Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) MSc

This is a full-time programme. To graduate with a Master's (MSc) degree, you will complete five compulsory courses and two option courses, plus a dissertation.

Teaching mainly consists of lectures, which include interactive input sessions, followed by workshops, consisting of smaller discussion groups, where you will benefit from being the centre of the activity and receiving individual attention.

Compulsory courses:

• Language and the Learner
• Second Language Teaching Curriculum
• TESOL Methodology
• Sources of Knowledge: Understanding and analysing research literature
• Conceptualising Research: Foundations, Assumptions and Praxis

Option courses are subject to change each year but may include:

• Bilingual Education
• Corpus Linguistics and Language Teaching
• Critical Literacies and Critical Pedagogies in L1 and L2 Contexts
• Evaluation and Design of TESOL Materials
• Global Englishes for Language Teaching
• Intercultural Language Learner Identity
• Investigating Individual Learner Differences
• Language Awareness for Second Language Teachers
• Language Testing
• Online Language Learning
• Second Language Teacher Education
• Teaching Languages to Young Learners
• Teaching Texts Across Borders
• Text, Discourse and Language Teaching

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Award	Title	Duration	Study mode
MSc	Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages	1 Year	Full-time	Programme structure 2024/25

With a strong foundation in teaching and research, our students are employed worldwide in all areas of the English language teaching profession.

Examples roles include:

• training other TESOL teachers
• management of TESOL education
• teaching English at primary, secondary or tertiary level
• teaching English in specialised fields (for example, business English)
• designing TESOL curricula, materials and policies

Representatives from international teacher recruitment agencies visit our campus every year to talk to our students and conduct on-campus recruitment interviews with shortlisted candidates for TESOL-related posts.

The MSc is a good introduction to an advanced research degree. You will also develop a range of highly transferable communication and professional skills which can be applied to roles in any field.

Here is what one of our graduates, Siyan Chen, had to say: 'I am now studying as a PhD student at Moray House School of Education, with a specific interest in language learner’s emotion regulation strategies. I have always wanted to pursue a PhD degree, and the experience of studying in the MSc TESOL programme has prepared me well for the challenges of advanced research. The courses in the TESOL programme enriched my knowledge and honed my skills in conducting research, which has laid a solid foundation for my PhD study. The supportive and inclusive academic environment has also inspired me to further explore my research interests and motivated me to continue my academic journey in TESOL at Moray House.'

• Hear more from our graduates

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 July 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant discipline. Previous teaching experience is not required.

Alternatively, you may be considered on the basis of employment or relevant experience; please contact us to check.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

If you have received a Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (DELTA) from a Cambridge English Teaching Qualification centre within the last 5 years, you may apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and exemption from the following two core modules in semester 1:

• TESOL Methodology
• Second Language Teaching Curriculum

The fees for the MSc TESOL will be reduced accordingly.

Applications for RPL must include a copy of your diploma and should be sent to College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Postgraduate Admissions Office via email: cahss.pgadmissions@ed.ac.uk

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

If applicants are studying in a Chinese university on our priority list, they must have a minimum overall average of 80% for courses and at least 80% on the dissertation. For applicants at any recognised university not on our priority list, they must have an average of 85% for courses and 80% on the dissertation.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Application fee

None.

Deposit

You will need to pay this deposit within 28 days of receiving your offer of admission (either unconditional or conditional) for the MSc programme.

• £1,500 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)

Deposit Refunds

All requests must be made no later than two weeks following the start date of the degree applied for.

Additional programme costs

You may incur additional costs for fieldwork, if taking Environmental Education option courses.

• MSc TESOL fees and funding

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

Award	Title	Duration	Study mode
MSc	Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages	1 Year	Full-time	Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan
  • family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

GREAT scholarship: Mexico

One GREAT scholarship will be available to applicants from Mexico who apply for 2024 entry. This award is for £10,000 towards postgraduate taught (Masters) degree tuition. Further details on eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found on the GREAT scholarship website.

• GREAT scholarship 2024: Mexico

India Merit Scholarship

The University is offering a new international scholarship for the most academically gifted Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Masters students applying from India. These awards cover £5,000 towards tuition fees for PGT Masters students studying on campus during the 2024/25 academic year. The Scholarships will be tenable for the first year of study only and will be automatically deducted from your student tuition fee balance. 

• India Merit Scholarship

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding