed on your classroom practice through a series of teaching observations.
Where possible, we try to give you flexibility to tailor your studies to suit your interests and, in some modules, you may have the option of choosing your own topics for assessment. You’ll also identify the problem or area of practice or pedagogy you want to focus on in research, conducted as part of the Dissertation or Placement. This also helps to develop your ability to select, apply and evaluate appropriate research methodologies should you go on to conduct further research.
Next steps
Keele Postgraduate Association
Keele University is one of a handful of universities in the UK to have a dedicated students' union for postgraduate students. A fully registered charity, Keele Postgraduate Association serves as a focal point for the social life and welfare needs of all postgraduate students during their time at Keele.
Hugely popular, the KPA Clubhouse (near Horwood Hall) provides a dedicated postgraduate social space and bar on campus, where you can grab a bite to eat and drink, sit quietly and read a book, or switch off from academic life at one of the many regular events organised throughout the year. The KPA also helps to host a variety of conferences, as well as other academic and career sessions, to give you and your fellow postgraduates the opportunities to come together to discuss your research, and develop your skills and networks.
Our expertise
Our Expertise
Teaching staff
Education has been taught at Keele for over 50 years and we take pride in combining world-class research with relevant, practice-focused teaching.
Through both our teaching and research, we are committed to exploring the many ways that education can change and affect modern society. Our research projects are often run in close collaboration with schools, broadly focused on the scope and pattern of education policy and the problems education is asked to solve, and teaching practices, including the educational potential of new technologies, teaching excellence, education quality and performance of schools.
You will be taught by knowledgeable staff, who have been closely involved in educational management, teaching, research and policy-making both at home and overseas. The breadth and depth of their expertise is impressive by any standards, exploring comparative international education; progressive education approaches (e.g. Montessori); education in crisis (e.g. migrants and refugees); global citizenship education; international student mobility; international leadership and school leadership; history of education; and social justice in education.
Teaching team includes:
Dr Aneta Hayes, Senior Lecturer – Previously worked in higher education in Bahrain and in primary and secondary education before obtaining her PhD in Education. Her research interest centres on higher education (HE) markets, critical internationalisation studies, international policy borrowing, the scope and nature of HE business.
Dr Sian Edwards, Lecturer – Her research interests are youth and childhood policy, social justice and inequalities, educational inequalities and identities (gender and class), HE and student identity.
Dr John Howlett, Lecturer – A historian of education, John has published widely in the field. He is also one of the country’s leading editors of Victorian and 20th century poetry and have produced, to date, six scholarly editions with more in press.
Dr Peter Jones, Lecturer – Previously worked at the Universities of Bristol, Southampton and Bath Spa. As a researcher, Peter has a particular interest in the political economy of education, ethnographies of educational institutions, the inter-scalar production of education policy and the financialisation of HE.
Dr Mathew Barnard, Lecturer in Education – His interests include leadership and management within education, institutional ethos and cultural pedagogy, multiculturalism, postcolonialism, and the promotion of non-White cultural capital.
Dr Sihui Wang, Teaching Fellow in Education – Originally from China, Sihui has a wide range of international experience as a researcher, teacher, education consultant and student. Having an interdisciplinary background in education, applied linguistics and TESOL, Sihui is passionate about teaching and researching on educational issues related to linguistic, intercultural and transnational topics.
Russell Clark, Senior Lecturer in English Language - Head of the Language Centre - His research interests centre on developing the intertextuality skills EAP students require for success in their studies and he has delivered papers on this area at conferences in the UK, Thailand and Japan, and in developing support frameworks for Asylum Seekers and Refugees. He joined Keele University in 2002. Prior to this, he worked for 14 years as an English Language lecturer in Thailand, Singapore, Greece and Australia.
Dr Suzanne Heaton, Lecturer in English Language - English Language Programme Director - Suzanne joined the Language Centre at Keele in 2012. Prior to this, she taught at Liverpool University, and at Universities in the UAE and in Thailand. Suzanne is interested in teacher training, corpus investigations, teaching and feedback on writing in English, curriculum design and use of technology for teaching.
Dr Alison Long, Lecturer in English Language - Alison joined the Language Centre in 2008 . Her research interests are language change (specifically in the Slavonic languages), endangered languages and language policy, and language construction. She created languages for the BBC and for SKY TV. She is also a Board member for the MA in Cultural Linguistics of Great Britain and the USA at St Petersburg State University, Russia.
Leanne Mountford, Lecturer in English Language - Certificate in TESOL Programme Director. Leanne joined the Language Centre in 2012. Her research interests focus on developing learner independence and in connecting research with practical classroom applications.
Next steps
Facilities
The School of Social, Political and Global Studies brings together multidisciplinary academics in Criminology, Education, International Relations, Philosophy, Politics and Sociology, whose research is internationally respected for its theoretical innovations and relevance to applications in the real world.
You will have access to the University's standard facilities and student support. This includes the library, though all essential resources are available to you electronically.
Next steps