2024-2025 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

Applied Linguistics Minor

Requirements for the General Track
Course Requirements

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

General Track

The general track of the applied linguistics minor is designed for students interested in pursuing the 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

Nine required credits:

English Electives

Nine credits required. Select from the following courses:

Cross-departmental Electives

Three credits required. Select from the following courses:

ESL Track

The ESL track of the applied linguistics minor is designed for students seeking elementary (e.g. PCKET majors) or secondary teaching 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 an initial Michigan teaching license. To qualify for ESL endorsement, students must also pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) in ESL.

Course Requirements

For students beginning their degree program at GVSU starting in Fall 2024: The ESL minor requirements are undergoing revision to meet new MDE standards. The information below provides the requirements applicable to all students who began the ESL minor before Fall 2024. The revised requirements will be published as soon as they become available. Contact your advisor for updated information.

Twenty three (23) credits were required. 18 credits in English, and a supervised teaching practicum offered by the College of Education and Community Innovation to fulfill the applied linguistics minor/ESL track.

English Courses

Required (18 credits):

CECI Practicum

Required (5 credits):

EDR 470 - Directed Teaching in ESL: Elementary (5 credits) OR EDR 471 - Directed Teaching in ESL: Secondary (5 credits)

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 of college-level study. Students pursuing a B.A. from GVSU fulfill this state requirement by completion of the degree requirement that includes 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 a PCKET major pursuing certification in grades 3-6, the ESL minor fulfills the emphasis requirement.
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.