Master in Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor (Master's)

Tuition is Tuition and fees are subject to change and are available through the university's financial services office..

This programme prepares educators to teach English to non-native speakers in diverse global settings. It includes a certification track for those seeking New York State teaching credentials. Students complete coursework in language acquisition, curriculum design, and teaching methodology. The programme supports both certified teachers and those pursuing certification.

Focus areas include Language Acquisition, Curriculum Design, Teaching Methodology, Second Language Pedagogy, Teacher Certification.

The programme requires 36 credits, including coursework in language teaching, practicum experience, and a capstone project. Credits are for the full degree, not a concentration.

Graduates work as ESL instructors in public and private schools, language institutes, and international education programs.

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and submit a personal statement, resume, two letters of recommendation, and official transcripts. A valid teaching certification is required for the certification track. Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 undergo additional review.

The programme totals about 36 credit hours. On-campus, full-time or part-time, typically completed in two years. For international students, tuition is below the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 82% of applicants.

Community is central to the Canisius experience. Students can live on campus, join student-run clubs and activities, and take part in NCAA Division 1 athletics, intramurals, and club sports. The university describes Buffalo as a Great Lakes city with affordable recreation and career networking opportunities. Buffalo is also New York’s second-largest city and is presented as a top midsize US city for college.

Canisius offers a range of majors and minors, more than 15 combined degree programs, and over 30 graduate programs. Its academic profile includes undergraduate accounting and finance, business education, data science, pre-law initiatives, healthcare outreach, and service-learning. The university also reports an 86% medical school acceptance rate over seven years, a 95% MBA employment rate three months after graduation, and the number one CPA exam pass rate among New York State public and private universities based on current AICPA data.

Students interested in international study should know that campus life includes housing, amenities, activities, athletics, and a one-to-one computing initiative that provides every full-time undergraduate with a new MacBook Air. Service-learning can include international experiences, such as a Costa Rica trip combining healthcare outreach with cultural immersion. Canisius has also had 38 Fulbright Scholars since 1988, offering a clear example of its students’ engagement beyond the campus.