Master's in TESOL: Advanced Expertise in the Didactics of English as a Foreign Language
The IPA's Master's in TESOL offers two years of specialised training for English teachers and education professionals who wish to deepen their expertise, conduct applied research and contribute to improving English teaching. TESOL stands for "Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages" — the programme focuses on the particular challenges of teaching English as a second or foreign language in a multilingual African context.
The Master's in TESOL combines four inseparable pillars: advanced mastery of applied linguistics and language acquisition, a critical understanding of communicative and innovative teaching methodologies, the ability to design and conduct research in English language didactics, and the educational leadership to transform teaching in schools and institutions.
This is not an accumulation of additional courses at Master's level. It is a programme that pushes students to think critically about English teaching, to generate new knowledge through research, and to become agents of change in their professional contexts. Graduates leave the Master's in TESOL not only as experienced teachers, but as educator-researchers and leaders able to train other teachers, develop innovative curricula and improve the quality of English teaching across the region.
Students on the Master's in TESOL are selected on the basis of their qualifications, teaching experience and commitment to professional development. Graduates become teacher trainers, educational coordinators, researchers and academic leaders in Burundian and regional institutions.
The Master's in TESOL Approach: Applied Research and Teaching Practice
Three principles shape the Master's in TESOL and reflect the programme's approach at Master's level.
Principle 1: From practice to applied research
The Master's in TESOL does not separate teaching experience from academic research. Both years begin with in-depth study of applied linguistics, psycholinguistics and contemporary theories of language learning. At the same time, students analyse their own teaching practice through a research lens. Each semester combines theoretical seminars, teaching design workshops and applied research projects in schools. The Master's thesis (or final project) is an original piece of research that contributes to knowledge of English language didactics in the African context.
This approach ensures that graduates of the Master's in TESOL are not only knowledgeable, but practitioner-researchers grounded in the reality of schools.
Principle 2: Supporting change in teaching practice
The Master's in TESOL prepares students to look beyond the classroom. In addition to research and didactic expertise, the programme develops educational leadership skills: how to train other teachers, how to develop curricula, how to support institutional change, how to build communities of practice. Students carry out leadership projects in which they become mentors, coordinators or agents of change in their schools and regions.
Principle 3: A critical African context
The Master's in TESOL does not transplant North American or British models without critical reflection. Students explore issues specific to English teaching in Africa: the role of English in multilingual societies, resource and equipment challenges, culturally responsive approaches to teaching, the integration of African varieties of English (World Englishes), and technologies suited to the African context. This critical contextualisation makes research and innovations relevant and applicable.
Structure of the Master's in TESOL: Curriculum Architecture
The Master's in TESOL is organised over two years (four semesters) according to the ECTS system. Each semester is worth 30 credits, i.e. 60 credits per year and 120 credits in total. The workload amounts to 1,800 hours divided between seminars (theory and critical discussion), workshops (teaching design and projects), applied research projects (data collection, analysis, writing) and independent work (reading, analysis, thesis writing). After two years, students receive the official Master's degree in TESOL recognised by the University of Burundi.
Advanced theoretical foundations
Applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, language acquisition, contemporary theories of teaching and learning. Critical seminars on TESOL methodologies (communicative language teaching, task-based learning, content-based instruction). Assessment and evaluation of teaching materials. Introduction to applied research: candidates define a research question and begin collecting data in their teaching context.
Deeper research and educational leadership
Specialised seminars in areas such as language policy, discourse analysis, differentiated pedagogy, technology integration, and teaching for diversity and inclusion. Leadership projects: candidates design and lead a teacher training, curriculum development or institutional change project. Completion and writing of the Master's thesis: critical analysis and an original contribution to English language didactics.
