ESL teachers work with people of varying ages, language backgrounds, cultures and levels of education. A bachelor's degree with additional coursework allows you to earn a certificate to teach adult ESL in an educational environment. To teach ESL in Minnesota's community colleges and universities (and abroad), a master's degree is required. Employment in a government-run program, such as a school district, requires a teaching license with additional ESL coursework.
Hamline was founded in 1854. It has a campus in Minneapolis and in St. Paul and 5,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students. Hamline offers an online and a face-to-face ESL program. Online and traditional classroom courses both lead to a master's degree in ESL, a certificate for teachers of adult ESL, or an ESL certificate for licensed K-12 teachers.
Minnesota State University - Mankato is located on a 350-acre campus 80 miles southwest of Minneapolis. It offers a master of arts in teaching English as a second language, which prepares candidates for jobs in teaching, program administration, curriculum consulting and materials development. Mankato also offers a graduate certificate in teaching English as a second language. Some of the courses are available online. Mankato also has an English as a second language licensure (K-12) track that is available in a fully online format.
Minnesota State University - Moorhead is in the northwest region of the state, across the Red River from Fargo, North Dakota. The college offers a minor in ESL, which can be combined with a major in education to receive an ESL endorsement. Moorhead also offers a graduate certificate. The programs prepare students to teach in a variety of settings, including North Dakota K-12 public schools, post-secondary institutions and overseas.
St. Cloud State University is in the central part of the state along the Mississippi River. It has an undergraduate and a master's level track that prepares students to teach ESL. The undergraduate program requires the student to combine a minor in ESL with a major in education to receive an ESL endorsement. The master of arts in teaching English as a second language program can be completed online or on campus. St. Cloud also offers licensure in teaching English as a second language, which is available online and on campus.