TESOL Undergraduate

TESOL Major - Liberal Arts

36-38 Total Credits

Foreign Language Requirement
Candidates must have demonstrated proficiency in language study of a single foreign language, which can occur through two years of high school study, four semesters of university study, or other equivalent means of demonstrating proficiency in foreign language study.  This foundation requirement is not included in the number of credit hours needed for the major proper: the foundation requirement of two years of foreign language study is separate from the Directed Electives.

Required Courses  24 cr. hrs.
ENGL 211 Intro to TESOL: Reading and Writing. 3 cr.
ENGL 220 Structure of English 3 cr.
ENGL 322 Acquisition of Language 3 cr.
ENGL 360 Theory and Methodology of TESOL 3 cr.
ENGL 373 Techniques in Tutoring: TESOL Practicum 3 cr.
ENGL 420 Pedagogical Grammar 3 cr.
ENGL 351 Phonetics and Phonology 3 cr.
ENGL 475 Assessment and Testing in TESOL 3 cr.

Directed Electives 12-14 cr. hrs.
This requirement can be fulfilled through a combination of language study, study abroad, and courses listed in section 5 below or through courses selected from section 5 alone.  Appropriate study abroad programs would include those with whom UWRF has associations, such as The Hessen Exchange in Germany, Wisconsin in Scotland, Wisconsin in China, and University of Guadalajara in Mexico.  TESOL/MODL (German, Spanish, for examples) double majors may fulfill the directed electives with 12 credits chosen from the MODL courses listed in section 5 below.

Select among:
1. Language Option 0-8 cr. hrs.
Select 0-8 credits from among 201, 202, 301, 302, and 401 from one of the following languages: Chinese, German, Japanese, or Spanish. (Students cannot double-count courses taken to satisfy the foundation language requirement above for this directed electives category.)

2. Semester Abroad Research 0-6 cr. hrs.
A TESOL-based ENGL 378 or any department's 378, that is based in the discipline of TESOL and has an advisor or co-advisor from TESOL may be used to fulfill this requirement with prior approval. Requires department approval and may be added to a student’s DAR by program exception signed by the chair of the Department of English.

3. Semester Abroad 0-6 cr. hrs.
INTS 377  Semester Abroad: Europe
Credits earned in Semester Abroad or the International Traveling Classroom could be used to meet this requirement.  Courses other than INTS 377 need to be approved prior to engaging in the experience as appropriate to the TESOL major by the chair of the Department of English and may appear in this category on the DAR by program exception form signed by the chair.

4. Select up to two of the following courses 0-6 cr. hrs.
ENGL 379 Cooperative Education and Internship II 3 cr.
MODL 376 Mexico: A Cultural Experience 3 cr.
HIST 371 Study Tour Research: China or Italy 3 cr.

