Build an understanding of the complexities of working with culturally and linguistically diverse communities within the US and around the world. Students in MEd in TESOL, Literacy and Culture program will focus on culture, linguistics, second language acquisition methods, and the methodology of teaching English.
Applicants to the online MEd in TESOL, Literacy, and Culture, please note the following eligibility restrictions by state.
Due to regulations from the Department of Education, the University of San Diego is unable to enroll students in its online degree programs who reside in Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. The restriction does not apply to applicants interested in a campus-based program.
Application deadline
$45 Application Fee
Please note we are not accepting new applications for the 2024-25 academic year.
Graduate Application Process
All applicants are considered utilizing a holistic review process, including the following factors:
- Strength of academic history
- Professional and/or extracurricular experiences relevant to the program
- Content of personal statement and its connection to learning outcomes; and
- Letters of recommendation with specific examples of your competencies and aptitudes relevant to the program
Admission decisions are made approximately 30 to 60 days after each deadline.
Application checklist
The MEd in TESOL, Literacy and Culture program does not require the GRE or specific coursework for admission. Professional experience is strongly recommended.
Official (Degree-Granting) Transcripts
Must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission:
Office of Graduate Admission
University of San Diego
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110-2492
grads@sandiego.edu
Official transcripts from the university where you earned your bachelor’s degree are required at the time of application. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average is 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale) in all graduate coursework.
If you earned a degree from an institution outside the United States, you are required to submit an official international transcript evaluation (also called a foreign credential evaluation) as part of your application. Please note that the evaluation must be a course-by-course evaluation. You must order your official course-by-course evaluation from one of the following evaluation services.
- World Education Services, Inc. (WES)
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE)
- International Education Research Foundation, Inc. (IERF)
- Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. (JSA)
- SpanTran: The Evaluation Company (SpanTran)
- Foreign Academic Credential Service (FACS)
Please be sure to carefully read the application checklist for international students found on the University of San Diego's Graduate Admission website.
Current Resume
Include all relevant education and employment information to help the Admissions team make an informed decision.
Letters of Recommendation
A minimum of two professional letters of recommendation from a current supervisor or a professor attesting to both academic and personal skills, and if possible, to teaching abilities.
Statement of Purpose
Address the following questions in a maximum of 1000 words (500 words per question). When writing your response please remember that this is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your writing skills and academic readiness.
- What are your strengths and challenges as an educator? How do you want to improve?
- Why are you interested in this program? Connect your response to the program's goals and your intended area of focus.
Experience
Teaching experience is helpful but not required.
Interview
After an initial review of applications to the program, applicants may be invited to interview in-person or via video conference with the program faculty.
English Proficiency Exam (EPEX) score for International Applicants
An official score report for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required of all international applicants. Official score reports must be two years old or less from the time you submit your online application in order to be considered.
Official scores can be sent to the Office of Graduate Admission, school code: 4849.
TOEFL minimum scores:- Internet-based test: 83
- Computer-based test: 237
- Paper-based test: 580
OR
IELTS minimum score:
- Band score 7
OR
An official score report from the Duolingo English Test:
- the traditional online test
- minimum total score of 120
Note: The University of San Diego does not accept scores from the TOEFL Essentials or the IELTS Indicator exams for graduate admission.
The English Language Exam requirement may only be waived if you have earned a 4-year bachelor's degree or 2-year master's degree, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, from an institution where English is the official language of instruction. Waiver requests based on living or working in an English-language context, or based on educational pursuits that resulted in less than the conferral of a 4-year bachelor's or 2-year master's degree, will not be accepted.
Waivers are not automatically applied; all waivers must be requested. Waivers are granted on a one-by-one basis for a specific program and term. Obtaining a waiver is not guaranteed under any circumstances.
To request a waiver of the English Language Exam requirement:
- Submit the Online Application (see Step 1 above); your waiver request will not be considered until we receive your Online Application.
- Submit your official transcript or official course-by-course international transcript evaluation showing proof of your bachelor's and/or master's degree having been earned at an institution where English is the language of instruction. Please be aware that if you attended a foreign institution, that institution must clearly state on their website that English is the language of instruction. If no such statement is posted, you will need to obtain an official verification letter from that institution confirming English as the language of instruction, and submit it as part of your application for admission.
- Once you have submitted both your Online Application and your official transcript(s)/evidence of degree earned at an institution where English is the language of instruction, please email the program you are applying to in order to request the waiver. Your waiver request must be supported by the program you are applying to before it can be reviewed.
Contact the SOLES Admissions and Outreach Office to learn if you are eligible for an EPEX waiver. Each request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Questions?
Connect with the Office of Admissions and Outreach team to learn more information about SOLES master's and doctoral programs. Additional information for international applicants is also available.