Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language

MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

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(with exit points at Postgraduate Diploma and Masters by coursework levels)

Recognized by the Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka

Applications are now open for the MA TESL degree 2025/26 batch. The MA TESL programme offered by the PGIE is the pioneering TESL qualification in the country and counts over 15 years of experience. The programme has been developed with international expertise, integrating the latest global trends in English Language Teaching and provides a flexible pathway for:

University lecturers from Departments of English Language Teaching
Current English teachers seeking professional development
Teacher educators
Those with English teaching experience or qualifications interested in becoming fully fledged English teachers

The programme covers a range of topics which include sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, teaching methodology, testing and evaluation, educational sociology and psychology and technology in teaching combined with a full teaching practicum.

Students initially register for the MA TESL (2-year) programme with a thesis but can choose to exit with the following:

Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language (PGDip TESL) – a 10-month postgraduate diploma with a teaching practicum and a portfolio (completed within the first year of the MA TESL)
Master of Teaching English as a Second Language (MTESL) – 1-year Master’s degree by course work

The programme runs according to a strict schedule and each stage will be completed within the time duration specified above.

General

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Admission

A person seeking admission to the Programme of Study leading to the award of the Degree of Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language shall be required to have:

The Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language conducted by the Postgraduate Institute of English (PGIE) with a grade point average of 2.70 or greater, or
The Master in Teaching English as a Second Language conducted by the Postgraduate Institute of English (PGIE) with a grade point average of 2.70 or greater, or
A Postgraduate Diploma (SLQF Level 8) in English Language Teaching (ELT), Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) from a recognized higher education institute, or
A Postgraduate Diploma in Education (SLQF Level 8) in the English medium, from a recognized higher education institute, or
A Bachelor’s Honors degree (SLQF Level 6) in English and/or English Language Teaching, Linguistics in the English medium, or
A Bachelor’s Honors degree (SLQF Level 6) in Linguistics in the English medium, or
A Bachelor’s degree (SLQF Level 5) with Teaching English as a subject, or
A Bachelor’s degree (SLQF Level 5) with English as a subject and one (01) year of experience in teaching English language or literature, or
A Bachelor’s degree (SLQF Level 5) in the English medium with a postgraduate certificate (SLQF Level 7) in English Language Teaching (ELT), Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL), or at least 2 years of experience in teaching English language or literature, or
A teacher training qualification from a recognized institution as specified in Schedule 5 and 10 years of experience in teaching English, or
An equivalent or higher qualification acceptable to the Senate of The Open University of Sri Lanka, and
A pass at the Entry Test for the Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language conducted by the PGIE.