Introduction
Today’s hiring market is increasingly competitive and requires a great deal of subject knowledge and multiple skills. Our new Professional Master’s Degree Program in ELT Practice comes with emphasis on both the educational and economic success of individuals in their workplaces. Our program is uniquely designed to empower its graduates not only for the ELT job market, but also for further studies in the field. As around 100,000 English language teaching vacancies open every year worldwide, the job outlook for our profession looks promising. Full-time English language teaching positions for those with graduate ELT Practice degrees typically include an extremely competitive salary, along with rewarding teaching and life experiences.
In Saudi Arabia, the demand for English language teachers will increase due to a host of reasons, including:
- Introduction of English in the public school system from Grade 1 starting in the school year 2021/2022
- A heightened industry awareness of a need for highly qualified and skilled English language teachers in the job market, i.e. candidates trained in the art of teaching.
- The ‘Thriving economy’ of Vision 2030 will require a workforce skilled in a lingua franca (English) language to communicate with colleagues, clients, contractors from diverse countries.
Our Professional Master’s Program in ELT Practice delivers what it stands for: best teaching practice in ELT to empower our graduates when they take up employment in a country where the English language and its teaching is being recognized as a powerful tool for communication, one which will become essential in future digital economies.
Why should you consider our program?
There is a raft of compelling reasons to consider our program as your next move, consolidating your career path in ELT. Our program is the right fit for you if you want to:
- Harness the accumulated research with the methodologies and approaches it informs from the last 150 years of English Language teaching practices and skills.
- The type of coursework completed during undergraduate studies no longer impedes opportunities to start a career.
- Contribute to a very progressive worldwide discipline.
- Boost your resume and therefore your prospects of a better job.
- Graduate from the No. 1 university in the MENA region.
- Enjoy flexible study which fits your busy schedule.
- Invest in yourself for a better return.
The Professional Master’s Program in ELT Practice will accelerate your path to success in the ELT industry.
Admission Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade of “Good” from a Saudi university or the equivalent of a Saudi bachelor’s degree from an international institution that is officially recognized by that country.
- An overall score of band 6.0 on the IELTS Academic exam
- Post-graduate General Aptitude Test (PGAT) with a passing score of 50% as a minimum administered by ETEC
- Applicant must be a Saudi national or a foreign national with a scholarship
- Applicant must be in good health, with a mature approach to their studies. Conduct which is conducive to learning is required
- Two letters of recommendation
- Submission of copies of all relevant documents of previous training and experience
- Authorization of employer, if the applicant is employed — the applicant may request an official letter from the University stating weekend timetable assigned for the program.
In addition to the above, non-Saudi applicants must have:
- Approval from the concerned party granting the scholarship
- A valid passport
- All documents verified by concerned Saudi authorities inside the Kingdom, or the Saudi embassy where the foreign applicant resides
For more information about admission requirements, please visit
https://graduatestudies.kau.edu.sa/Content-306-AR-281467.
Selection Criteria
Applicants are selected for the program based on the following percentages:
- GPA 30%
- PGAT 30%
- Previous training and experience 30%
- English language proficiency 10%
Program Overview
The Professional Master's in ELT Practice is a two-year program designed for both novice and seasoned English language teachers to start a new career in a locally progressive field or set a trajectory for a career path reaching new heights. The program will offer a new horizon for its graduates. Studying new trends and best practice in English language teaching gains the candidate an extremely competitive edge in their local job market with thousands of ELT job openings every year.
The program's courses cover knowledge topics and offer training in skill sets most useful for securing a career in the industry. These topics and training include teaching and research methods, teaching strategies, curriculum and assessment design, online learning and teaching, and more. Courses are delivered by highly-qualified and dedicated faculty members with a wealth of experience teaching at the graduate level while having significant experience as English language teachers earlier in their careers.
Program Outcomes
The program is carefully designed with a set of courses to achieve specific objectives which will notably enhance the graduate's proficiency as an English language teacher. By the end of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Analyze strengths and weaknesses of second language learning theories and the implications for teaching and learning English.
- Develop practical skills to employ a variety of second language teaching methods and approaches in order to improve effectiveness in the classroom.
- Design and evaluate teaching curricula and materials to better facilitate language teaching and learning with ESOL students of various age groups and contexts, based on contemporary SLA theories, research, and practice.
- Assess student learning using a variety of informal and formal assessments, based on current practices about oral and written language assessment in teaching English, in various educational contexts.
- Use various research methods and skills within different English language educational contexts and practices.
Program course list
Mandatory courses
| ELIT 600 |
Language Awareness for English Teachers |
| ELIT 601 |
The Psychology of the Language Learner |
| ELIT 602 |
Methods and Approaches in English Language Teaching |
| ELIT 694 |
Research Methods for Language Teachers |
| ELIT 603 |
English Language Course Planning and Design |
| ELIT 604 |
Teaching English to Young Learners |
| ELIT 605 |
Assessment in English Language Teaching |
| ELIT 606 |
Online English Language Teaching |
| ELIT 607 |
Teaching English for Academic & Specific Purposes |
| ELIT 608 |
Professional Learning Strategies for English Language Teachers |
| ELIT 689 |
Applied Research Project |
Elective courses
| ELIT 620 |
English Language Program Management |
| ELIT 621 |
Discourse Analysis for English Language Teachers |
| ELIT 622 |
Content and Language Integrated Learning |
Fees and Special Features
SR 56,000 (SR 14,000 a semester)
The fees include program tuition and administration costs for four semesters.
The Professional Master’s in English Language Teaching Practice is housed in the
English Language Institute which:
- Has 7 years of experience in delivering a quality graduate TESOL program.
- Hosts a CEA fully-accredited PYP English language program.
- Is home to over 16,000 KAU PYP students each year with over 500 faculty members and teachers.
- Hosts the Saudi TESOL Association.
- Has over 45 years of experience in teaching English.
- Has a wide network of internationally-renowned educational partners.
- Has the Center for Excellence in ELT Professional Development.
- Organizes a wealth of professional development activities for its teachers and graduate students.