Firstly, the advent of the age of globalization has made English the most important language in the world of today. Nowadays, English has become the language of science, technology, business, etc. Rarely would one find a job that would require no English. According to World Bank and UN reports, global interest in corporate business, services sector and NGOs, which promote multilingualism, is on the increase in different parts of the world and specifically in the Arab world. Owing to this importance, the Faculty of Language Studies (FLS) has made it a point to offer programmes that meet the needs of the job market through introducing this highly important MA programme in the area of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL). This essential programme aims at training students in the area of teaching English to advanced levels of students.
Introducing an MA in TEFL programme reflects the University's efforts to meet the requirements of national and regional socio-economic development as well as market demands.
The rationale for launching the programme derives from a number of factors, chief among which are:
- It creates good job opportunities in education in the public and private sectors.
- Many BA graduates of English Language and Literature (ELL) in the Arab countries choose to become school teachers and increasingly, more educational institutions particularly high schools are opting to appoint teachers with special educational training, chiefly those holding an MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).
- MA-in-TEFL holders are also sought by English Language Centres at universities, which provide English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programmes for students of different specializations. Many of these centres prefer tutors holding an MA rather than a PhD since a Masters in TEFL is more useful for teaching than a PhD as it is more practical.
- More and more public and private universities are being established in many Arab countries, and thus there is a great demand for qualified MA holders to teach language skills and introductory courses to first-year students.
- International and regional businesses, foreign missions, mass media, international organizations, publishers, and translation establishments require bilinguals who are proficient in both English and Arabic.
- This degree opens up opportunities for its holders to seek higher degrees in TEFL, especially doctoral degrees. Holders of such higher degrees are recruited by local, regional and international organizations such as ALECSO (Arab League Educational Cultural & Scientific Organization), and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the programme, you need to:
A. Have a BA degree in English Language from the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Education, Alsun, Languages and Translation (Al-Azhar University), Faculty of Women from state or private universities.
- B. Achieve Band 6 or higher in the Academic Version of the ‘International English Language Testing System' (IELTS) test,
OR
Achieve a score of 550 or more in the ‘Test of English as a Foreign Language’(TOEFL) (Paper-Based Test) or the equivalent score in the Computer Based Test.
C. Some branches require an interview and recommendation letters.
Method of delivery
The AOU learning/teaching strategy provides contact hours that are equal to 50% of what traditional universities require. Thus, AOU students enjoy the benefits of both the open and traditional university systems.
The TEFL MA programme will be delivered through the AOU system which consists of two complementary modes:
- face-to-face interactive tutorials, constituting 50% of course credit hours.
- interactive distance learning delivered through specially designed teaching and support materials that are conducive for self-learning, constituting 50% of course contact hours.
Duration
- Minimum of two years (4 semesters) and maximum of 8 semesters
- Part-time studying because classes and exams are only scheduled on Saturdays giving you the chance to work and have a life along with your studies.
- Both full-time and part-time tutors teach in the MA program. All full-time tutors co-supervise MA dissertations. Main supervisors are both full-time and part-time professors.
Why MA in TEFL?
This programme opens up many gates of employment for you: the following are job areas, which you will be suitable for (perhaps with special induction and suitable training in some of the cases given below):
Public schools, bilingual and monolingual schools teaching through the medium of English, foundation programmes at universities, community colleges, language centers, international and regional publishers, Educational zones, banks, firms, foreign embassies, international educational/cultural organizations/agencies, government departments/offices, national, regional and international newspapers, satellite stations, news agencies, etc. The programme also opens up an important gate for further/higher academic study (e.g. a PhD degree).
AOU follows the credit hour system.
Tuition fees are calculated based on the total number of credit hours for which you are registered, in addition to the cost of the educational books.
Cost per Credit Hour is 1470 LE.
Admission Fees Per Semester Is 2000 LE.