5. Select from the following courses to fulfill the Directed Electives component 0-12 cr. hrs.
ENGL 230 International Short Fiction 3 cr.
ENGL 232 Contemporary Drama 3 cr.
ENGL 306 Postcolonial Film and Literature 3 cr.
ENGL 317 East Asian Film and Literature 3 cr.
ENGL 441 20th Century International Fiction  3 cr.
ENGL 442 World Cinema 3 cr.
ENGL 450 Non-Native Speakers of the Midwest 3 cr.
GERM 315 Classic and Modern German Film 3 cr.
GERM 352 Survey of German Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 341 Spanish Civilization to 1800 3 cr.
SPAN 342 Spanish Civilization 1800 to Present 3 cr.
SPAN 345 Latin American Civilization to 1800 3 cr.
SPAN 346 Latin American Civilization 3 cr.
SPAN 350 Spanish Phonetics 3 cr.
SPAN 351 Survey of Spanish Literature I 3 cr.
SPAN 352 Survey of Spanish Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 355 Survey of Latin American Literature I 3 cr.
SPAN 356 Survey of Latin American Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 371 Business and Culture in the Hispanic World 3 cr.
SPAN 372 Spanish for the Trades and Profession 3 cr.
SPAN 452 Advanced Spanish Literature 3 cr.
SPAN 455 Advanced Latin American Literature 3 cr.
COMS 213 Intercultural Communication 3 cr.
ECON 312 Political Economy of Discrimination 3 cr.
GEOG 342 Latin America 3 cr.
GEOG 343 Africa 3 cr.
GEOG 344 Asian and Oceana 3 cr.
HIST 201 Introduction to Asian Civilization 3 cr.
HIST 202 Introduction to Latin American Civilization 3 cr.
HIST 204 United States Immigration and Ethnic History 3 cr.
HIST 209 Introduction to African History 3 cr.
HIST 333 Silk, Spices, and Silver:  The Making of the Global Exchange System to 1700 3 cr.
HIST 332 The Islamic Middle East to 1500 3 cr.
HIST 334 Modern China 1800 to Present 3 cr.
HIST 335 Modern Japan 1600 to Present 3 cr.
HIST 336 Traditional East Asia, Prehistory to 1800 3 cr.
HIST 349 Middle Eastern History and Politics 3 cr.
PHIL 245 Eastern Religions and Islam 3 cr.
SOCI 220 Sociology of Diversity 3 cr.
ANTH 231 / SOCI 231 Sociology of Globalization 3 cr.
ANTH 314 / SOCI 314 Faces of Culture 3 cr.
ANTH 322 / SOC 322 Race and Ethnicity 3 cr.
ANTH 331 / SOCI 331 Global Perspectives on Women 3 cr.
ANTH 338 / SOCI 338 Global Perspectives on Health and Disease 3 cr.
POLS 212 The Politics of Equality and Inequality in the United States 3 cr.
POLS 260 Introduction to International Relations 3 cr.
PSYC 385 Psychology of Prejudice and Racism 3 cr.

6. Required supporting course 3 cr. hrs.
MATH 216 Elementary Statistical Concepts 3 cr.

TESOL Education Major

36-38 Total Credits

Teacher License, English as a Second Language,
Grades K -12, DPI Code: 1395
 

Foreign Language Requirement
Candidates must have demonstrated proficiency in language study of a single foreign language, which can occur through two years of high school study, four semesters of university study, or other equivalent means of demonstrating proficiency in foreign language study. This foundation requirement is not included in the number of credit hours needed for the major proper: the foundation requirement of two years of foreign language study is separate from the Directed Electives.

Required courses 27 cr. hrs.
ENGL 211 Introduction to Language and Linguistics 3 cr.
ENGL 220 Structure of English 3 cr.
ENGL 322 Acquisition of Language 3 cr.
ENGL 360 Theory and Methodology of TESOL 3 cr.
ENGL 373 Techniques in Tutoring: TESOL Practicum 3 cr.
ENGL 420 Pedagogical Grammar 3 cr.
ENGL 450 Non-Native Speakers of the Midwest 3 cr.
ENGL 351 Phonetics and Phonology 3 cr.
ENGL 475 Assessment and Testing in TESOL 3 cr.

Directed Electives 9-11 cr. hrs.
This requirement can be fulfilled through a combination of language study, study abroad, and courses listed in Section 5 below or through courses selected from Section 5 alone. Appropriate international programs would include those with whom UWRF has associations, such as Shih Hsin University in Taiwan, The Hessen Exchange in Germany, Wisconsin in Scotland, Wisconsin in China, and University of Guadalajara in Mexico. TESOL/MODL (German, Spanish, for examples) double majors may double count up to 12 credits of MODL language courses in this directed electives section with any combination of credits chosen from section 5 below.

Select among
1. Language Option 0-8 cr. hrs.
Select 0-8 credits from among 201, 202, 301, 302, and 401 from one of the following languages: Chinese, German, Japanese, or Spanish. (Students cannot double-count courses taken to satisfy the foundation language requirement above for this directed electives category.)

2. Semester Abroad Research 0-6 cr. hrs.
A TESOL-based ENGL 378 or any department's 378, that is based in the discipline of TESOL and has an advisor or co-advisor from TESOL may be used to fulfill this requirement with prior approval. Requires department approval and may be added to a student's DAR by program exception signed by the chair of the Department of English.

