Welcome to the ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) / Bilingual Education program area. We offer a variety of degree options to meet your professional goals and learning needs.
Bienvenidos a nuestro programa Inglés como Segundo Lenguaje. Nosotros ofrecemos una variedad de opciones profesionales para su carera como maestro/a de idioma o profesor/a de educación.
Our program is highly international in nature—we have the largest number of international students in the UF College of Education. Our students come from countries such as China, Costa Rica, Iran, Korea, Japan, Pakistan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, among many others. Click on the degree options in the Program Highlights table for more information.
Prior Experience
Our graduate students have a wide array of experiences in schools and learning sites, such as evening adult English as a Second Language (ESL) classes; heritage language programs in schools and churches; and homework and language tutoring programs held in and around Gainesville, Florida. ESOL/Bilingual Education students also network with the University of Florida English Language Institute (ELI) and interact with many international peers on our diverse UF campus.
Key Courses
Career Outcomes
Research Opportunities
Our graduate students engage in research alongside the ESOL/Bilingual Education faculty in projects such as Project DELTA; Project STELLAR; second language development in bilingual students’ writing; dual language education; and ESOL-infusion.
Graduate Seminars
Advanced graduate specialization seminars are offered annually by ESOL/Bilingual Education program faculty. Past seminars have included: L2 Literacy, Multilingual Issues From a Global Perspective, Language and Educational Issues in Migrant Populations, and Teacher Preparation and ELL Achievement.
Field Experiences
Students work directly with second language learners in schools and community learning sites as volunteers. They are also engaged in school-based practicums (field experiences) at the elementary, middle and secondary school levels working one-on-one with English learners.
| Online-to-Campus Ratio | Time to Complete | Credit Hours | Thesis Required | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters | 20-25% online | 18 months – 2 years | 36 | Optional |
| Doctorate | 10-20% online | ~ 4 – 5 years | 90+ | Yes (Dissertation) |
| Specialist | 10-20% online | ~ 3 years | 90 | No |
For ALL Prospective and Current Students: Students enrolled in the graduate program develop their program of study in consultation with their advisor to individually tailor the program to their interests and needs. The following core courses form the foundation of the graduate program (master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees) in ESOL/Bilingual Education:
Students seeking admission to any graduate program must meet the requirements of the School of Teaching & Learning and of the University of Florida Graduate School. The ESOL/Bilingual Education program area accepts applications for admission on an ongoing or rolling admissions basis.
Applicants are encouraged to apply by January for admission the following fall semester. Applicants to the Ph.D. program who wish to be considered for scholarships and/or fellowships should apply no later than mid-December of the year prior to admission (e.g. the following fall semester).
The Master of Arts in Education (MAE) and Master of Education (M.Ed.) degrees consist of advanced graduate coursework in the area of Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in ESOL/Bilingual Education. Students can combine the Master’s degree with a Second Language Acquisition and Teaching Certificate in collaboration with the UF Linguistics Program. The Masters degrees are 36 credit hours in total. Students can choose from a variety of areas such as Literacy, Reading, Education Technology, Linguistics, among others, to complete the degree.
Requirements:
Doctorate (Ed.D. and Ph.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction with ESOL specialization is obtained in the area of Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in ESOL/Bilingual Education. Students without prior course work from this field and related to K-12 ESOL are expected to complete the program’s core courses (see section “Course Requirements”), in addition to graduate research courses and graduate seminars. Courses should be discussed and decided in collaboration with the academic advisor to ensure that key requirements for the degree have been met.
Specialist (Ed.S.) in Curriculum and Instruction with ESOL specialization is obtained in the area of Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in ESOL/Bilingual Education. Students without prior course work from this field and related to K-12 ESOL are expected to complete the program’s core courses (see section “Course Requirements”), in addition to graduate research courses and graduate seminars. Courses should be discussed and decided in collaboration with the academic advisor to ensure that key requirements for the degree have been met.
