MA in TESOL
Southampton, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
19 Aug 2026*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
GBP 27,500 **
STUDY FORMAT
* for international students | 2 September 2026 - for UK students
** for EU and international students | £10,-000 - for UK students
Key Summary
About: The University of Southampton’s MA in TESOL is a one-year Masters for graduates who want to teach English as an additional language or work in language education. You’ll study theory and practice, second language acquisition, curriculum design, assessment and pedagogy, with nine months of taught modules and a three-month dissertation. Southampton is a Russell Group, global top 100 university offering merit and competitive scholarships.
Career Outcomes: Graduates secure roles as English language teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum designers, language assessors and policy or intercultural communication specialists. The course readies you for leadership, materials development, ELT consultancy and further postgraduate research.
The University of Southampton's MA TESOL is a one-year master's programme ideal for graduates who want to teach English as a second or additional language, or work in the language teaching education sector. You'll explore both the theory and practice of English language teaching, developing specialist knowledge and skills across linguistic areas and contemporary teaching approaches.
The programme prepares you to challenge current practices and take an innovative, leadership-oriented approach to your teaching career. You'll study the most recent developments in curriculum design, assessment techniques, and pedagogy, examining interactions between teachers, students, learning environments, and teaching tasks. Optional modules allow you to pursue specific interests such as learner autonomy, English as an international language, second language writing, and language assessment.
The course balances taught content in the first 9 months with an independent dissertation research project in the final 3 months. Southampton's TESOL graduates are employed across the world in all areas of the English language teaching profession, making this a globally recognised qualification.
The 12-month full-time programme is structured as follows: Semesters 1 and 2 (first 9 months) consist of taught modules, including core modules taken by all students and optional modules chosen from a list. Core modules include: Analysing Language for ELT/TESOL, Developing Approaches to Language Teaching, Principles of Communicative Language Teaching, Research Skills, and Dissertation (ALLT/ELT).
Optional modules include: Assessment of Language Proficiency, Digital Education and English Language Teaching, English as a World Language, Introduction to Research in Applied Linguistics, Language and Intercultural Communication, Language Ideologies in a Globalising World, Pragmatics in Global Contexts, Second Language Learning, and Teacher Identity and Agency in Language Education. The final 3 months (summer) are devoted to independent dissertation research and writing under the supervisor's guidance, with one-to-one meetings to discuss progress.
Upon completing this MA TESOL, you'll be qualified to teach English as a second or additional language in schools, universities, language institutes, and private language schools worldwide. You'll be prepared for roles in English language teaching and education leadership positions.
You may also work in related areas such as language assessment, curriculum development, teacher education, English language policy, digital language education, and intercultural communication training.
The programme equips you with specialist knowledge to challenge current practices and take an innovative approach as a leader in the English language teaching field. Graduates are employed across the world in all areas of the English language teaching profession.
10% Alumni Discount
If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton, you could be eligible for a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.
Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)
This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course.
If you study part-time, you may not be eligible for this loan.
Southampton Arts and Humanities Dean's Global Talent Scholarship
There are 40 scholarships available to international students applying to study an undergraduate or postgraduate master's degree in an arts or humanities subject. Successful applicants will get £10,000 towards their tuition fees.
Other postgraduate funding options
A variety of additional funding options may be available to help you pay for your master’s studies. Both from the University and other organisations.
Graduates pursue careers as English language teachers in secondary and primary schools, language institutes, private language schools, and universities. You may work in teacher training and education development roles, curriculum design, language assessment, English language policy, or intercultural communication training.
The programme prepares you for leadership roles within the English language teaching profession. Southampton's TESOL graduates are employed across the world in all areas of the English language teaching profession.
You're a good fit for this programme if you have recently graduated with a 2:2 honours degree in a language or relevant subject and are starting or planning a career in teaching English as a foreign language. You may be interested in teaching English as a second or additional language in schools, language institutes, or universities, or working in language education development and policy.
You'll benefit from this course if you want to deepen your theoretical understanding of language teaching, stay current with modern pedagogical approaches, and develop specialist expertise in areas like assessment, intercultural communication, or digital language teaching. If you're already working as an English language teacher and want to advance your career, Southampton also offers an MA TESOL for Experienced Teachers.
Southampton offers a well-established MA TESOL programme led by experienced faculty with current research interests in intercultural communication and global Englishes. The programme is research-led and continuously reviewed for quality and relevance, ensuring you learn current approaches to curriculum, assessment, and pedagogy. You'll study theory and practice in balance, with flexibility to pursue optional modules aligned to your interests, such as language assessment, digital teaching, or intercultural communication.
The course is designed to prepare you as a leader in the field who can challenge and innovate current teaching practices. Southampton's graduates are employed globally across all areas of English language teaching, indicating strong employer recognition and career outcomes.
- Full-time on-campus, campus-based at the University of Southampton.
- The 12-month programme is delivered over three stages: Semesters 1 and 2 (months 1-9) feature taught modules delivered through lectures, seminars, and practical sessions; the final 3 months (summer) consist of independent dissertation research with one-to-one supervision meetings.
- Teaching methods prepare you for research-informed practice in English language teaching.