3. Semester Abroad 0-6 cr. hrs.
INTS 377 Study Abroad: Europe
Credits earned in Semester Abroad or the International Traveling Classroom could be used to meet this requirement. Courses other than INTS 377 need to be approved prior to engaging in the experience as appropriate to the TESOL major by the chair of the Department of English and may appear in this category on the DAR by program exception form signed by the chair.

4. Select from the following courses 0-6 cr. hrs.
ENGL 379 Cooperative Education and Internship II 3 cr.
MODL 376 Mexico: A Cultural Experience 3 cr.
HIST 371 Study Tour Research: China or Italy 3 cr.

5. Select from the following courses to fulfill the Directed Electives component 0-9 cr. hrs.
ENGL 230 International Short Fiction 3 cr.
ENGL 232 Contemporary Drama 3 cr.
ENGL 306 Postcolonial Film and Literature 3 cr.
ENGL 317 East Asian Film and Literature 3 cr.
ENGL 441 20th Century International Fiction 3 cr.
ENGL 442 World Cinema 3 cr.
GERM 315 Classic and Modern German Film 3 cr.
GERM 352 Survey of German Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 341 Spanish Civilization to 1800 3 cr.
SPAN 342 Spanish Civilization 1800 to Present 3 cr.
SPAN 345 Latin American Civilization to 1800 3 cr.
SPAN 346 Latin American Civilization 3 cr.
SPAN 350 Spanish Phonetics 3 cr.
SPAN 351 Survey of Spanish Literature I 3 cr.
SPAN 352 Survey of Spanish Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 355 Survey of Latin American Literature I 3 cr.
SPAN 356 Survey of Latin American Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 371 Business and Culture in the Hispanic World 3 cr.
SPAN 372 Spanish for the Trades and Profession 3 cr.
SPAN 452 Advanced Spanish Literature 3 cr.
SPAN 455 Advanced Latin American Literature 3 cr.
COMS 213 Intercultural Communication 3 cr.
ECON 312 Political Economy of Discrimination 3 cr.
GEOG 342 Latin America 3 cr.
GEOG 343 Africa 3 cr.
GEOG 344 Asian and Oceana 3 cr.
HIST 201 Introduction to Asian Civilization 3 cr.
HIST 202 Introduction to Latin American Civilization 3 cr.
HIST 204 United States Immigration and Ethnic History 3 cr.
HIST 209 Introduction to African History 3 cr.
HIST 332 The Islamic Middle East to 1500 3 cr.
HIST 333 Silk, Spices, and Silver: The Making of the Global Exchange System to 1700 3 cr.
HIST 334 Modern China 1800 to Present 3 cr.
HIST 335 Modern Japan 1600 to Present 3 cr.
HIST 336 Traditional East Asia, Prehistory to 1800 3 cr.
HIST 349 Middle Eastern History and Politics 3 cr.
PHIL 245 Eastern Religions and Islam 3 cr.
SOCI 220 Sociology of Diversity 3 cr.
ANTH 231 / SOCI 231 Sociology of Globalization 3 cr.
ANTH 314 / SOCI 314 Faces of Culture 3 cr.
ANTH 322 / SOC 322 Race and Ethnicity 3 cr.
ANTH 331 / SOCI 331 Global Perspectives on Women 3 cr.
ANTH 338 / SOCI 338 Global Perspectives on Health and Disease 3 cr.
POLS 212 The Politics of Equality and Inequality in the United States 3 cr.
POLS 260 Introduction to International Relations 3 cr.
PSYC 285 Psychology of Prejudice and Racism 3 cr.

6. Required supporting courses 3 cr. hrs.
MATH 216 Elementary Statistical Concepts 3 cr.

Teacher Education Courses - TESOL
In addition to the required TESOL major courses, students need to be admitted and progress through three "tiers" of the Educator Preparation Program. In each tier, candidates are evaluated as potential teachers. A GPA minimum of 2.75 is required in all professional education courses.

Teacher Education (TESOL) courses to be completed before admission to Tier I of the Education Preparation Program:

TED 100   Introduction to Teaching 3 cr.
TED 250   Educational Psychology for Teachers 3 cr.
ENGL 252   Multicultural Education: Language, Literature, Media, and Philosophy 3 cr.
SPED 330   Introduction to Special Education 3 cr.

