Coursework & Practicum

The TEFL Certificate program requires 18 credit hours to be completed: 12 credit hours of coursework and 6 hours of practicum. The practicum must be completed in Florence, Italy* or in Murcia, Spain.

*If you are an Education major/minor, please discuss the practicum requirement with your academic advisor.

I. Coursework (12 credit hours)

There are 4 required courses for the TEFL Certificate. In these courses, you'll learn fundamental English grammar, linguistics, and language & grammar teaching methods. NOTE: ENG 31007, TESL Pedagogy, is a practicum prerequisite and must be successfully completed before scheduling your spring or summer Florence or Murcia teaching practicum.

* Prerequisite for ENG 31008, but these 2 courses can be taken simultaneously
** Practicum prerequisite - this teaching methods class must be complete before practicum teaching in Florence, Italy or Murcia, Spain

II. Practicum (6 credit hours)

Two 3-credit hour sections of course ENG 41292, TEFL Practicum must be taken in Florence, Italy or in Murcia, Spain.

What is the practicum?

• The practicum exposes you to hands-on training through classroom observations, assisting, and teaching your own classes.
• You will observe and assist English classes at elementary school, middle school, high school, or university in Florence or Murcia.
• You will plan with an advisor, and teach your own course in a local school or company in or nearby Florence or Murcia.
• You will observe, assist and critique your peers' teaching, and they will observe and assist in yours..
• The practicum can be customized to meet your educational goals. For instance, if you are more interested in a TEFL career teaching children, we will build your practicum schedule accordingly.

Attend an Information Meeting to learn more about the practicum.

When do I take the practicum?

You will complete the practicum in Florence, Italy during the 4-week Florence Summer Institute.

Learn More About Practicum Dates

How to apply to the KSU TEFL Certificate program

There are three things you need to do to apply for the TEFL Certificate:

#1 Declare the TEFL Certificate: In Flashline under “Advising & GPS” choose “Change my Major.”  Scroll down to “Certificate.” This is where you can add the TEFL Certificate to your major & minor. After declaring the TEFL Certificate, you can add and take the 12 credits worth of TEFL Cert. core classes. 

#2 Apply for the TEFL certificate Practicum in Florence*, Italy (offered in Spring or summer terms): Follow this link to the application page:  https://www.kent.edu/globaleducation/applying-kent-state-florence-summer-institute

#3 Apply for graduation from the TEFL Certificate—just as you must do for your major—the semester before you graduate.  In Flashline, please find “Graduation” & “Apply for graduation”

Questions?

TEFL Certificate: Contact Jo Leigh Lyons, jlyons@kent.edu

Florence Study Abroad: Contact Amber Cruxton, acruxton@kent.edu