Master of Arts (M.A.) Second Language Education (Non-Thesis)

The M.A. non-thesis option, consisting entirely of course work, is less research-oriented and suitable for practitioners interested in professional development with a theoretical orientation.
The M.A. in Second Language Education consists of a 45-credit thesis or non-thesis program. It provides an overview of the state of the art in second language acquisition, assessment and evaluation, and research methods, including quantitative and qualitative approaches. The program covers a wide range of current topics in applied linguistics and offers opportunities to specialize in educational sociolinguistics, curricular/methods and program planning areas (for example, content-based second language teaching or “immersion”), language testing, language policy and planning, and critical applied linguistics. Graduates may go on to doctoral work in applied linguistics. They may also seek employment at ministry, school board, or other sites of active research on second languages. Many graduates also continue active careers in school contexts as second language teaching practitioners, program administrators, or evaluators.