Undergraduate Certificates

• Linguistic Studies
• Professional Communication
• TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)

All students who wish to pursue an undergraduate certificate should meet with the certificate director to discuss the program and availability of courses and fill out the "Add Certificate" form.  When students have successfully completed the certificate requirements, they must come to the department to complete a certificate application form.

Certificate in Linguistic Studies

330008C

Director, Dr. Arthur L. Palacas

Completion of six linguistically oriented courses is required as follows: the foundation course, two core courses and at least three elective courses. Three or more of the courses must be at the 300/400 level. (Subject to approval by the program director, other theoretically oriented linguistics courses may substitute for core courses.) Download our handout for more information.

To obtain the certificate, a student must have at least two semesters of language. A student entering the program should discuss plans with the director.

Foundation: (Required)

• 3300:371 Introduction to Linguistics

Core: (Minimum of two of the following)

• 3300:472 Syntax
• 3600:481 Philosophy of Language
• 3870:461 Language and Culture
• 7700:230 Speech & Language Development
• 7700:430 Aspects of Normal Language Development

Electives

• 3300:400 Anglo Saxon
• 3300:470 History of the English Language
• 3300:471 U.S. Dialects: Black and White
• 3300:473 ST: Teaching ESL: Theory and Method
• 3300:489 ST: Sociolinguistics
• 3460:460 Artificial Intelligence and Heuristics Programming
• 3580:405,6 Spanish Linguistics
• 3600:170 Introduction to Logic
• 3600:374 Symbolic Logic
• 3600:418 20th Century Analytic Philosophy
• 3600:471 Metaphysics
• 5200:335 Teaching of Language Arts
• 7600:325 Intercultural Communication
• 7700:210 Introduction to Clinical Phonetics
• 7700:101 American Sign Language I

Certificate in Professional Communication

H70008C   

Co-Director, Dr. Joseph F. Ceccio

The program will help meet our technological society’s growing need for educated people who can develop sophisticated strategies for effective communication of business and technical information. People in the business community increasingly depend on communication to solve complex management, sales and information processing problems. The communication demands of business and industry are significant, and in many ways, different from those dealt with in traditional courses and majors. This certificate will recognize their preparation for handling the communication needs of business and industry, and must be earned concurrently with an undergraduate (associate or bachelor’s) degree. Download our handout for more information.

- Certificate Requirements -

A student who already possesses an undergraduate degree may directly pursue this certificate.

• 3300:390 Professional Writing I
• 3300:391 Professional Writing II
• 7600:309 Public Relations Publications
• 7600:345 Business & Professional Speaking

Undergraduate Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language

330003C

Director: Wei Zhang, Ph.D.
wz23@uakron.edu
330-972-5216

This program is intended for both native and non-native speakers of English who seek training in the teaching of English as a second language (ESL) and wish to obtain an initial qualification to teach ESL/EFL (English as a foreign language) in educational settings other than public schools in Ohio or in countries outside the United States. For Ohio qualification in teaching ESL in the Ohio public school system, visit the TESOL Endorsement site.

The program is designed to introduce the student to central issues in the theory and practice of teaching English to non-native speakers through courses in modern and applied linguistics, in second language pedagogy, and in related disciplines. Download our handout for more information.

Students who do not have English as a native language must demonstrate adequate proficiency in English with a valid TOEFL score of 580 (paper based)/213 (computer based)/79 (Internet based/iBT) or higher, or a valid IELTS score of 6.5 or higher.

The awarding of this certificate is not contingent upon completion of a degree program. Undergraduate certificate programs require a 2.00 grade-point average.

• Students admitted with an undergraduate status are required to take 3300:111 English Composition I and 3300:112 English Composition II prior to applying for the certificate.

• All students who wish to pursue the TESL certificate should meet with the program director to discuss the program and availability of courses.

This certificate requires the completion of a minimum of 18 credit hours of course work, including five core courses and one elective course.

Core Courses (Min. Credits: 15 )

Course Credits

• 3300:371 Introduction to Linguistics 3   OR   3300:466 Linguistics and Language Arts 3

• 3300:473 Theoretical Foundations & Principles of ESL* 3
• 3300:478 Grammatical Structures of English 3
• 5500:487 Techniques of Teaching English as a Second Language 4
• 3300:477 Sociolinguistics   OR     3300:486 Learner English 3

Electives (Min. Credits: 3)**

• 3300:470 History of English Language 3
• 3300:472 Syntax 3
• 3300:477 Sociolinguistics 3
• 3300:487 Field Experience: Teaching Second Language Learners 3
• 3580:405 Spanish Linguistics: Phonology 4
• 5500:485 Teaching Language Literacy to Second Language Learners 4
• 7600:325 Intercultural Communication 3
• 7700:230 Language Science & Acquisition 3
• 7700:430 Aspects of Normal Language Development 3

*Students should have successfully completed 3300:371 or 466 prior to taking 3300:473

**Choice to be decided in consultation with the program director.