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Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Pre-Service MA

London, Bloomsbury

The TESOL MA course has two routes: in-service and pre-service. The TESOL (Pre-Service) aims to enhance the employment prospects of graduates, who hope to become English Language Teaching practitioners, but who have no professional experience of teaching English to speakers of other languages. Students will explore the latest developments in the theory, policy and practice of TESOL, working with leading experts in the field and a large cohort of MA students.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£14,200
£7,100
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£35,400
£17,700
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 27 Mar 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in English language or TESOL. Applicants should have no professional experience of English language teaching.

The English language level for this course is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

This course is suitable for international students on a Student visa – study must be full-time, face-to-face, starting September.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This course will give students both a theoretical and a practical introduction to the language and discourse systems required for teaching English to speakers of other languages as well as current theories of second language acquisition. Students will also explore the methods and approaches currently used in English language teaching, the place of English and English language teaching in the wider world, as well as the concept of multilingualism and its place in education. There will also be an opportunity to carry out a small piece of guided TESOL research for the MA Report.

Who this course is for

This course is for graduates who wish to work in the field of teaching English as a second or foreign language (TESOL) and who have no professional experience of English language teaching. Although this degree is not a teaching qualification, it may be used in conjunction with a qualification appropriate to the country in which our alumni wish to teach.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL Institute of Education (IOE) is one of the world's leading centres for education and related areas of social science. For the twelfth year in succession IOE has been ranked as the world's leading university for Education (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025).

The Department of Culture, Communication and Media at IOE is committed to excellence in teaching, research and consultancy across a range of areas including Applied Linguistics and TESOL.

You will become part of one of the oldest and most well-known centres for English language teacher development, and will have the opportunity to work with leading researchers from the UCL Centre for Applied Linguistics as well as a large cohort of MA students.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The course provides graduates with a rigorous, research-based education focused on the latest developments in the area of TESOL. This gives them an advantage when applying for teaching or other TESOL-related posts. We also help students focus on employability skills whilst they are here, for example, through departmental talks and other networking opportunities within the department and the wider UCL community.

Our lecturers are amazing! Lectures covered introduction to a wide range of theories, guiding us to figure out what we were interested in and expanding our repertoire of knowledge in English learners and teaching English. Seminars helped us students to exchange ideas, and teachers always encouraged us to feel free to speak out our own opinions. I love this vibe!

Xinyi Huang wears a graduation gown and holds a graduation bear, smiling brightly.

Xinyi Huang

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Pre-Service MA

Employability

The course offers a unique module focused on language teaching in international schools and many of our students taking that module pursue careers in international schools.

We are keen to stay in touch with graduates, who are ambassadors for our course throughout the world, and to hear about their professional trajectories and how their degree and training prepared them for career opportunities post-degree.

Networking

Students will have many opportunities to engage in networking activities with scholars, researchers and students in the field of TESOL and related areas. The Centre hosts regular talks which allow students not only to broaden their understanding of issues in the field, but also to be part of a collegial community of scholars and educators. Students can join the British Association for Applied Linguistics, or participate in several activities conducted by the UCL Applied Linguistics Society. All students will have Student Union membership, and can participate in the many networking activities available through a range of student-led clubs and groups.

Teaching and learning

This course is delivered through lectures, supervisory tutorials, student presentations and class discussions. Within sessions, students often engage in individual, pair and group tasks for feedback in plenary. Students will have the opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of teaching methods and strategies, all sensitive to learning needs and cultural orientations.

This course is delivered as a campus-based course. Module assessments on the course vary, and may include coursework (for example, essays and written assignments), presentations, or a form of examination. You may be expected to complete both individual and group assessments. UCL’s module catalogue details individual module assessments, but please note these may be subject to change on an annual basis.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 6 - 8 hours per week in terms 1 and 2. Teaching is a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, tutorials, feedback, and the use of a Virtual Learning Environment. In addition to this, full-time students typically study a minimum 7 hours per week, per module, in self-directed study, plus, students would be required to commit additional time to preparing and completing coursework assignments.

In term 3 students will be completing their drafts and then the final assignments for both of their term 2 modules, and continuing their dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their dissertation supervisors into mid-July (draft submission) and then completing the research, analysis and final writing up of their dissertation during August.

Please note that contact hours may vary depending on the modules you choose.

Modules

The course consists of three core modules (90 credits), two optional modules (60 credits) and a report (30 credits).

Over the two years, students undertake three core modules (90 credits), two optional modules (60 credits) and a report (30 credits). You must take 3 modules (90 credits) per year. Ideally you would take one 30-credit module per term in order to balance your workload. An example of a part time structure would be:

  • Year 1: The English Language Learner (core module) in term 1 plus two optional modules in terms 2 and 3.
  • Year 2: Teaching English: Theories and Approaches (core module) in term 1, Researching Second Language Learning (term 2) and the MA Report (term 3).

Over the five years, students undertake three core modules (90 credits), two optional modules (60 credits) and a report (30 credits). The report would be taken in the final year, with the compulsory research methods module just before it. You can discuss and agree a suitable study pattern with the Course Leader.

Compulsory modules






Optional modules













Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Pre-Service.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Where you'll study

Department of Culture, Communication and Media

The Department of Culture, Communication and Media is committed to excellence in research and teaching in the areas of Art, Design and Museology, Academic writing, English education, Applied Linguistics, Music Education, Learning with Digital Technologies and teacher professional development.

Find out more about the department

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £14,200 £7,100
Tuition fees (2026/27) £35,400 £17,700

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Students are responsible for covering any travel, accommodation, and other expenses involved in conducting research for their report, and should account for these costs when planning their finances.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

IOE - Aziz Foundation Scholarships

Value: Full tuition fees (1 year)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK

IOE-Clarke Scholarships

Deadline: 5 May 2025
Value: Tuition fees, return flights and stipend (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-ISH Centenary Masters Scholarships

Deadline: 5 May 2025
Value: Tuition fees and accommodation at International Students House (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised that we will prioritise applications that provide all the required documentation at the point of application.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Pre-Service at postgraduate level
  • why you want to study Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Pre-Service at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen course
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging course
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this course match what the course will deliver.

Students in this course should be independent, critical thinkers, able to work within a large cohort of MA students who may have similar backgrounds.

Due to the popularity of this course, the application period will close when the course is full.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Culture, Communication and Media
Culture, Communication and Media

ioe.tesolps@ucl.ac.uk

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