Teacher Education (TESOL) courses to be completed before admission to Tier II of the Education Preparation Program:

TED 428   Techniques of TESOL 3 cr.

Student Teaching 12 credits
TED 421   Student Teaching Seminar 2 cr.
TED 472   Student Teaching - Initial 10 cr.
TED 474   Student Teaching - COST International 5 cr.
TED 479   K-12 Teaching Intership  5 cr.

TESOL Minor - Liberal Arts

24 Total Credits

This minor requires 24 credits of core courses and electives. Candidates must have demonstrated proficiency in language study of a single foreign language, which can occur through two years of high school study, four semesters of university study, or other equivalent means of demonstrating proficiency in foreign language study. This foundation requirement is not included in the number of credit hours needed for the minor proper; the foundation requirement of two years of foreign language study is separate from the Directed Electives.

Required Courses 21 cr. hrs.
ENGL 211 Introduction to TESOL: Reading and Writing 3 cr.
ENGL 220 Structure of English 3 cr.
ENGL 322 Acquisition of Language 3 cr.
ENGL 360 Theory and Methodology of TESOL 3 cr.
ENGL 373 Techniques in Tutoring: TESOL Practicum 3 cr.
ENGL 420 Pedagogical Grammar 3 cr.
ENGL 351 Phonetics and Phonology 3 cr.
ENGL 475 Assessment and Testing in TESOL  3 cr.

Required Supporting Course Work in Cultural Study 3 cr. hrs.
If you plan to earn 3 credits in an internship or traveling program appropriate to the discipline of TESOL, those credits may be used to meet this requirement. Credits that are approved prior to engaging in the experience as appropriate to the TESOL minor by the chair of the Department of English may appear in the category on the DAR by a program exception form signed by the chair. Otherwise, select one of the following:

ENGL 230 International Short Fiction 3 cr.
ENGL 232 Contemporary Drama 3 cr.
ENGL 306 Postcolonial Film and Literature 3 cr.
ENGL 317 East Asian Film and Literature 3 cr.
ENGL 441 20th Century International Fiction  3 cr.
ENGL 442 World Cinema 3 cr.
ENGL 450 Non-Native Speakers of the Midwest 3 cr.
GERM 315 Classic and Modern German Film 3 cr.
GERM 352 Survey of German Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 341 Spanish Civilization to 1800 3 cr.
SPAN 342 Spanish Civilization 1800 to Present 3 cr.
SPAN 345 Latin American Civilization to 1800 3 cr.
SPAN 346 Latin American Civilization 3 cr.
SPAN 350 Spanish Phonetics 3 cr.
SPAN 351 Survey of Spanish Literature I 3 cr.
SPAN 352 Survey of Spanish Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 355 Survey of Latin American Literature I 3 cr.
SPAN 356 Survey of Latin American Literature II 3 cr.
SPAN 371 Business and Culture in the Hispanic World 3 cr.
SPAN 372 Spanish for the Trades and Profession 3 cr.
SPAN 452 Advanced Spanish Literature 3 cr.
SPAN 455 Advanced Latin American Literature 3 cr.
COMS 213 Intercultural Communication 3 cr.
ECON 312 Political Economy of Discrimination 3 cr.
GEOG 342 Latin America 3 cr.
GEOG 343 Africa 3 cr.
GEOG 344 Asian and Oceana 3 cr.
HIST 201 Introduction to Asian Civilization 3 cr.
HIST 202 Introduction to Latin American Civilization 3 cr.
HIST 204 United States Immigration and Ethnic History 3 cr.
HIST 209 Introduction to African History 3 cr.
HIST 333 Silk, Spices, and Silver:  The Making of the Global Exchange System to 1700 3 cr.
HIST 332 The Islamic Middle East to 1500 3 cr.
HIST 334 Modern China 1800 to Present 3 cr.
HIST 335 Modern Japan 1600 to Present 3 cr.
HIST 336 Traditional East Asia, Prehistory to 1800 3 cr.
HIST 349 Middle Eastern History and Politics 3 cr.
PHIL 245 Eastern Religions and Islam 3 cr.
SOCI 220 Sociology of Diversity 3 cr.
ANTH 231 / SOCI 231 Sociology of Globalization 3 cr.
ANTH 314/ SOCI 314 Faces of Culture 3 cr.
ANTH 322/ SOC 322 Race and Ethnicity 3 cr.
ANTH 331/ SOCI 331 Global Perspectives on Women 3 cr.
ANTH 338/ SOCI 338 Global Perspectives on Health and Disease 3 cr.
POLS 212 The Politics of Equality and Inequality in the United States 3 cr.
POLS 260 Introduction to International Relations 3 cr.
PSYC 285 Psychology of Prejudice and Racism 3 cr.

