Requirements for the MAFLP Degree

Depending on the option chosen, between 30 and 42 credits are required, including at least 15 in the languages and literatures major and 9 in foreign language pedagogy. Course work for students planning to seek teacher certification as well as the degree consists of 33 credits, including 15 in the major language, 9 in Foreign Language Pedagogy, and 9 in Education. These students must also pass a teacher competency test as established by the University Council on Teacher Education and must student teach.

Course Work (Students not seeking Certification)

Single Major (30 credits):

Foreign Languages and Literatures

  • Five courses (15 credits). These credits must be earned in the classroom, not as thesis credits.

Foreign Language Pedagogy

  • Three courses (9 credits)
    • .
  • These courses must include Theoretical and Practical Issues in Foreign Language Teaching (FLLT623), or Methods of Teaching Foreign Language (FLLT/LING 621), Language Syllabus Design (FLLT/LING 622), and Second Language Testing (FLLT/LING 624). If the student has taken identical courses at the undergraduate level, other appropriate pedagogy courses (e.g. Methods of Teaching Language in Elementary Schools [FLLT 629]) may be substituted.
  • TAs are generally required to take FLLT 623. If a student has completed course work judged equivalent to FLLT 622, 623 or 624 and can provide documentation (e.g., teaching portfolio, syllabi, teaching certificate), substitutions within the field of FL pedagogy may be accepted (for example, such courses as FLLT 629 - Methods of Teaching FLES, Ling 676 - Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism, EDUC 631 - Instructional Design of Computer-Based Education, EDUC 632 - Internet Curriculum Applications).

Major/Minor (36 credits):

Foreign Languages and Literatures

  • Five courses (15 credits) in the major language/literature
  • Three courses (9 credits) in the minor
  • One course (3 credits) may either be in the major literature or in pedagogy
  • In no instance may the student take more credits outside the department than in the department in any one semester.

Foreign Language Pedagogy

  • Three courses (9 credits)
    • .
  • These courses must include Theoretical and Practical Issues in Foreign Language Teaching (FLLT623), or Methods of Teaching Foreign Language (FLLT/LING 621), Language Syllabus Design (FLLT/LING 622), and Second Language Testing (FLLT/LING 624). If the student has taken identical courses at the undergraduate level, other appropriate pedagogy courses (e.g. Methods of Teaching Language in Elementary Schools [FLLT 629]) may be substituted.
  • TAs are generally required to take FLLT 623. If a student has completed course work judged equivalent to FLLT 622, 623 or 624 and can provide documentation (e.g., teaching portfolio, syllabi, teaching certificate), substitutions within the field of FL pedagogy may be accepted (for example, such courses as FLLT 629 - Methods of Teaching FLES, Ling 676 - Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism, EDUC 631 - Instructional Design of Computer-Based Education, EDUC 632 - Internet Curriculum Applications).

Double Major (42 credits):

Foreign Languages and Literatures

  • Five courses (15 credits) in the major literature I
  • Five courses (15 credits) in the major literature II
  • One course (3 credits) may either be in the major literature or in pedagogy.

Foreign Language Pedagogy

  • Three courses (9 credits)
    • .
  • These courses must include Theoretical and Practical Issues in Foreign Language Teaching (FLLT623), or Methods of Teaching Foreign Language (FLLT/LING 621), Language Syllabus Design (FLLT/LING 622), and Second Language Testing (FLLT/LING 624). If the student has taken identical courses at the undergraduate level, other appropriate pedagogy courses (e.g. Methods of Teaching Language in Elementary Schools [FLLT 629]) may be substituted.
  • TAs are generally required to take FLLT 623. If a student has completed course work judged equivalent to FLLT 622, 623 or 624 and can provide documentation (e.g., teaching portfolio, syllabi, teaching certificate), substitutions within the field of FL pedagogy may be accepted (for example, such courses as FLLT 629 - Methods of Teaching FLES, Ling 676 - Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism, EDUC 631 - Instructional Design of Computer-Based Education, EDUC 632 - Internet Curriculum Applications).

Course Work (Students seeking Certification)

Students who wish to obtain teacher certification must take eleven 3-credit courses and one 1-credit course, for a total of 33 credits, distributed as follows:

Foreign Languages and Literatures

  • Five courses (15 credits). These credits must be earned in the classroom, not as thesis credits.

Foreign Language Pedagogy and Education

  • 18 credit hours (six 3-credit courses) to include Theoretical and Practical Issues in Foreign Language Teaching (FLLT623), or Methods of Teaching Foreign Language (FLLT/LING 621), Language Syllabus Design (FLLT/LING 622)*, and Second Language Testing (FLLT/LING 624). If the student has taken identical courses at the undergraduate level, other appropriate pedagogy courses (e.g. Methods of Teaching Language in Elementary Schools, FLLT 629), may be substituted.
  • Three 3-credit courses in Education are required:
    Educational Psychology--Social Aspects (EDUC 613), Educational Psychology--Cognitive Aspects (EDUC 614), and Diversity in the Classroom (EDUC 619). Since not all required courses are offered every semester, careful planning is essential. See the Coordinator of Foreign Language Education for details.
  • TAs are generally required to take FLLT 623. If a student has completed course work judged equivalent to FLLT 622, 623 or 624 and can provide documentation (e.g., teaching portfolio, syllabi, teaching certificate), substitutions within the field of FL pedagogy may be accepted (for example, such courses as FLLT 629 - Methods of Teaching FLES, Ling 676 - Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism, EDUC 631 - Instructional Design of Computer-Based Education, EDUC 632 - Internet Curriculum Applications).

    • *Note that FLLT/LING 422 offers a practicum for undergraduate FLE majors to which MAFLP certification trackers are invited. The requirements of the practicum include a clinical placement of 25 hours in a high school. Even if you are not able to attend the practicum on campus, you must complete the 25-hour clinical placement. See the Coordinator of Foreign Language Education, who will arrange for your placement.
  • Nine credit hours of Student Teaching (EDUC 400) completed during a fifth semester after obtaining the MAFLP Degree. Applications for student teaching (available on the UD Teacher Education website) are submitted to the Coordinator of Foreign Language Education in February of the spring semester for all placements in the following academic year ( i.e. you would apply in February 2010 for a student teaching placement in fall 2010 or spring 2011).

    • NOTE: As you complete your pedagogy course work and student teaching, you will be compiling a teaching portfolio. See required portfolio elements.

Speed Track:
Certification and the MAFLP Degree within Two Years

  • By taking all eleven required courses within three semesters, MAFLP students may maintain their funding while they do their student teaching in their fourth semester on campus. Funding for the fourth semester would most likely take the form of a tuition scholarship or a research assistantship.

    NOTE: As you complete your pedagogy course work and student teaching, you will be compiling a teaching portfolio. See required portfolio elements.

Comprehensive Examinations

  • The comprehensive examinations in the student’s major area or areas (i.e. French, German, Spanish, or Foreign Language Pedagogy) have a written as well as an oral portion. The examinations are based on reading lists available online or from the program advisor.
  • Admission to the oral examination will be granted only to those students who have passed the written examination.
  • Students who fail one or more parts of the examination may retake examinations in those areas only once.
  • For border-line cases, a written assignment will be required by the faculty.
  • For the minor field, there is no examination, but prior advisement to assure a coherent program is necessary. Students should contact any tenured member from the faculty of the minor field.
  • Results of the comprehensive examination will be forwarded to the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee, who will notify the Graduate Office when candidates have satisfied all requirements for the MA degree.