UG Certificate – Teaching English as a Second Language
Teach Around the World with Our Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
Does the idea of traveling the world while educating others interest you? Liberty University’s Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) gives you the chance to simultaneously pursue your love of travel and education.
When you graduate with your TESL certificate, you can have training and experience to pursue this career. You’re allowing yourself to teach people from other countries how to speak English, and often, you can use this opportunity to spread the Gospel to limited or unreached people groups. Teaching around the world has never been easier when you have your TESL certificate! You may be able to teach English to foreign speakers in places like Brazil, China, France, West Africa, or Pakistan.
The great thing about receiving this certificate is that, along with linguistics and TESL courses, you’ll complete a 135-hour internship, which can give you the training to pursue a teaching career confidently. We have internship programs worldwide in Central America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Credit Hours
View CoursesNext start date: Aug 18, 2025
Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC
Highlights
Highlights of Our TESL Certificate
Gain Real-World Experience
Get a chance to complete a 2-month internship at the Liberty University Spanish Institute in Guatemala. This immersive experience can help you strengthen your Spanish language skills while engaging with local communities and gaining cross-cultural ministry or service-learning experience.
A Christ-Centered Education
Your education matters – but so does your faith. At Liberty, you can grow academically and spiritually with a values-driven curriculum that integrates biblical principles into your studies.
Thriving Campus Community
If you study on campus, you’ll be part of a vibrant student body with access to state-of-the-art facilities, NCAA Division I athletics, and a variety of student organizations and activities.
Supportive Faculty Who Care
You won’t be just a number. Liberty’s professors bring years of professional experience to the classroom and are committed to mentoring and supporting you throughout your academic journey.
#4 Best College Campus in America
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education designed to help equip students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence has earned us recognition as the #4 Best College Campus in America by Niche.com.
Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Courses
What Will You Study in Our TESL Certificate?
Throughout our TESL certificate program, you can gain comprehensive knowledge in applied grammar, linguistics, and second language acquisition. You must know English and the syntax and phonology of the major languages spoken worldwide. This training can help you prepare a curriculum with your student’s language in mind. You will also explore the various activities and class exercises that can help make you a better instructor and enable students to have fun while you teach them.
Featured TESL Certificate Courses
- LING 301 – Introduction to Linguistics
- TESL 333 – Modern Grammar
- TESL 373 – Applied Grammar
- TESL 403 – Second Language Acquisition
- TESL 405 – Issues and Practices in TES/FL
- TESL 499 – TES/FL Internship (135 hours)
Degree Information
- This program falls under the College of Arts & Sciences
- View the Certificate Completion Plan
- Check out our course catalog
- Transfer in up to 75% of the certificate total
Admissions
How Do You Become a Student in the Certificate in TESL Program?
Every application is reviewed by the admission committee on a case-by-case basis, meaning there are no set minimums for acceptance. However, all applicants must submit the following documents* for admission:
- Admission application
- Official high school transcripts
- Official college transcripts (if applicable)
- Admission essay
Results from the CLT, SAT, or ACT are not required for admission, but may be used in consideration for merit-based aid.
*Note that additional documentation may be requested by the admission committee after your application has been received.
Have Questions?
We’ll make sure you have the information you need to take your next step.