Required supporting course work 3 cr. Hrs.
MATH 216 Elementary Statistical Concepts 3 cr.

TESOL Education Minor

33 Total Credits

Candidates must have demonstrated proficiency in language study of a single foreign language, which can occur through two years of high school study, four semesters of university study, or other equivalent means of demonstrating proficiency in foreign language study. This foundation requirement is not included in the number of credit hours needed for the minor proper; the foundation requirement of two years of foreign language study is separate from the Directed Electives.

Required Courses 24 credits
ENGL 211 Introduction to TESOL: Reading and Writing 3 cr.
ENGL 220 Structure of English 3 cr.
ENGL 322 Acquisition of Language 3 cr.
ENGL 360 Theory and Methodology of TESOL 3 cr.
ENGL 373 Techniques in Tutoring:  TESOL Practicum 3 cr.
ENGL 420 Pedagogical Grammar 3 cr.
ENGL 451 Phonetics and Phonology 3 cr.
ENGL 475 Assessment and Testing in TESOL 3 cr.

Directed Electives (required supporting courses) 9 credits
ENGL 450 Nonnative Speakers in the Midwest 3 cr.
MATH 216 Elementary Statistical Concepts 3 cr.
TED 428 Techniques in Elementary/Middle School Education: TESOL  3 cr.

Hyun Sung Jang, TESOL major 
New Position: Doctoral student studying educational psychology at Auburn University
Hometown: Uiwang, South Korea 

Hyun Sung Jang graduated in 2019 with a degree in TESOL. Currently, he is a doctoral student studying Educational Psychology at Auburn University. As a research assistant, he investigates the impact of self-efficacy, self-regulation, and achievement goals in student learning. His work with professors and colleagues has been published in the American Educational Research Association and the American Psychological Association. Moreover, he is currently working on two book chapters and several journal publications that discuss educational psychology theories and environmental impacts on education. In addition to research, he teaches an undergraduate adolescent development class. In his class, he encourages students to develop their research and collaboration skills through project-based learning. 

Read what Hyun Sung Jang had to say about his experience at UWRF

What did you like most about your time as a TESOL major or minor at UWRF?
“I was a TESOL student from 2015 to 2019. During my time, I was really grateful for the opportunity to expand my knowledge through accessible, understanding, and critical professors in my program. I did not hesitate to stop by my professors’ offices to further discuss the course content and my questions. Every time, the door was open, and professors expressed a warm welcome to me. More importantly, they did not try to convince me of their philosophical beliefs. Instead, they helped me construct my own philosophical lens by sharing constructive feedback with me. In a nutshell, the supportive faculty in the TESOL program at UWRF was something that I cannot thank enough.”

How have specific English/TESOL courses at UWRF prepared you for the workforce? Are there any specific skills you can think of that you learned? 
“In terms of content knowledge, the TESOL classes that I took from UWRF are not directly related to my current doctoral work. However, the activities that I did in my TESOL classes definitely became the steppingstone for my doctoral degree. For example, in English 360 (Theory and Methodology of TESOL), I was asked to research a variety of theories for English Learners (e.g. top-down vs. bottom-up). Through this activity, I developed my research skills, and they became a huge support when I needed to write literature reviews. Also, most child and adolescent development textbooks include a chapter about language development. For this chapter, not only did I cover how infants acquire language, but I could also teach how their language developments would differ from those who learn language at a later time due to my TESOL background.” 

What’s the best advice you would give a future TESOL major or minor? 
“Advice 1. Utilize office hours: The more you visit professors, the more you learn about their experiencers that are specialized into your interests. During the class, professors cannot solely focus on you, but office hours are perfect avenues to develop your own critical thinking. 

