2014-2015

Bilingual and Multicultural Education - ESL, Master of Education

Department of Educational Specialties

College of Education

If you are interested in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and want a career related to the education of bilingual or limited-English-proficiency (LEP) students, you may want to consider this advanced degree.

This program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

  • To receive a master’s degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master’s degree programs require more than 30 units.

    You must additionally complete:

    • All requirements for your specific academic plan(s). This may include a thesis.
    • All graduate work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
    • All work toward the master's degree must be completed within six consecutive years. The six years begins with the semester and year of admission to the program.

    Read the full policy here.

In addition to University Requirements:

  • Complete individual plan requirements.

Candidates in this program of study are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, and professional knowledge to enroll in the fieldwork and capstone courses.

Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the following courses:

Minimum Units for Completion 30
Additional Admission Requirements

Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

Fieldwork Experience/Internship Required
Some online/blended coursework Required
Progression Plan Link View Program of Study

Additional Admission Requirements
  • Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.

  • The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.

    Admission requirements include the following:

    • Transcripts.
    • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.


    Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.

    Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

    International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

    • IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card
    • Teaching certificate (if the applicant has one)
Master's Requirements
  • **If you have not completed a Foundations course prior to admission to this program, then you must complete one of EDF 500, EDF 670, EDF 671, EDF 672, EDF 673, or EDF 677. Other suitable electives may be substituted with the advisor's written approval.

  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
    At least 50% of your courses must be at the 600-level or above. A maximum of two 400-level courses may be taken for graduate credit in the program of study. In addition, you must be admitted to this degree program before finishing your first 12 units of graduate work.

    This program includes all the coursework requirements for the Arizona ESL Endorsement. Students interested in pursuing this endorsement should choose BME 420 as an elective.

    For this plan, you need not demonstrate proficiency in a second language, but you must have had some second-language learning experience. However, if you decide to apply for either the Bilingual Endorsement - Arizona Department of Education or the English as a Second Language Endorsement - Arizona Department of Education, you do need to fulfill the language proficiency and teacher certification requirements established by the Arizona Department of Education. This requirement may be met in several ways, including six (6) semester hours of study in a foreign language, passing the Spanish Proficiency exam, or Tribal documentation of proficiency in a Native Language. All endorsements are granted through the Arizona Department of Education.

    All endorsements are granted through the Arizona Department of Education.

  • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.