Do I need a CELTA or DELTA to enrol in the MA TESOL?

Working ELT teaching experience is strongly preferred (typically two years or more). CELTA, DELTA or international equivalents are not formal requirements but substantially strengthen an application to the MA TESOL.

How is the MA TESOL different from a DELTA?

DELTA is an advanced practitioner qualification awarded by Cambridge English. The MA TESOL is a UK Master's degree with deeper research, theoretical and managerial content. The two are complementary; many senior ELT professionals hold both.

Can I take the MA TESOL part-time?

Yes. The MA can be taken over 24 months part-time. Online and distance routes are available and are designed for working ELT teachers; most overseas students choose the online or distance route while continuing to teach.

Does the MA TESOL include teaching observation hours?

Yes — for on-campus students through partner institutions in London, and for online and distance students through arrangements at their own teaching context with remote supervision. The MA TESOL treats observation and reflective practice as core.

What sort of dissertation will I write on the MA TESOL?

A 12,000-to-15,000-word piece on a topic in TESOL research or practice. Past examples include classroom action-research studies, materials-evaluation projects, and quantitative studies of UK adult ESOL provision.

MA TESOL in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA TESOL at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for English-language teachers, teacher trainers, materials writers and ELT managers who want a senior credential in TESOL. The MA is built around current IATEFL, TESOL International Association and British Council practice.

You will produce a 12,000-to-15,000-word dissertation on a topic in TESOL research or practice and graduate with the analytical, methodological and pedagogical depth that senior ELT roles — academic management, materials development, teacher education and ministry-of-education work — recruit for.

Key Features

IATEFL- and TESOL International-aligned curriculum covering advanced ELT pedagogy.
Teacher education module for students moving toward training and mentoring roles.
Materials design and evaluation workshops — coursebooks, digital, OER.
Second-language acquisition research at MA level.
Industry-led masterclasses from senior ELT publishers, examiners and academic managers.
12,000–15,000 word dissertation on a topic in TESOL research or practice.

What You Will Learn

The MA TESOL is structured around the working life of a senior ELT practitioner. You graduate able to design and run a teacher-training programme, write or evaluate ELT materials at publisher standard, read and contribute to TESOL research, and lead an academic department or programme through change.

Advanced second-language acquisition theory and research.
Teacher education — observation, feedback, action research, reflective practice.
Materials design and evaluation — coursebooks, digital, open educational resources.
Curriculum design — needs analysis, syllabus design, assessment alignment.
Academic management — leading a department, programme review, quality assurance.
Language assessment at MA level — test design, validity, washback.
EAP and ESP — English for academic and specific purposes specialism.
Dissertation research methods — qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods.

Who This MA Is For

Working ELT teachers with CELTA, DELTA or equivalent and substantial classroom experience.
ELT academic managers and directors of studies seeking a senior credential.
Teacher trainers, materials writers and examiners formalising their practice.
International applicants from ministries of education and national institutions moving into ELT leadership.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the MA TESOL move into senior teaching, academic management, teacher education and materials development roles across UK and international ELT employers. Typical post-MA destinations include:

EFL Teacher (senior, specialist)
Director of Studies (private language school, university EAP unit)
Teacher Trainer (CELTA, DELTA, Cambridge Train the Trainer)
ELT Materials Writer (publisher, EdTech firm)
Academic Coordinator (international school, university partner programme)
EAP Lecturer (university English-for-academic-purposes unit)

The MA also serves as a launchpad for doctoral research in applied linguistics, TESOL or language education.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related subject, OR a 2:2 in any subject with two years of relevant ELT professional experience.
Working ELT teaching experience strongly preferred (typically two years or more).
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement (max 1 page) outlining your motivation, relevant experience and intended specialism.
Two academic or professional references.
Applicants without a related undergraduate degree may be considered with significant ELT experience and a written sample.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.