Adult Education

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) certificate

The TESL certificate program prepares students for careers as teachers of English to speakers of other languages. Completion of the certificate program qualifies graduates for the TESL Canada Professional Certification Standard Two from Canada's national organization of TESL professionals.

The TESL certificate program can be taken either after completion of a bachelor's degree program, or while completing one. Students who plan to do a degree and a certificate concurrently should consult with an Advisor to ensure that they choose and schedule their courses appropriately. The degree program must be completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.67.

Entrance requirements

Students currently in a UFV credit program do not have to apply for admission to the TESL certificate to complete TESL courses. However, to graduate from the TESL certificate and be awarded the credential, students will need to be admitted to the program through an Academic Advisor.

Applicants must meet the Degree/diploma level English language proficiency requirement. For details on how this requirement may be met, see the English language proficiency requirement section of the calendar.

Note: For TESL Canada certification, students who complete their degree in a language other than English will be required to meet one of the following requirements: IELTS Academic 7, TOEFL 101, English Studies 12, or English First Nations 12 with 70% from a Canadian school.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall semester only. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

Note: Applicants who miss the application dates are encouraged to contact the department.

How to apply

Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/apply. Applicants will be notified of acceptance into the program.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section.

Program duration

The TESL certificate can be completed in two semesters, although the length of time required for completion will depend on the number of courses taken per semester and the number of credits awarded through transfer credit or Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR).

Location

All courses except the practicum (TESL 433) are offered in a blended format that combines either in-person sessions on the Abbotsford campus or online sessions for distance students with asynchronous self-directed online study. 

Program outline

In addition to the courses listed below, students must complete at least 20 hours of recognized volunteer experience in a TESL setting. These volunteer hours must be completed before registration in TESL 433.

Note: Evidence must be provided to the department of 20 hours of volunteer experience in a TESL setting to register in TESL 433.

Optional courses

Students may also be interested in the following courses. These are not required for the TESL certificate, but will provide an area of specialization.

Undergraduate continuance

Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or higher) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at UFV. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at UFV. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits. For further details, see the Academic standing and undergraduate continuance section of the academic calendar. Academic standing is governed by UFV's Undergraduate Continuance policy (92).

Eligibility for TESL Canada certification

Graduates of the UFV TESL certificate program are eligible to apply for the TESL Canada Professional Certificate Standard Two. Graduates are responsible for applying to TESL Canada for certification.

Residency

Students must complete at least 12 of the credits required in the certificate at UFV. Students may request up to eight credits of transfer credit or Prior Learning Assessment. See UFV's Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition policy (94) for more information.

Graduation requirements

1. Completion of a degree program.
2. Completion of all required TESL courses.

Students can apply to graduate from the TESL certificate if they are enrolled in the program, have completed all program requirements, and have completed their BA or BIS degree.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.

For more information

Contact the Adult Education department at 604-864-4621 or adulted@ufv.ca.