| MASTER I SEMESTER I | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.E | ECUE | Codes | Hours | Credits | |||||
| VHP | CM | TD | TP | TPE | TGE | ||||
| UE1: Communication Theory and Skills | Advanced Integrated Reading and Writing | MLEA1101 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 |
| Advanced Integrated Listening and Speaking | MLEA1102 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| Pragmatics and TESOL | MLEA1103 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| 9 | |||||||||
| UE2: Applied Linguistics and ELT I | Contemporary Issues in Second/Foreign Language Acquisition | MLEA1104 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 |
| Needs Analysis in Language Education | MLEA1105 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| Applied Linguistics in TESOL | MLEA1106 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| 9 | |||||||||
| UE3: Materials Development and Evaluation | Design and Evaluation of TESOL Reading and Writing Materials | MLEA1107 | 45 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | 3 |
| Design and Evaluation of TESOL Listening and Speaking Materials | MLEA1108 | 45 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| 6 | |||||||||
| UE4: Assessment and Testing | Contemporary Issues in TESOL Testing and Assessment | MLEA1109 | 45 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | 3 |
| Language Test Construction, Scoring and Functions | MLEA1110 | 45 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| 6 | |||||||||
| TOTAL | 450H | 30 | |||||||
| MASTER I SEMESTER II | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.E | ECUE | Codes | Hours | Credits | |||||
| VHP | CM | TD | TP | TPE | TGE | ||||
| UE 1: Literature and English Language Education I | TESOL Through Fiction | MLEA1211 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 2 |
| TESOL Through Drama and Theatre | MLEA1212 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 2 | |
| TESOL Through Poetry | MLEA1213 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 2 | |
| 6 | |||||||||
| UE 2: Teaching and Learning Theories I | TESOL Methods | MLEA1214 | 60 | 40 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 100 | 4 |
| Psycholinguistics and Language Education | MLEA1215 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| 7 | |||||||||
| UE 3: Research | Experimental Pedagogy | MLEA1216 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 2 |
| Research Methods in Education | MLEA1217 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 2 | |
| Statistics for Educational Purposes | MLEA1218 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| Research Seminars I | MLEA1219 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| 10 | |||||||||
| UE 4: Pedagogy I | Course Design and Materials Evaluation | MLEA1220 | 45 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 45 | 60 | 3 |
| Pedagogical Monitoring and Coaching | MLEA1221 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 2 | |
| Pedagogy of Integration | MLEA1222 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 60 | 2 | |
| 7 | |||||||||
| TOTAL | 450H | 30 | |||||||
| MASTER II SEMESTER III | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.E | ECUE | Codes | Hours | Credits | |||||
| VHP | CM | TD | TP | TPE | TGE | ||||
| UE1: Applied Linguistics and ELT II | Language Policy and Planning | MLEA2301 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 |
| Discourse Analysis and Language Education | MLEA2302 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 30 | 50 | 3 | |
| Group Dynamics in the Language Classroom | MLEA2303 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| ICT for Language Education | MLEA2304 | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 50 | 2 | |
| 10 | |||||||||
| UE2: Differentiated Pedagogy | Differentiated Instruction | MLEA2305 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 |
| Inclusive Education | MLEA2306 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 30 | 50 | 2 | |
| 5 | |||||||||
| UE 3: Literature and English Language Education I | TESOL and Nonfictional Prose | MLEA2307 | 45 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | 3 |
| Literature Teaching Methods in the TESOL Classroom | MLEA2308 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| 6 | |||||||||
| UE 4: Teaching and Learning Theories II | Contemporary Issues in TESOL | MLEA2309 | 45 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | 3 |
| The Art of TESOL | MLEA2310 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| Open and Distance Learning | MLEA2311 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 3 | |
| 9 | |||||||||
| TOTAL | 450H | 30 | |||||||
Career Prospects and Professional Impact of the Master's in TESOL
Graduates of the Master's in TESOL follow several career paths, often with broader teaching responsibilities.
Teacher trainer and curriculum developer: Most graduates become trainers in initial or in-service teacher training programmes, either at the IPA or at other institutions. Their Master's in TESOL makes them experts in designing training, developing teaching resources and supporting educational change.
Regional educational coordinator or specialist inspector: Some graduates become coordinators of English teaching in the regions or at the Ministry of Education. Their expertise in research and leadership makes them valuable for improving the quality of English teaching on a large scale.
Researcher in English Language Didactics: Graduates interested in academic research go on to doctorates in applied linguistics, language didactics or education. Their Master's thesis and research experience prepare them for doctoral study.
Leader in Educational Innovation: With their expertise and leadership skills, some graduates launch educational innovation initiatives: educational technology projects, international school twinning programmes or curriculum reform movements.
The Master's in TESOL prepares students for lasting leadership and an intellectual contribution to questions of education and language teaching. Graduates report a direct impact on their schools and regions: better teaching quality, training of new teachers and lasting educational change.
Admission Criteria and Procedure
The Master's in TESOL is aimed at experienced English teachers and education professionals who wish to deepen their subject and teaching expertise.
Admission to the IPA's Master's in TESOL is based on the three official conditions set by the University of Burundi:
- Hold a first-cycle degree. Applicants must hold one of the following qualifications: a Licence or Bachelor's degree awarded by the University of Burundi, or a university degree recognised as equivalent by the National Commission for the Equivalence of Diplomas.
- Hold a degree compatible with the chosen specialisation. The degree submitted must correspond to the field of the Master's in TESOL applied for, demonstrating adequate prior training in language teaching or related fields.
- Pass the entrance examination or admission selection. The University of Burundi generally organises a Master's entrance examination according to an academic calendar published each year. The admissions committee assesses applicants on the basis of their academic record, their examination results and their fit with the objectives of the Master's programme.