The Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at the University of North Florida is designed for educators seeking to strengthen their skills in teaching English Language Learners and to meet Florida ESOL endorsement requirements. Offered fully online, the program provides focused coursework in linguistics, instructional methods, and classroom-based practices to support effective ESOL instruction in K–12 regardless of subject area.
Advance Your Skills in ESOL Instruction
The UNF TESOL Graduate Certificate prepares educators with practical strategies to support English Language Learners. This fully online program emphasizes linguistics, instructional methods, and classroom-based practices aligned with Florida ESOL requirements.
Program Overview
The Graduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at the Silverfield College of Education and Human Services is designed to provide advanced knowledge and practical skills for educators working with English Language Learners (ELLs) of all ages. The program emphasizes linguistics, instructional methods, and cultural understanding to support effective ESOL instruction in K–12 regardless of subject area.
Offered fully online, the TESOL Graduate Certificate is tailored to meet the needs of Florida educators seeking to add the ESOL endorsement to an existing Florida teaching certificate. The certificate may be completed as a standalone program for non-degree seeking students or alongside a graduate degree, providing flexibility for working professionals.
The program focuses on language fundamentals, pedagogical training, and classroom-based applications, with practical teaching experiences embedded within coursework. While the curriculum is designed to support ESOL instruction within the U.S., graduates may also choose to pursue teaching opportunities abroad, depending on individual qualifications and local requirements.
Required Coursework (9 Credits):
TSL 6345: Methods of Teaching in ESOL and Bilingual Settings (3 credits) Examines instructional strategies for developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English learners across K–12 and adult education settings.
TSL 6254: Applied Linguistics and Grammar for Educators (3 credits) Introduces English grammar and core linguistic concepts, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics, with an emphasis on classroom application.
TSL 6325: TESOL Methods: Content Instruction (3 credits) Focuses on effective methods for teaching academic content to emergent bilingual and multilingual students, including curriculum standards, assessment practices, classroom management, and instructional design. A minimum of 15 hours of fieldwork in ESOL settings is required.
Through a combination of theory, practice, and applied instruction, the UNF TESOL Graduate Certificate prepares educators to meet Florida ESOL requirements, strengthen their instructional expertise, and effectively support English language learners in their classrooms regardless of subject area.
Program Contact
Graduate Program DirectorSilverfield College of Education and Human Services
Program At-a-Glance
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Admissions Requirements
The below Program Requirements, University Requirements, and International Applicant Requirements*, if applicable, must be submitted no later than the deadline posted above. Incomplete applications or those with required materials post-marked after the deadline are subject to cancellation. Once an application has been canceled, the decision cannot be reversed.
*International students must be fully admitted to a full-time, on-campus, in-person, degree-seeking program at the University of North Florida. Please contact the International Center for more information.
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University Requirements
University Requirements
Application and Application Fee
Prospective students are required to use our online system to create an account and submit an application. The application opens approximately one year in advance and is only good for the term and program in which it is submitted. Applicants who have submitted their application and wish to change their admission term or major/concentration may submit a new application and associated application fee. If you would like to cancel an open application, please contact us.
A $30 (USD) application fee is required regardless of previous enrollment. The application fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived. Undergraduate application fees cannot be used for a graduate application, and vise versa. The application fee must be submitted prior to the review of an application.
Current students who would like to add or change a major, concentration or certificate should submit the Change of Concentration or Major form.
College Transcripts
All applicants must provide transcripts from a U.S. institution accredited by an accepted institutional accreditor or its equivalent from a non-US institution that awarded the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, if applicable, and transcripts from institutions where any post-baccalaureate and/or graduate credits were earned.
All admits must provide official transcripts.
All international transcripts will require a course-by-course evaluation by an approved third-party credential evaluation agency unless a graduate program has established an alternative credential evaluation procedure that is approved by the graduate school. To be accepted, the evaluation must be:
- Translated to English and be the U.S. equivalent
- Evaluated course-by-course
- Include the overall academic GPA
- Be from an approved third-party accredited evaluation service. Recommended evaluation agencies:
- SpanTran. They have created a custom application for UNF that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. You can access their application through the SpanTran Application - UNF Graduate School portal.
- Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
- World Education Services
Important Notes
- The UNF Graduate School cannot request transcripts on an applicants behalf.
- Unofficial transcript copies are accepted for admissions but must clearly state the institution name, student name, course information, terms, grades, and credits. Degree audits are not accepted. Admitted students will be prompted to provide official transcripts.
- If currently enrolled in courses, an incomplete transcript must be submitted before the posted deadline.
- Applicants who also have to apply through systems such as ATCAS or PTCAS, must submit separate transcripts to UNF.
- Official transcripts must:
- Must be less than one year old from the date of printing
- Must be submitted in a sealed envelope from your institution, or emailed through official electronic means.
- When requesting college transcripts, please verify with your institution(s) whether or not they are able to submit electronic transcripts in the proper EDI format. Institutions can submit transcripts via e-mail to graduateschool@unf.edu from an approved vendor such as ScriptSafe, Credentials, or Parchment.
- Former or current UNF students should not request UNF transcripts. After application submission, the UNF requirement will be updated to a "waived" status.
Where Do I Send Transcripts and Test Scores?
Mail
UNF Graduate School
1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224Email
Test Score Institutional Codes
GRE: institutional code 5490
GMAT: institutional code CF3QB51