The English as a Second Language (ESL) Program is available as a major or a minor. An ESL major is for students who plan to teach English to non-native speakers in kindergarten through 12th grade. The ESL minor will result in an additional certification at the same level as students' initial license.
Students at this level of certification may also add the following licenses while pursuing or after obtaining their ESL licensure as their initial certification:
- World Languages Education
- Bilingual Education
Requirements
General Education Requirements (GERs)
UW-Milwaukee has General Education Requirements that must be met in order to earn a bachelor’s degree. Some of the requirements of your program may fulfill the campus GERs. Please review the requirements and consult with your academic advisor.
Students must meet certain criteria and apply to their specific licensure program in addition to admission to UWM. Please see information about minimum credits, GPA, and other requirements at Advance to Professional Sequence.
Program Core
Program core is comprised of foundational courses and should be completed prior to beginning the professional sequence semesters.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMMUN 103 | Public Speaking (GER-HU, fulfilled prior to program admission) | 3 |
| CURRINS 300 | Introduction to Teaching: Colloquium and Fieldwork (fulfilled prior to program admission) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Content Area
The following content coursework must be completed prior to advance to professional sequence.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGLISH 400 | Introduction to English Linguistics | 3 |
| or LINGUIS 350 | Introduction to Linguistics | |
| LINGUIS 510 | Methodologies in English Language Teaching | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Grammar and Usage | ||
| Survey of Modern English Grammar | ||
| Seminar in Rhetoric and Professional Writing: | ||
| Advanced English Grammar | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Second Language Acquisition | ||
| Advanced Second Language Acquisition: | ||
| Language Acquisition for Children of Diverse Backgrounds | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Diversity of Human Language | ||
| Power of Words | ||
| Language and Society | ||
| Language, Power, and Identity | ||
| CURRINS 541 | Principles and Methods of Teaching ESL (taken with CURRINS 443) | 3 |
| CURRINS 542 | History and Politics of Second Language Education | 3 |
| CURRINS 543 | Developing Biliteracy | 3 |
| CURRINS 546 | Language, Content, and Comprehensible Input | 3 |
| CURRINS 655 | Applied Educational Linguistics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Professional Sequence
The professional requirements should be completed after advance to the Professional Sequence in the English as a Second Language Education program. A grade of C or better is required for all professional education courses, including student teaching. Prerequisites may be required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ED POL 375 | Cultural Foundations of Education | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Learning and Development * | ||
| Cognition: Learning, Problem Solving and Thinking | ||
| Human Development: Theory and Research | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| The Exceptional Individual | ||
| Inclusion for Secondary Educators: Humanities, the Arts, Foreign Language * | ||
| Survey of Exceptional Education | ||
| CURRINS 545 | Reading in the Content Areas: Middle, Junior, and Senior High School | 3 |
| CURRINS 350 | Field Seminar in Language Education (must be taken concurrently with CURRINS 443) | 1 |
| CURRINS 443 | Pre-Student Teaching in English as a Second Language Education | 2 |
| CURRINS 444 | Student Teaching in English as a Second Language Education ‡ | 6 |
| CURRINS 445 | Seminar in Language Education (must be taken concurrently with CURRINS 444) | 3 |
| Total Credits | 24 | |
- *
Preferred course.
- ‡
Students must complete an application in order to be assigned a student teaching placement. To be approved for placement, additional criteria must be met. See Benchmarks for details.
Requirements for Graduation
For information on credit, GPA, and other requirements for graduation, see UWM Degree Requirements.
Post-Baccalaureate Pathway
Post-baccalaureate candidates complete the Content Area and Professional Sequence requirements.
Additional Requirements for Certification
- Successfully complete the content knowledge requirement for your program through one of the following:
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in content coursework.
- Passing score on the Praxis Subject Assessment Exam: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages: Content Knowledge.
- Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in all UWM and transfer courses.
- Demonstrate successful completion of the Pedagogical Knowledge Assessment (PKA).
- Meet all applicable Wisconsin statutory and testing requirements.
- Complete approved coursework in the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of American Indian tribes and bands located in Wisconsin, met through one of the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 213 | American Indian Peoples of Wisconsin (GER-CD, GER-SS) | 3 |
| ENGLISH 276 | Introduction to American Indian Literature: (topic: History, Literature & Sovereignty of Wisconsin Tribes (GER-CD, GER-HU) | 3 |
| ACT 31: History, Culture and Sovereignty Rights of Wisconsin Indians Workshop | ||
| Or an approved equivalent | ||
Advance to Professional Sequence
Advancement to the English as Second Language Education program Professional Sequence requires satisfactory completion of the requirements listed below. For more information about the application process, visit our website.
- Completion of OWC-A
- Completion of QL-A
- Completion of CURRINS 300 , Introduction to Teaching, with a grade of C or better.
- Completion of COMMUN 103 with a grade of C or better.
- A 2.5 minimum GPA in all UWM and transfer courses at time of admission application.
- A minimum of 48 credits (UWM and transfer credits) at the time of admission application. It is not required to have all content area courses completed at the time of application.
- For post-baccalaureate candidates, a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
Benchmarks
Student Teaching
Students must complete an application to request/be assigned a student teaching placement. Deadlines for submission are posted by the Office of Clinical Experiences.
To be approved, students must ALSO meet the following criteria:
- Be advanced to the professional sequence.
- Complete all required coursework. An exception to allow a student to take a course concurrently with student teaching requires approval by the student's faculty advisor.
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on all undergraduate coursework, including transfer courses.
- A 2.75 minimum GPA in all English as a Second Language content courses.
- Have a content GPA of 3.0 or better, OR Pass the Praxis Subject Assessment exam: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
- Removal of all F and/or I (incomplete) grades in courses that count toward graduation or certification.
- TB test results submitted to the Office of Clinical Experiences (may take up to 6 weeks).
- Criminal Background Check submitted to the Office of Clinical Experiences.
Undergraduate Advising
Our purpose is to provide collaborative, mentoring relationships which promote educational, career, and professional development. We value a student-centered, holistic, and ethical approach to advising based on strong partnerships with students, faculty and staff, and the larger campus community. We are committed to creating a respectful and supportive environment. We encourage students to be self-reliant through informed decisions and choices based upon dissemination of accurate information. We value our own continuous professional development to enhance the quality of the advising experience.
How to Prepare for an Advising Meeting
- Review your Advisement Report in PAWS.
- Come prepared with questions or topics for discussion.
- Make a list of courses you think you should take.
- Investigate opportunities to prepare for the job you want.
- Keep a record of your academic progress.
- Understand you are ultimately responsible for creating your educational, life, and career plans.
- Maintain honest and open communication with your advisor.
- Take responsibility for choices you make as a student and member of the UW-Milwaukee community.
Scheduling an Appointment
Office of Student Services
Enderis Hall, Room 209
(414) 229-4721
soeinfo@uwm.edu
Graduate Advising
If you are a School of Education graduate student, you may schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor by contacting your faculty advisor directly. Faculty contact information can be found in the Directory. Your faculty advisor will be listed in your PAWS account.
Honors in the Department of Teaching and Learning
Departmental Honors are granted to students who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester.
College of Community Engagement and Professions Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.