Online Master of Arts in TESOL

Our Master of Arts in TESOL gives you the personalized experience and meaningful connection with our community to truly excel in an online program. It is specifically designed for working professionals. You’ll be prepared to design curriculum and deliver instruction in various multimodal contexts, with a focus on inclusivity and social change.

Interactive Online Learning

Our interactive approach to online learning provides a high level of engagement with your faculty, career advisor, classmates, and alumni. You will join a supportive community and build a vast professional network while taking advantage of our flexible course scheduling.

Advance Your Career

Our TESOL program will help you advance your career:

Make Your Mark on the Global Stage

We will prepare you to teach in various settings, in the U.S. and abroad. You will benefit from our strong relationships with several internationally focused organizations, including the U.S. Department of State, English Language Fellow Program, and Fulbright Program. 

• Jennifer Uhler’s MATESOL ’05 career has taken exciting turns through Brazil, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Romania, and the US. 

Get the Most Competitive Teaching Jobs 

There are many TESOL programs but a master’s from a well-regarded school like the Middlebury Institute is the best pathway to the most rewarding careers. 

• Danny McCarthy MATESOL ’15 landed a position at the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University as an ESL specialist, Lecturing Fellow, and Business Communication and Culture Program Lead. 

Expand Your Career Opportunities

All our TESOL graduates excel at language teaching. However, some build on this foundation to pursue broader careers. 

• Patrick Desloge MATESOL ‘96 founded StoryLab, an organization dedicated to redefining creative expression and social innovation through a holistic approach to digital storytelling and the development of critical literacy.

Stand Out as a Leader 

Our program develops you personally and professionally to influence education inside and outside your classroom, including equitable hiring practices and inclusive teaching. Many of our alumni have gone on to assume high-profile leadership roles. 

• Joyce Kling MATESOL ’88 served as President of TESOL International from 2022–2023. 

Boost Your Salary

Our part-time program allows you to continue working while you earn your degree. You will develop competencies that you can immediately apply to your work, setting you up for your next salary increase and promotion. You will also have additional career resources available to you through our Center for Advising and Career Services.

• Tom English MATESOL ‘24 increased his salary by 20% when he graduated from the program, leveraging his improved teaching skills.

Curriculum

The 10 courses (30 credits) in this program are all asynchronous (no required live class meetings), so you can continue working as you earn your degree. 

Competencies:

• Inclusive learning environments
• Language and language learning in context
• Evidence-based instructional design and practice
• Digital technologies
• Critical assessment and evaluation
• Dedicated professionalism
• Critical intercultural communication (CIC)

See the curriculum for more details.

Microcredentials

The Middlebury Institute offers a host of microcredentials in language teaching, international education management, and intercultural competence. These allow you to upskill in targeted areas without having to commit to a full master’s degree. All courses are three credits, online, and asynchronous (no required live class meetings), so you can continue working. 

You may be particularly interested in the following microcredentials

• Language Foundations for Subject Area Teachers
• Core Teaching Practices for Early Career Language Teachers

You will also have the option to apply credits earned in these microcredentials to the MA in TESOL in the future. Learn more about microcredentials.

Licensure

While attending the online TESOL program, you can work toward licensure through the State of Vermont’s peer review process. Students interested in teaching in K–12 public schools, some private schools, some international schools, and some adult schools will likely want to be licensed. Students determine whether Vermont’s teaching license is reciprocal with the state where they wish to teach.

The peer review process can extend for several months beyond completing the online TESOL program so you may not have your teaching license at graduation.

Recommended Licensure Progress Timeline

• At the beginning of your program
  • Take the Praxis I Core test.
• During the middle of your program
  • Apply for Immersive Professional Learning (IPL) funding from the Institute to help defray expenses associated with the licensure process.
  • Take Praxis II test for teaching English Language Learners (ELL).
  • Apply for remote licensure with Vermont Board of Education.
  • Participate in the Vermont Board of Education’s Peer Review Clinic.
• At the end of your program
  • Complete a 13-week student teaching placement at the K-12 level (this is integrated into your Practicum Capstone course).
  • Create a portfolio documenting teaching proficiency (this is started during your Practicum Capstone course).
• After completing the online TESOL program
  • Submit your online portfolio within one year of applying for remote licensure.

Faculty: Professors and Practitioners

You will be taught by exceptional faculty with years of professional experience in organizations such as the TESOL International Association, the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

Your professors are genuinely committed to your success and dedicated to modeling effective pedagogy in their own teaching. They will be active mentors and colleagues to you while you are a student and throughout your career. Meet your faculty.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition for all of our online programs is $850/credit.

• Tuition rates are subject to change each year.
• The online TESOL degree is 30 credits so your total tuition cost for this master’s program will be approximately $25,500.

We have designed this program to allow you to continue working as you earn your online master’s. The degree is part-time and asynchronous, so you can engage each module on your schedule. You can also take advantage of education loans and employer tuition benefits.

Review tuition costs.

U.S. Public Service Loan Forgiveness

The U.S. Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program is a valuable opportunity for those working in education, and public service fields. If you pursue our TESOL master’s program and work for a qualifying employer, such as a government or nonprofit organization, you may be eligible to have your federal student loans forgiven after making 120 qualifying monthly payments. This program is designed to help ease the financial burden of student loans while you contribute to your community through education. To learn more about eligibility and the application process, visit the PSLF website.

How to Apply

We take a holistic approach when considering your application, looking at your academic background, international exposure, professional experience, and career goals. We welcome applicants with or without teaching experience, and our program has numerous opportunities for you to gain professional teaching experience before you graduate.

Admission requirements for our online TESOL program are the same as the in-person TESOL program. 

We do not require GRE or GMAT scores for our master’s programs but competitive scores may strengthen your application and positively influence scholarship decisions. Learn how to apply.