Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership - Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) Specialization, M.A.
Program Overview
The Master of Arts (M.A.) program in Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership with a specialization in Applied Linguistics and Language Education (ALLE) offers an interdisciplinary and research-driven curriculum designed for students who are passionate about addressing real-world language-related issues. This program is particularly focused on the intersection of multilingualism and education and equips students with the tools to explore how language diversity affects learning environments.
In this program, you’ll engage with a curriculum that prioritizes social justice and anti-racist practices and that is both theoretically rigorous and empirically grounded. The program emphasizes the importance of elevating the well-being of linguistically diverse students, families, schools and communities through research that seeks to advance equity in educational settings. With a strong focus on multilingualism, we provide you with opportunities to better understand the challenges and opportunities of language diversity in educational contexts.
The program is structured to support those who aim to pursue careers in academic publishing, non-profit leadership and higher education, particularly those who may be interested in furthering their studies toward a Ph.D. Upon graduating, you’ll be prepared for a variety of professional roles where the understanding of multilingualism and language education is critical.
1 in 4
students in Prince George’s County Schools speak a language other than English at home
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- Acquire the knowledge, skills and expertise necessary to apply theoretical constructs in linguistics and multilingualism to the foundations of language education.
- Develop the ability to lead and support school districts in implementing programs for multilingual students, including those focused on English language development, world language or dual language acquisition.
- Gain solid understanding of linguistics and language acquisition in both K-12 and adult education settings in order to advocate for language minority communities.
- Design and lead research projects aimed at enhancing educational outcomes for students in K-12 and other language education settings in non-profit, non-government, or governmental organizations.
How to Apply
How to Apply
Information on admissions and our application can be found on the University Graduate Admissions website.
Requirements
Program Requirements
All MA ALLE students are required to have completed, either prior to program admission or soon after enrollment, an introductory course in linguistics covering phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics, with cross-linguistic comparisons, such as the specialization’s core course, TLPL646 (offered in spring and usually summer terms) or an equivalent course approved by the advisor (e.g., SPAN625). This course may be counted toward Elective credits for the program. A course providing a descriptive overview of English grammar for pedagogical purposes does not meet this requirement.
The program consists of the courses listed below.
- TLPL 794: Investigating Policy, Pedagogy and Schooling
The MA ALLE’s specialization core course, TLPL646: Linguistics in Education, provides an overview of linguistics with topics that include phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics, with cross-linguistic comparison. Emphasis in this course is on aspects of special relevance to the field of education and language development of young learners.
Choose four courses from the list below:
- TLPL637: Teaching for Equity in Bilingual/Dual Language Immersion Programs. Offered every other Fall, odd years.
- TLPL740: Language and Education. Offered every other spring, odd years.
- TLPL743: Teaching English Language Learners: Current and Future Research Directions. Offered every other fall, odd years.
- TLPL744: Research Foundations of Second Language Education: Examining Linguistically Diverse Student Learning. Offered every other spring, odd years.
- TLPL788C: Linguistic ÌÇÐÄÉÙÅ® in Schools and Communities. Offered every other spring, even years.
- TLPL788I: Language Policy and Education. Offered every other fall, odd years. TLPL788P: Black Language and Culture. Offered every other spring, even years.
- TLPL788V: Sociolinguistics. Offered every other fall, even years.
Choose research methods courses that align with your proposed capstone project. All students are required to complete a minimum of 3 credits in research methods. Additional credits may be required to ensure that you acquire the necessary knowledge to complete your capstone. These additional credits will count toward the elective requirements for the MA program.
Available options include quantitative methods (e.g., TLPL 692, EDMS 646), qualitative methods (e.g., TLPL 791), or Discourse Analysis (TLPL 793).
Choose between the seminar paper option (3 credits) or the thesis option (6 credits).
The seminar paper option requires the completion of nine credits of electives, while the thesis option requires six credits of electives.
| Typical MA student completing seminar paper | Typical MA student completing thesis | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Faculty
Faculty
Our faculty are chosen for their expertise and dedication. They provide exceptional guidance and support to foster your academic and professional success.
Drew Fagan (Ed.D., Teachers College, Columbia University)
Clinical Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education, and Coordinator of the TESOL and Dual Language Education Specialization in the Ed.D. in School System Leadership Program
Shenika Hankerson (Ph.D., Michigan State University)
Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education.
Jeff MacSwan (Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles)
Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education, and Co-director of the Multilingual Research Center
Laura Mahalingappa (Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin)
Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education
Melinda Martin-Beltrán (Ph.D., Stanford University)
Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education
Sarah C. K. Moore (Ph.D., Arizona State University)
Assistant Clinical Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education
Loren Jones (Ph.D., University of Miami)
Associate Clinical Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education, and Coordinator of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certification Programs
Nihat Polat (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin)
Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education, and TLPL Department Chair.
Megan Madigan Peercy (Ph.D., University of Utah)
Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education, Co-director of the Multilingual Research Center, and Special Assistant to the Provost for Strategic Initiatives
Alejandro Perez Belda (Ph.D., University of Iowa)
Assistant Clinical Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education, and Coordinator of the World Language/Dual Language Education Programs
Kellie Rolstad (Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles)
Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education
Contact
Contact Us