Advice 2. Develop teaching experience: I was a tutor at the ESL tutoring center, and I observed different kinds of learning challenges that my tutees had. I strongly suggest you walk around the campus and initiate conversations with international students. Even though many of them will act shy, they would love to talk to you. Your job is to ask them about their language and cultural barriers so that you can become a better teacher.

Advice 3. Save your class notes: I still have all of my TESOL class notes. They can be good references as you start teaching in the field. These notes will give you more insightful ideas than you ever thought. Don’t throw them away.”

Sylvia Kass, TESOL major, graduated in 2019
New Position:  Graduate Student intern for the Office of Student Involvement at UWRF and graduate student at St. Cloud State for Higher Education Administration. 
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota

Sylvia Kass graduated in 2019 with a degree in TESOL and is now working as the Graduate Student intern for the Office of Student Involvement at UWRF and attending grad school at St. Cloud State for Higher Education Administration. In the future, she hopes to use her skills and education to become a college teacher in order to work with students from diverse backgrounds, preferably in international education. 

Read what Sylvia had to say about her experience at UWRF

What did you like most about your time as a TESOL major or minor at UWRF?
“My TESOL major allowed me to travel the world and to put my skills to the test! In my junior year, I taught English in Taiwan for a month. Then, in my senior year, I completed a research project in Romania about English-Teaching jobs available in Bucharest, the capital city. Both were amazing experiences!”

How have specific TESOL/English courses at UWRF prepared you for the workforce? Are there any specific skills you can think of that you learned? 
“I believe it was my TESOL Practicum (TESOL 373 with Dr. Pavlov) where everything finally clicked for me: I’m going to be a teacher! This class was super helpful and taught me a lot of practical classroom skills. We also had the opportunity to tutor an international student attending UWRF, which was an incredible experience! I became good friends with the student I worked with; we still follow each other on Instagram years later. Finally, I felt very prepared for grad school with the skills from this program.” 

What’s the best advice you would give a future TESOL major or minor? 
“Find opportunities to utilize the skills you’re learning! That could look like tutoring, working in the Writing Center or for the OWL, or studying/teaching abroad. I learned so much from my hands-on experiences. Also, get to know your professors! They know SO MUCH about the field, and they can help you even after graduation.”

Kit Zuelke, TESOL major
Current Positions:  TESOL Graduate Student at UWRF, Student Manager of UWRF’s ESL Center, Intern for the TESOL Department, and Technical Support Member and Content Integration Member for a software company called Tevera
Hometown: Stratford, WI

Read what Kit had to say about his experience at UWRF

What are you currently doing in your career or life?  
“Quite a few different opportunities are occurring in my career/life as of right now, much of which I can attribute to experiences and individuals within the TESOL Program at UWRF. The following parts of my career and life, I can attest, are direct results of my time here at UWRF.

In terms of schooling, I graduated in December of 2020 with a B.S. in TESOL, and I am currently attending UWRF for an M.A. in TESOL with an expected graduation date of Spring 2023. I decided to pursue this not only because it would help set me up for future career goals of teaching overseas but also because I sincerely enjoyed learning and working with the instructors and other academic staff in my department at UWRF. They are extremely supportive and are amazing resources. The work that I have done in both my undergraduate and graduate degree, along with the advice, support, and relationships that I have formed with the said department faculty, have made me sincerely consider pursuing a PhD or other doctorate program in my field—something I had not considered doing until this point! This motivation stems largely from the support and feedback I received from individuals within the department about my competency, work ethic, and interest in my field.

In terms of career, I currently hold two jobs while in graduate school. The first job I have is as the Student Manager for UWRF’s English as a Second Language (ESL) Center. Here, I both manage—such as scheduling, budget, payroll, etc.—as well as tutor. This job is where I make the most use of my undergraduate and in-progress graduate degrees, and is the main reason that I am able to be involved within my field and within the international community. The other job I have is as a Technical Support Member and Content Integration Member for a software company called Tevera. This job makes particular use of my other degrees that I earned from UWRF—specifically, my minor in Professional Writing and Editing. I am especially grateful for my experiences gained from earning that minor degree, as I highly doubt that I would have this job without the expertise I gained from the instructors, classes, and work I completed within that minor.

