Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in English as a Second Language (ESL)
Gain the Teaching Credentials You Need to Bring the English Language Around the World
Have you ever dreamed of traveling the world and using your command of the English language as a way to support yourself? As a licensed teacher of English as a second language, you can pursue more career opportunities and a higher salary than you might with only a bachelor’s degree. Your degree can be valuable locally, nationally, and abroad. In fact, 22% of children between the ages of 5 and 17 who live in the United States do not speak English at home.*
Liberty University’s Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in English as a Second Language (ESL) meets the shortage of qualified English as a Second Language teachers in the United States. It provides additional student teaching hours and the necessary developmental psychology and education classes needed for your license. By completing this program, you will gain a theoretical and practical understanding of second language acquisition and teaching methods and materials.
Pursue Your Degree with Confidence
- Liberty University’s School of Education meets rigorous national standards for educator preparation set by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
- You will complete 90 practicum hours and at least 1 full semester of student teaching prior to graduation.
- The Educational Technology Lab provides students with resources, software, and equipment to help promote learning with technology.
- All of our faculty who oversee licensure courses have K-12 experience and a current teaching license.
- You will have the opportunity to do your student teaching in various locations throughout Virginia, including the Washington, D.C., public school system through our Washington Fellowship program.
What Will You Learn?
- Assessment, error analysis, interlanguage acquisition, and teaching in the 4 language areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing for a broad variety of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) contexts
- Behavioral and individual differences among students
- Classroom practices in teaching English as a second or foreign language
- Strategies for second-language acquisition and assessment
*Kids Count Data Center, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, at https://datacenter.kidscount.org/updates/show/184-the-number-of-bilingual-kids-in-america-continues-to-rise (viewed online June 25, 2020).
This program has been approved by the Virginia Department of Education. Licensure requirements may vary by state. Please research your state’s licensure or reciprocity requirements here: https://www.liberty.edu/statelicensure/.
Career Opportunities for B.Ed. in English in a Second Language Graduates
- Academic coordinator
- English as a second language school teacher
- ESL curriculum planner
- Head teacher at an English language institute
- TESL teacher
Practical Learning Available to B.Ed. in Students
- You will complete 90 practicum hours and at least 1 full semester of student teaching before you graduate.
- Find the resources you need to promote learning through technology in our on-campus Educational Technology Lab.
- Your education professors have real-life experience teaching children and adolescents, and if they are overseeing practicum requirements, they also have a current teaching license.
- You’ll have a variety of locations to choose from for your student teaching semester, including Washington, D.C.
Admission Requirements for Our Undergraduate Degree Programs
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)
- Results from the CLT, SAT, or ACT are not required for admission, but may be used in consideration for merit-based aid.
- Admission essay
*Note that additional documentation may be requested by the admission committee after your application has been received.
Credit Hours
Available On Campus
Class Type
Residential
Transfer Credits
Transfer in up to 75% of the degree total
Next Start Date
Aug 18, 2025
Accreditation
CAEP
