About Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Certificate at CSUSB
What It Is & Why It’s Beneficial
Open to anyone, CSUSB’s Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Certificate prepares students with the linguistic knowledge, instructional strategies, and cultural competency needed to teach English to speakers of other languages in the U.S. and internationally. This active undergraduate certificate provides foundational training in second language acquisition, English grammar and phonology, assessment, curriculum development, and TESL pedagogy.
Students learn how to design engaging lessons, support learners with diverse linguistic backgrounds, and implement effective teaching methods grounded in research and real-world practice. Coursework emphasizes communication skills, intercultural awareness, and practical application—preparing graduates to teach in community programs, language institutes, private schools, and global settings.
This certificate is ideal for students interested in language education, international work, tutoring, or pursuing advanced study in TESOL, linguistics, or education.
Why This Certificate Is Beneficial
✔ Builds essential teaching skills for working with English learners
Students gain knowledge of language structure, second language acquisition, and effective TESL instructional strategies.
✔ Prepares students for domestic and international teaching opportunities
TESL is in high demand worldwide, offering diverse employment paths.
✔ Enhances intercultural communication and global competency
Learners build cultural awareness and the ability to work with multilingual, multicultural populations.
✔ Complements many majors
An excellent addition for students in English, linguistics, communication studies, education, global studies, and related fields.
✔ Supports pathways to graduate study
The certificate strengthens preparation for master’s programs in TESOL, applied linguistics, education, and international teaching.
Careers in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Certificate
Potential Careers
Graduates of the TESL Certificate often pursue roles such as:
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Instructor (private or community programs)
- Language Institute or Adult Education Teacher
- ESL Tutor or Conversation Partner
- International English Teacher (with supplemental qualifications)
- Cultural or Educational Program Assistant
The certificate also supports pathways into K–12 English learner education with additional credentialing.
Sample Courses
Grammar and Discourse
Examination of the grammatical elements of English and their functions and meanings within discourse with an introduction to corpus-based approaches to examining contexts for grammatical choices.
Sociolinguistics
Examination of language use in a variety of communities and by a variety of speakers, and survey of the major issues and divisions in sociolinguistics, including social and regional language varieties, interactional sociolinguistics, the relationship of language and culture, multilingualism, code-switching, gender, and language change.
Phonetics and Phonology
Study of speech sounds and sound patterns, with particular emphases on broad and narrow phonetic transcription; acoustic analysis of vowels, consonants, prosody and voice quality; and examination of sociophonetic variation.
In Summary
CSUSB’s Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Certificate equips students with the linguistic, pedagogical, and cultural tools needed to teach English effectively in diverse settings. Through research-based instruction and hands-on practice, the program prepares graduates for meaningful roles supporting English learners at home and around the world.
Similar to Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Certificate
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Reyes Ortega Gonzalez
Administrative Support Coordinator
reyes.ortegagonzalez@csusb.edu
