Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program for Initial Teacher Licensure in English as a Second Language (Pre-K-6 and 5-12)

Start a versatile and exciting career.

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program for Initial Teacher Licensure in English as a Second Language at Worcester State University provides you with the knowledge and practical experience to obtain your initial teacher license in ESL in Massachusetts—and prepares you to teach English Language Learners in today’s diverse schools.

With classes available in the late afternoons and evenings as well as online, this convenient program is designed for working professionals like you—and with the option to complete the program either part time or full time, you can advance your career on your schedule.

You will gain valuable insight from professors who are experienced practitioners in the field. What’s more, you will take part in a hands-on practicum experience, for which you will work with elementary- or secondary-level ESL students in one of the region’s public schools—and you will participate in a seminar that addresses best ESL practices.

As you progress through our program, you will record your achievements in a portfolio of work that not only demonstrates your mastery of all program competencies, but also showcases your professional development. Graduates of our program are sought after by employers, and they go on to pursue rewarding teaching careers in schools across the state. Most continue their studies toward professional teacher licensure, and all credits earned through this program transfer to Worcester State’s Master of Education program in ESL.

View the Catalog

The following information and materials must be submitted to the Department of Graduate and Continuing Education:

• Completed graduate application, including fee and essay
• Official transcripts (transcripts from outside the United States must be officially translated and evaluated)
• 2 current letters of recommendation
• Passing scores on the Communication and Literacy Skills Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
• Results of a language proficiency assessment, if applicable

In addition, candidates also are required to demonstrate evidence of:

• A course in human, child, or adolescent development at the undergraduate level
• Documentation of fluency at an intermediate level in a language other than English from a college or university or foreign secondary school, through the successful completion of foreign language courses deemed appropriate by the foreign language program in the Languages and Literature Department or through the proficiency level determined by the university’s language proficiency assessment

A passing score report from the ELL or ESL content MTEL is required prior to beginning the practicum.