In addition, I am also working within my field via an internship at UWRF under the tutelage of Dr. Doug Margolis. This internship was primarily to satisfy some missing credits that had cropped up in completion of my Master’s degree, but it has turned into a much more invaluable experience. The internship has allowed me to further explore interests within my field in many different ways. One way is allowing me the opportunity to explore content directly in the TESOL field; namely, Assessment and Testing in Language Teaching. I have been able to delve deeper into aspects about this field that may not be covered in the undergraduate or even graduate degree, and it has even led me to possibly pursue further graduate work in this area. Another way that the internship has become more impactful on me is by allowing me to explore other areas of my career and studies that aren’t directly related to TESOL. In this case, it would be Higher Education and Curricular Development. I have been given the opportunity to not only help develop curricular material for the Assessment and Testing course taught here at UWRF, but I will also be given the opportunity to co-teach in a limited capacity in order to gain first-hand experience in a potential career field. Lastly, this internship has given me the opportunity to work directly with faculty and staff within my department, which has led to further discussions, advice, and gained expertise in my field.”

What did you like most about your time as an English/TESOL major or minor at UWRF?
“Though it may be a bit cliché, what I like most and appreciate the most about my time as a TESOL major at UWRF are the various relationships that I have formed with both domestic and international students that I met and continue to meet on and off campus. My catch-all phrase for my experience with my degree is that ‘I will never not have a place to go—I’ll have friends in the places I’ve gone and new experiences to have in the places I haven’t been.’
 
This degree can take you everywhere and anywhere, and it will create relationships with many along the way. The people that I have met while I’ve been here at River Falls and abroad have already given me a network of world-wide friendships—from the United Kingdom to Ukraine, to China and Japan and South Korea, and even to India and Africa and back again. If I hadn’t pursued this degree and been as involved as I was with the international community, I don’t think I would be where I am today, knowing who I know, and having the experiences that I do. This major has given that to me.”

How have specific English/TESOL courses at UWRF prepared you for the workforce? Are there any specific skills you can think of that you learned? 
“In general, every course that I have taken, regardless of major, minor, or otherwise, has prepared me to be a better thinker, questioner, and teacher. I love learning! However, if I had to testify to one specific course that has prepared me for a circumstance that I am currently in, it would have to be Dr. Vladimir Pavolv's ENGL 451/651 Pronunciation in Language Learning and Teaching. I am currently working with an individual to improve their speaking skills, and the information that I have learned in this course has proven to have the utmost invaluableness in providing me with the expertise, experience, and resources to help this individual. Not only that, but it has also given me the groundwork from which to further pursue and grow my expertise within English phonology so that I can further improve my current individual’s experience as well as better prepare myself for future situations just like this one.
 
Another instance that I have already alluded to above would be the skills that I have gained in the field of Professional Writing and Editing. The classes that I took with Dr. Mialisa Moline about rhetoric, document design, professional language use in writing, and other such Professional Writing and Editing skills have not only improved my academic skills of writing essays, research reports, and other such documents, but it has also played a major role in my success as an employee at Tevera. The position that I hold there is heavily based in written correspondence with users of the software; the writing skills I have gained have been invaluable in my success there, especially in the creation and editing of written content articles.”

What’s the best advice you would give a future English/TESOL major or minor? 
“Be. Involved. Your college experience is only what you make of it; if you put in the effort, you will be rewarded. So, get to know your professors. Go to office hours. Take the extra steps in class. Do that study abroad program (or programs!) if you can. The ESL Center is a relatively small operation, but if you are given the opportunity to be a tutor, do it! Though the pandemic has reduced the size of our international community, get involved with international students, programs, and clubs! Take a foreign language class! Use your general education and electives to explore as many different things as you can!
 
As a future TESOL graduate and ESL/EFL Teacher, our career field depends on being involved, eclectic, and exploratory. Language is everywhere (especially English)! Your future students are going to come from all walks of life, cultures, and interests—being involved in as many as you can will only set you up for an amazing experience both in your collegiate career and beyond it!”