What you will study
Graduate students in UCM’s MSE in ELL – K–12 option build upon their existing teaching
skills to better serve a growing population of students who want to learn English
as an additional language. You’ll learn how to use language acquisition concepts and
theories to develop effective classroom materials and support ELL students’ speaking,
listening, reading and writing skills.
This master’s degree will prepare you for a career working with students from a broad
range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds in K–12 classrooms in the United States.
To ensure you’re on track, you’ll also receive one-on-one advising with program faculty
and prepare for a career in the classroom and other teaching environments. You may
take classes such as:
- Reading Interventions for English Language Learners: Develop effective intervention skills to help students learn the English language
and build their reading ability based on important factors such as age, previous education,
L1 literacy skills and cultural background.
- Ethnographic Research: Examine ethnographic research methods to better understand the unique cultural and
linguistic needs of new ELL students in grades K–12.
- Working With Immigrant and Displaced Students: Use the latest English language development practices to remedy specific challenges
ESL teachers face with refugee and immigrant students.
Excellence in Education
- Top 15%: Most Focused Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 6%: Most Popular Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
- A Most Popular College for Teacher Education (College Factual, 2022)
- Top 10%: Best Value in Education (College Factual, 2021)
Unique learning opportunities in K–12 ELL education
UCM prepares you with the best English language development strategies so you can
enter new teaching environments with confidence. Students in the MSE in ELL, K–12
option, acquire skills and knowledge through a variety of hands-on clinical experiences
and guided lesson planning:
- Develop ELL lesson plans: With faculty guidance, learn how to develop real-world English language lessons using
the latest research and best practices.
- Observe ESOL in action: Observe and evaluate other ESL teachers for additional exposure to English language
development strategies and skills.
- Participate in a clinical field experience: Put your lesson plans into action with ELLs. A UCM faculty member will observe you
and provide personalized feedback to help you hone your ESOL skills.
What can you do with a master’s in Education for K–12 English Language Learners from
UCM?
UCM’s Education master’s degree in English Language Learners prepares you for exciting
and rewarding roles inside and outside of academia. You could qualify for a variety
of ESOL positions and pursue careers in schools in Missouri and across the nation.
Current ESL teachers in Missouri who earn the ELL certification endorsement increase
their employment opportunities and may garner higher salaries.
Beyond teaching positions, UCM’s MSE in ELL program graduates qualify for positions
such as:
- English Language Development (ELD) curriculum coordinator
- ELD program director
- Instructional coach
- English Language Proficiency assessment developer
Graduates are also equipped to manage a variety of community-based organizations and
English language development programs for school-age students.
Careers for Education graduates in English Language Learning
Use the interactive tool below to learn more about careers for graduates with a K–12
ELL certification and master’s degree, including salaries, job outlooks and more.
Financial assistance options for Education graduate students in K–12 English Language
Learning
A master’s degree in Education from UCM is an investment in your future. UCM is recognized
by LendEDU for our low student debt rates. The average UCM student takes out less
money in student loans than both the national and state averages.
We offer a variety of ways for our MSE in ELL graduate students to finance their education. For example, you may qualify for general university scholarships for UCM graduate
students. Plus, there may be scholarship opportunities offered by the College of Education.
Learn more about program-specific opportunities with the .
Meet Hillary K.
K–12 ELL Certification ’22
“Becoming certified to teach emergent bilinguals has been a goal of mine for many
years. Through the certification coursework at UCM, I gained knowledge about theories
of language acquisition, the layers of English language, methods of teaching emergent
bilinguals and so much more. Without a doubt, my learning at UCM has helped me to
become a better, more effective educator for my students.”
Earn Your ELL Teacher Certification Endorsement
Get credit for previous education and work experience
Our academic advisors and program coordinator and the Missouri Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education (DESE) will review your previously earned credits and work
experience to devise a path toward Missouri ELL certification through the master’s
program. Teachers with ELL certification in Missouri often qualify for higher salaries
and more teaching opportunities.
Meet Dr. Nabat Erdogan, Ph.D.
Associate professor, English Language Learners - Coordinator, MSE in ELL program and
K–12 Option
Dr. Erdogan has over 20 years of experience in the Teaching English to Speakers of
Other Languages (TESOL) field and has worked with elementary, middle and high school
students. Her research interests include applied linguistics, syntax, phonetics, comparative
typological linguistics and second language literacy.
Renowned Faculty
Benefit from their exceptional skills and experience in and out of the classroom
Our world-class faculty have many years of publishing and teaching experience and
have worked with pre- and in-service teachers in the U.S. and abroad. MSE in ELL students
can also keep up with cutting-edge topics in how to help ELL students learn the English
language by engaging with their dynamic research and ongoing scholarly publications.
Meet Alexandra D.
MSE in English Language Learners, K–12 Option ’22
“This is a great program that truly prepares teachers to work with culturally and
linguistically diverse students. All of the courses delve deeply into the most up-to-date
theory of language learning and teaching and build on practical skills to continuously
develop, improve and enrich the teaching process and well-being of our schools’ diverse
population.”
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Admission Requirement, K-12 Option
To be accepted into the Master of Science in Education in English Language Learners
(ELL) Education degree program, K-12 Option, in the , a student must:
- have a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75
- submit proof of teacher certification or professional endorsement for any of the 50
states or territories and have graduated from a CAEP or regionally accredited university
- submit a copy of his/her last summative teaching evaluation (i.e., a PBTE or similar
evaluation form) or a letter from a school superintendent, principal, or professor
attesting to teaching skills and/or graduate studies potential.
Applicants who do not meet this criteria must design, with a department advisor or
graduate coordinator, a conditional program (including the program’s research course).
International applicants should meet these requirements in comparable ways. International
students must meet minimum English language requirements as determined by UCM.
Connection to Certification
Students interested in the Missouri ELL certification endorsement are advised to consult
with their advisor, the Program Coordinator, and the UCM director of Clinical Services
and Certification. Additional courses may be required for the Missouri ELL certification
endorsement, dependent on transcript analysis of undergraduate and graduate work.
TESL Option
To be accepted into the MSE in ELL, TESL Option, you must:
- Have a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75. If you do not
meet these criteria, you must design, with a program advisor or graduate coordinator,
a conditional program (including the program’s research course) with a minimum cumulative
grade point average of 3.50. International applicants should meet these requirements
in comparable ways.
- Show grammar competency by the time of graduation. This can be done by having completed
a prior approved grammar course, passing a test, or enrolling in English 5110.
For acceptance into this program, non-native speakers of English must score above
85 on the International Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or earn a score
of 7.0 or above on the academic version of the International English Language Testing
System (IELTS).
After you are accepted into the MSE in ELL degree program, you will be assigned a
graduate advisor who will assist you developing a Program of Study and selecting courses
to help you finish your program in a way that best meets your needs.
