Teaching English as a Foreign Language

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Professors Emeriti: S. El Araby, Y. El-Ezabi
Professors: A. Agameya, F. Perry
Associate Professor: P. Stevens (Director, English Language Institute)
Assistant Professors: P. Wachob, R. Williams

The graduate programs in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) are designed to enhance knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of teachers, researchers, and administrators in the profession. These programs attract an international student body and combine rigorous academic standards with an appropriate balance between theory and practice.

Admission

Applicants for the Master of Arts degree in TEFL must have teaching experience prior to admission into the program, or may acquire this experience concurrent with the program.

Language

Applicants who are not native speakers of English will be required to demonstrate on the ELPET (AUC English Language Proficiency Entrance Test) or TOEFL with TWE that their command of English is adequate for study in the program.

Courses

Required of all students:

TEFL 500 - English Grammar (3 cr.)
TEFL 501 - Principles of Linguistic Analysis (3 cr.)
TEFL 502 - Assessment in Language Learning (3 cr.)
TEFL 503 - Second Language Acquisition (3 cr.)
TEFL 510 - Methods of Teaching a Foreign Language I (3 cr.)
TEFL 511 - Methods of Teaching a Foreign Language II (3 cr.)
TEFL 520 - Research Methods in Applied Linguistics (3 cr.)

In addition to the required courses, the following course is required of those writing theses.

For thesis writers, a minimum of 33 graduate hours plus the thesis is required. For non-thesis writers, a minimum of 36 graduate hours is required plus a comprehensive examination.

Electives

In choosing electives, students in the comprehensives track, with assistance of their advisors, are to choose at least one course from each of the groups listed below.

In choosing electives, students in the thesis track, with assistance of their academic advisors, are to choose at least one course from at least two of the groups listed below.

1. Education and research:

(for students in the comprehensives track)

TEFL 507 - Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) (3 cr.)
TEFL 540 - Selected Topics in Applied Linguistics (1, 2, or 3 cr.)
TEFL 570 - Advanced Research Methodology (3 cr.)

2. Linguistics:

TEFL 505 - History of the English Language (3 cr.)
TEFL 521 - English Syntax (3 cr.)
TEFL 540 - Selected Topics in Applied Linguistics (1, 2, or 3 cr.)
TEFL 550 - Language Pragmatics (3 cr.)

3. Cross-linguistic, cross-cultural studies:

TEFL 525 - Language Transfer, Contrastive Analysis, and Error Analysis (3 cr.)
TEFL 540 - Selected Topics in Applied Linguistics (1, 2, or 3 cr.)
TEFL 550 - Language Pragmatics (3 cr.)
TEFL 553 - Sociolinguistics (3 cr.)

Note

In the case of TEFL 540 Selected Topics in Applied Linguistics, the course topic must relate to the general category.

Comprehensive Examination

The Comprehensive Examination consists of a written examination followed by an oral examination. It is required only of students not writing theses, and may not be taken more than twice.

Thesis

The thesis as a requirement for graduation is optional. The student who chooses to write a thesis must produce a professional paper on some aspect of TEFL/applied linguistics. The thesis must be prepared under the guidance and close supervision of a faculty adviser and a designated committee, and must be defended to the satisfaction of the department.

AUC New Cairo Campus

AUC Tahrir Square Campus

New York