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2020-2021 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Applied Linguistics Minor

For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section in this catalog.

Website: gvsu.edu/english

The applied linguistics minor has two tracks: The general track (21 credits) and the ESL track for those seeking K-12 ESL teaching certification (23 credits).

General Track

The general track of the applied linguistics minor is designed for students who are interested in pursuing a systematic study of language and applied issues in language teaching, language learning, and language use. Students with a minor in applied linguistics/general track are well prepared to teach English internationally as well as to work in such settings as adult literacy, refugee services, nonprofit/NGO services, and electronic and print publishing. The minor is an excellent disciplinary complement to majors such as anthropology, classics, communications, computing and information systems, English, education, modern languages, philosophy, psychology, and writing.

Requirements for the General Track

The general track requires three foundation courses and four electives for a total of 21 credits. Three electives must be chosen from English. The fourth elective must be chosen from the cross-departmental elective list or be approved by an English linguistics advisor.

Foundation Courses

There are nine credits required, including:

English Electives

There are nine credits required:

Cross-departmental Electives

There are three credits required:

ESL Track

The ESL track of the applied linguistics minor is designed for students seeking elementary (including CSAT) or secondary teacher certification in the U.S. The curriculum meets Michigan Department of Education (MDE) standards for a teachable minor for elementary and secondary certification and leads to ESL endorsement, an add-on credential to a Michigan teaching license. To qualify for ESL endorsement, students must also pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) in ESL.

Course Requirements

There are 23 credits required. Students must complete 18 credits of coursework in English and a supervised teaching practicum through the College of Education to fulfill the applied linguistics minor/ESL track.

English Courses

There are 18 credits required.

COE Practicum

There are 5 credits required.

Note about extended practicum schedule: EDR 470/EDR 471 is offered in winter semesters only, during an extended (20-week) semester that ends approximately mid-June. Students must register for EDR 470/EDR 471 concurrently with their major subject area student teaching (EDI 430/EDI 431).

In addition to the required coursework, the MDE requires all candidates pursuing ESL endorsement to have documented experience learning a second language equivalent to two semesters' worth of college-level study. Students pursuing a B.A. from GVSU fulfill this state requirement by completion of the degree requirement that requires third semester proficiency in a second language. Students pursuing a B.S. from GVSU can fulfill the state requirement in one of the following ways:

  • Two semesters of second language study at the college level
  • Second semester proficiency in a second language as demonstrated by the appropriate proficiency exam(s) administered by the Modern Languages and Literatures Department or the Classics Department
  • Certificate from an intensive language institute verifying at least 15 weeks of intensive second language study

Note to students in the following areas of teacher certification:

  • If you are seeking elementary certification in a core subject (language arts, social studies, science, or math), you will need to complete two minors: the elementary distributed minor and the applied linguistics minor/ESL track.
  • If you are seeking elementary certification with a comprehensive science and arts for teaching (CSAT) major, the applied linguistics minor/ESL track fulfills the required "student-centered" minor.
  • If you are seeking secondary certification in any of the state-approved teachable majors, the applied linguistics minor/ESL track fulfills the requirement for a teachable minor for initial certification.

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