Outstanding Faculty

One of the primary deciding factors for students who choose the Anaheim University Doctor of Education in TESOL is the quality of the highly esteemed faculty who teach AU students in weekly live webcam classes.

• Second Language Acquisition Expert Dr. Rod Ellis and former Presidents of the TESOL International Association (Dr. David Nunan, Dr. Mary Ann Christison and Dr. Andy Curtis) teach students through live face-to-face HD webcam classes as well as at face-to-face residential sessions
• Doctor of Education in TESOL Program Designer Dr. Rod Ellis was awarded the Duke of Edinburgh prize for the best book in applied linguistics for his Oxford University Press classic The Study of Second Language Acquisition
• All courses are taught by applied linguists and authors for such publishers as Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Thomson Publishing, Prentice-Hall, Longman, McGraw-Hill, etc.
• 100% of the AU TESOL faculty are regular speakers at various international TESOL conferences and are considered to be experts in the field of TESOL by the TESOL community.

Curriculum

The Ed.D. in TESOL program includes courses in four areas that link theory, research, practice and professional development.

1. Studies in Applied Linguistics

This area is broad-based. It aims to provide students with the disciplinary knowledge that forms TESOL. It addresses the linguistic, psycholinguistic, psychological and sociolinguistic foundations of language teaching. On completing the courses in this area, students will have developed a clear understanding of theories of language learning, and of the theoretical and empirical underpinnings of different language teaching approaches, instructional materials, and language testing.

• EDU 700 Instructed Second Language Acquisition (4 credits)
• EDU 701 Interlanguage Pragmatics (4 credits)
• EDU 702 Individual Learner Differences in Language Learning and Teaching (4 credits)
• EDU 703 Sociolinguistics and Language Teaching (4 credits)
• EDU 704 Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers (4 credits)
• EDU 705 Language Testing (4 credits)
• EDU 706 Special Topic (4 credits)

2. Aspects of Language Teaching

This area is more practice-oriented. It examines the principles that inform the design and evaluation of courses in language teaching. It provides students with an opportunity to engage in projects directly related to TESOL and thereby to develop the skills required of leaders in the field.

• EDU 710 Curriculum Design (4 credits)
• EDU 711 Technology and Language Education (4 credits)
• EDU 712 ELT Materials Development (4 credits)
• EDU 713 Special Topic (4 credits)

3. Professional Development

This area seeks to lay the ground for students’ ongoing professional development. It focuses narrowly on two key domains of professional activity in TESOL – ELT management and teacher education.

• EDU 720 ELT Management (4 credits)
• EDU 721 Language Teacher Education (4 credits)

4. Research Methods for Language Teachers

While students will have been introduced to a range of research relevant to TESOL in the other areas of the Ed.D, this area seeks to develop the knowledge and skills needed to design research studies and to collect and analyze data. It provides a platform for the students’ work on their dissertation.

• EDU 730 Qualitative Research Methods (4 credits)
• EDU 731 Quantitative Research Methods (4 credits)
• EDU 732 Dissertation Proposal Writing (4 credits)

In addition, students will complete a dissertation (EDU 733 Dissertation) worth 12 credits

Pioneers in the Field of TESOL

The Anaheim University Graduate School of Education prides itself on pioneering the field of TESOL in the mid-1990s with the world’s first Masters in TESOL program to be taught online in real time.

Work Full Time & Study Online

The AU Ed.D. in TESOL program is designed to help you balance your career, education, and personal responsibilities. Study online at your convenience while maintaining your full-time job, and immediately apply the knowledge and skills you gain in your professional practice.

Courses are delivered entirely online, offering maximum flexibility, while also including the opportunity to connect in person with faculty and classmates from around the globe. Attend two four-day residential sessions held in California or other select locations. These sessions are scheduled from Thursday to Sunday or Saturday to Tuesday, minimizing the time you need to be away from work.