English language teaching offers a huge variety of career options, and our TESOL MA opens up new opportunities by developing your skills across a range of specialist areas. You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of the links between research, theory and professional practice - all with the support of an expert team and cutting-edge research. Our Department of Applied Linguistics is ranked 3rd in the UK for Linguistics in The Complete University Guide 2027. Whether you’re at the start of your teaching career or looking to build on years of experience, you can tailor your studies to your professional goals.
What I appreciate most about the MA TESOL programme at Warwick is its balance
between theory and practice. The course helped me understand how language
learning happens while equipping me with practical strategies and creative
classroom activities that I can adapt to different teaching contexts. This journey has
made me a more reflective and confident language teacher.
Jingjing Mao
MA TESOL
Modules
Explore the latest theories, approaches and practices in TESOL.
Practical expertise: strengthen your teaching, observation and mentoring skills
Language analysis: examine approaches such as discourse analysis and conversation analysis
Lesson plan skills: create materials for a range of learners, including young learners, adults or English for Specific Purposes
Specialist options: choose from a growing range of modules reflecting current developments in the field
Note that information found by following the links to the module catalogue is subject to change for future years of study, as we evolve our courses in response to the latest developments in academia and industry.
Pathway 1 (typically for students with less than the equivalent of two years’ full-time teaching experience)
Pathway 2 (typically for students with more than the equivalent of two years’ full-time teaching experience)
Plus both Pathway 1 and Pathway 2 students take the following core modules
Optional modules listed are examples of previously run modules and so are not all guaranteed to run in the upcoming academic year.
Teaching and learning
Grow your expertise through research-led study and professional development.
Research-led teaching: engage with the current thinking on TESOL
Research skills: develop expertise across a range of techniques, such as action research, and qualitative and quantitative research
Independent learning: investigate topics that reflect your interests and professional aims
Suitable for language professionals: including teachers, teacher trainers, materials or curriculum developers, and other professionals working in second/foreign language education
Class size will vary depending on type of module (core or optional) and teaching session (lecture or seminar), ranging from around 10 students (for some optional modules) to around 40-50 students (for core module lectures).
There are 10 weeks in each term. For both Terms One and Two, you will usually have 8 weeks of teaching contact with the remainder of each term dedicated to module-related reading, assignment work and optional tutorials.
Assessment on the programme is by coursework and final dissertation - there are no formal examinations. The following are example types of coursework you might submit for assessment on the MA:
Written assignment (e.g. a 2,000-word assignment which includes an appropriately referenced literature review)
Teaching materials/lesson plans with rationale
Blog writing (e.g. blogging about useful ICT tools for ELT)
IELTS overall score of 6.5, minimum component scores not below 6.0
with a minimum 6.5 in the Writing component.
Please adjust your country as required:
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page.
We typically ask for one academic reference for taught courses.
You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.
There are no additional entry requirements for this course.
Fees and scholarships
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and assessment and some student amenities.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
For departmental specific costs, please see the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue, where module-related costs are detailed. Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2026/27 year of study).
Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
Core text books
Printer credits
Dissertation binding
Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Dissertations and Assignments are only submitted digitally. However, students may wish to print and bind their dissertation for their own purposes. Students on some courses will have a final poster presentation as part of their project and the printing of posters may be at the students’ expense.
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
Explore how language evolves with the world around us.
Why study with us?
Since 1983, Warwick Applied Linguistics has built a strong reputation for supporting postgraduate students. We inspire you to relate your own experiences and learning to real-world issues and context-related challenges - from teaching and learning of English, to how cultures, identities, markets and more shape, and are shaped by, communication.
You’ll be taught and supervised by research active staff with internationally recognised expertise in areas such as intercultural business communication, digital media, professional and workplace communication, language analysis, sociolinguistics, exploratory action research and language teacher education. Join a thriving community of ambitious students encouraged to think and work creatively.
