Introducing an MA in TEFL programme reflects the University's efforts to meet the requirements of national and regional socio-economic development as well as market demands.

The rationale for launching the programme derives from a number of factors, chief among which are:

• It creates good job opportunities in education in the public and private sectors.
• Many BA graduates of English Language and Literature (ELL) in the Arab countries choose to become school teachers and increasingly, more educational institutions particularly high schools are opting to appoint teachers with special educational training, chiefly those holding an MA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).
• MA-in-TEFL holders are also sought by English Language Centres at universities, which provide English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programmes for students of different specializations. Many of these centres prefer tutors holding an MA rather than a PhD since a Masters in TEFL is more useful for teaching than a PhD as it is more practical.  

• More and more public and private universities are being established in many Arab countries, and thus there is a great demand for qualified MA holders to teach language skills and introductory courses to first-year students.    
• International and regional businesses, foreign missions, mass media, international organizations, publishers, and translation establishments require bilinguals who are proficient in both English and Arabic.
• This degree opens up opportunities for its holders to seek higher degrees in TEFL, especially doctoral degrees. Holders of such higher degrees are recruited by local, regional and international organizations such as ALECSO (Arab League Educational Cultural & Scientific Organization), and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).​​
  

​​Programme Objectives

The MA programme in Teaching English as a Foreign Language will:

• Train students to become effective classroom teachers by introducing them to the latest language teaching theories, methods and approaches;
• Provide students with the necessary skills that enable them to both construct and evaluate language-teaching programmes;
• Expose students to various methods of preparing teaching materials;
• Develop in the students the ability to conduct empirical research in the domain of EFL;
• Prepare students to combine theory and practice in the teaching-learning process;
• Train students to apply CALT techniques in their teaching;
• Familiarize students with the latest methods of assessment and evaluation;​
  

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the programme, students need to:

1. Have a BA degree in English Language and Literature, or a related specialization from the Arab Open University or another recognized university with a graduation rating of GOOD or higher in light of local accreditation requirements in the branch countries.
   
   
2. Achieve Band 6 or higher in the Academic Version of the'International English Language Testing System' (IELTS) test, OR
   Achieve a score of 550 or more in the 'Test of English as a Foreign Language' (TOEFL) (Paper-Based Test) or the equivalent score in the Computer-Based Test.
   

Programme Specification-ELL.pdf​