Associate degrees in TEFL are not available. However, it's possible to earn an associate degree in education and transfer credits to a four-year school with a TEFL program. It's also possible to earn an associate degree and complete a TEFL training course. For example, Oxford Seminars offers a 60-hour course that includes lesson planning, classroom management, and teaching skills. The University of Cambridge offers the CELTA, or Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, a 120-hour course. Both Oxford and Cambridge require students to practice teaching during the course.
Students who have chosen a major but are still interested in TEFL can pursue it as a minor. Typically, minors include six classes of three credits each for schools on a semester system. Courses might include lesson planning, literary theory, class management and language acquisition. These programs also include a practical component, so students can practice teaching English in a classroom setting.
It's also possible to earn a bachelor of arts or science degree in teaching English to speakers of foreign languages. This is an education degree with an emphasis in teaching English to speakers of foreign languages. This program could include courses in grammar, phonology and linguistics. Students must also teach in classrooms to complete this degree.
Those who have completed a bachelor's degree may wish to consider a master's degree in TEFL. A Master of Arts degree could include linguistics, grammar and a practicum which involves teaching experience. Typically, students complete master's degrees in two years. It's also possible to earn a master's online, but only accredited programs will be accepted when you are applying for jobs. Accredited universities all over the U.S.,, Canada and other English-speaking countries offer this degree on campus.