On our campus-based postgraduate programmes develop your knowledge and skills in learning spaces designed to help you actively engage with ideas. The Applied Linguistics team is based in the Social Sciences building - close to the Library, Arts Centre and main lecture theatres - placing you at the centre of Warwick’s vibrant academic community. You’ll also have access to a common room that provides space for social and collaborative engagement with other students beyond the classroom.
Careers
Our degrees equip you with the skills and experiences needed to excel in your career. With access to exceptional career services, industry connections, and global opportunities, we’ll inspire and help you to aim high and achieve your goals. Our guidance ensures you graduate as a well-rounded professional ready for lifelong success.
Previous graduates from the Department of Applied Linguistics have gone on to work for employers such as:
Credit Suisse
Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC)
OPPO
Henkel
MIPOW Ltd
Reuters PR
Millward Brown
Samsung Chemical
Braun
IPSOS
British Council
Ernst & Young
National Geographic Learning
They have pursued occupations such as the following*:
Arts officers, producers and directors
Engineering project managers and project engineers
Health services and public health managers and directors
Secondary and higher education teaching professionals
Marketing associate professionals
Records clerks and assistants
Sports and leisure assistants
Teachers of English as a foreign language
Helping you find the right career
Your career path is unique to you. Our university careers team offer personalised support to help you develop your skills, plan your career path, and get experience at any point during your time at Warwick, and after graduation.
Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:
Linguistics Careers
CV Workshop
Interview preparation
Making the most of your time at Warwick and securing work experience opportunities
While this course does not offer a formal work placement, postgraduate taught students at Warwick can self-source internships and work experience to complete alongside their studies, subject to visa conditions and the 20‑hour weekly limit for full‑time students.
Opportunities can vary in length and location, including in the UK, online and internationally. Postgraduate students find that shorter, remote and/or flexible opportunities work best around their studies, often seeking opportunities over the summer when teaching decreases and the focus moves to final dissertations and projects - although this can vary depending on the nature of the course and personal preference.
Support available:
The Internships, Placements and Work Experience team provide workshops to help you to source and prepare for work opportunities, and organise peer-to-peer support so you can hear about other students’ placement experiences.
The WorkReady Toolkit guides you through the whole process, from sourcing to completing work placements.
Our Work Experience Bursary can help you cover costs if undertaking unpaid work experience.
Part-time work allows you to gain experience and additional financial support, with opportunities advertised on Warwick’s careers portal, myAdvantage and Unitemps.
Warwick students worked 286,295 paid hours via Unitemps in 25/26.
Access short-term international study, work or volunteering abroad experiences, without extending the length of your studies (duration is typically between 3 days and 12 weeks), with opportunity to apply for funding.
Students can apply to TeamWork, a four-week part-time online international experience programme, helping them to gain work experience and improve their employability skills.
Volunteer for projects which support the local community through the award-winning Warwick Volunteers.
Getting involved in societies and sports teams, especially on exec teams.
In 25/26 our jobs portal advertised 1577 12-month placements, work experience opportunities, vacation employment and volunteering from 564 employers.
Whilst there is lots of support available at the University to help, students themselves are responsible for finding and securing a suitable internship or work experience. You will also be responsible for ensuring opportunities meet visa requirements, do not exceed the universities advised 20 hours per week for full-time students and for balancing extra-curricular activity with your studies.
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Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus.
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live on campus or off campus, in private accommodation in the well-serviced local area, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
68th
Warwick is ranked 68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
Applications for courses starting in September and October 2027 are now open.
The on-time deadline for taught postgraduate courses starting in September/October 2027 is 2 August 2027.
We will still accept late applications, however cannot guarantee that the application will be processed in time to complete the admissions process if received in September or there are a number of conditions to meet.
If applying late please include your degree certificates and transcripts, English proficiency evidence (if needed) and ensure referees can submit references promptly to allow time for CAS and visa processing (if applicable).
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
Explore your future university further at an upcoming event, online or in-person. Can't join? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.
