ELT master’s courses in the UK: students’ expectations and experiences

Abstract

First paragraph: The use of English as a language of international communication has expanded the global job market in English language teaching (ELT) and encouraged an increasing number of students to pursue postgraduate education in ELT and related areas. There are a large number of UK master’s programmes in ELT, which are variously named: teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), teaching English as an additional language (TEAL) and applied linguistics (where there is an ELT component). There are also more specialised and diversified degrees, including teaching English to young learners (TEYL), teaching English for academic purposes (TEAP), computer-assisted language learning (CALL), information and communications technology (ICT) and materials development. Some programmes are designed for experienced teachers, while others target novice teachers. Many attract both. As well as full-time and part-time modes of delivery, some courses are offered online or in blended formats. A notable feature of most of these programmes is their international dimension, and many of the students are from overseas, often from Asia, and paying full fees. They are therefore an important source of income for UK higher education (HE), though this reality is not always celebrated or even recognised.