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Why choose the School of Education
Our English courses rank 1st in their subject field for continuation, where students are happy to carry on with their studies after the first year (Complete University Guide, 2024).
The course is one of only a few in the UK offering six hours of supervised, observed and assessed teaching practice at undergraduate level.
The course follows British Council regulations; on successful completion, you achieve TEFLi status (initial TEFL teacher status).
About the course
This course offers you the professional, specialised knowledge and practical skills you need to teach English as a second language while exploring aspects of the English language, linguistics and literature. It offers a professional qualification for aspiring teachers of English as a second language but also for L2 materials developers, TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) practitioners, and researchers in language teaching and learning. TESOL is also a great way to work and travel abroad and in the UK.
Industry endorsement
This course follows British Council regulations.
Facilities and specialist equipment
- State-of-the-art online technology to monitor and evaluate your teaching practice and enhance your progress as a language teacher and researcher
- Multi-media space for webinars and podcasting
- Four-storey library with extensive range of physical and digital resources as well as PCs, group-work areas, presentation-practice rooms and a silent study floor
- Access the Hockliffe Collection, a unique collection of 18th- and 19th-century children’s books, as well as our Cinderella archive of books, scripts, designs, theatrical memorabilia and ephemera relating to the Cinderella story
- 80-seat black-box theatre and 260-seat professional theatre
Industry links
As one of the largest providers of teacher education in the eastern region, we have well-established partnerships with more than 500 schools and other associated organisations, a network that puts us at the forefront of educational developments.
Our partnerships with local councils, charities, schools and colleges offer you work experience supporting learners of English as a second language with free English classes.
Student experience
- Our Bedford campus is a small, thriving academic community where academic staff get to know you well.
- You also benefit from the support of your own personal tutor, a subject and/or placement mentor, a unit and course coordinator, and the additional support of our experienced library staff.
- You gain the practical skills you need to teach English as a second language, exploring teaching techniques and how to develop resources and materials for different learner groups.
- You complete six hours of supervised teaching practice, where a qualified and standardised assessor observes you and provides feedback.
- Students can access the research expertise of our world-leading Centre for Research in English Language Learning and Assessment (CRELLA).
- You also have the opportunity to collect original data and carry out academic research in TESOL.
with Professional Practice Year
This course has the option to be taken over four years which includes a year placement in industry. Undertaking a year in industry has many benefits. You gain practical experience and build your CV, as well as being a great opportunity to sample a profession and network with potential future employers.
There is no tuition fee for the placement year enabling you to gain an extra year of experience for free.
*Only available to UK/EU students.
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with Foundation Year
A Degree with a Foundation Year gives you guaranteed entry to an Undergraduate course.
Whether you’re returning to learning and require additional help and support to up-skill, or if you didn’t quite meet the grades to pursue an Undergraduate course, our Degrees with Foundation Year provide a fantastic entry route for you to work towards a degree level qualification.
With our guidance and support you’ll get up to speed within one year, and will be ready to seamlessly progress on to undergraduate study at Bedfordshire.
The Foundation Year provides an opportunity to build up your academic writing skills and numeracy, and will also cover a range of subject specific content to fully prepare you for entry to an Undergraduate degree.
This is an integrated four-year degree, with the foundation year as a key part of the course. You will need to successfully complete the Foundation Year to progress on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree.
Why study a degree with a Foundation Year?
- Broad-based yet enough depth to give you credible vocational skills
- Coverage of a variety of areas typically delivered by an expert in this area
- Gain an understanding of a subject before choosing which route you wish to specialise in
- Great introduction to further study, and guaranteed progression on to one of our Undergraduate degrees
The degrees offering a Foundation Year provide excellent preparation for your future studies.
During your Foundation Year you will get the opportunity to talk to tutors about your degree study and future career aspirations, and receive guidance on the most appropriate Undergraduate course to help you achieve this; providing you meet the entry requirements and pass the Foundation Year.
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Course Leader - Dr Claudia Saraceni
I have been working at the ÑÇÉ«ÊÓƵ (formerly University of Luton) since 1994 teaching various modules such as Italian Language and Literature, Applied Linguistics and TEFL as well as Language Acquisition and Stylistics at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
I have been involved in English Language Teacher Training and Applied Linguistics for more than 20 years and I am now also managing, and teaching the MA Applied Linguistics TESOL.
Course Leader - Dr Claudia Saraceni
I have been working at the ÑÇÉ«ÊÓƵ (formerly University of Luton) since 1994 teaching various modules such as Italian Language and Literature, Applied Linguistics and TEFL as well as Language Acquisition and Stylistics at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
I have been involved in English Language Teacher Training and Applied Linguistics for more than 20 years and I am now also managing, and teaching the MA Applied Linguistics TESOL.
What will you study?
Studying our English with TESOL BA (Hons) course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to teach English as a second language with the combined studies of the English language, linguistics and literature. As an English student, you will also be introduced to a range of literary genres including poetry, drama and fiction in our Approaching Literature unit while also exploring a range of theoretical approaches to these texts. Similarly, our Children’s and Young Adult Fiction unit will familiarise you with a range of fictional genres written for children, including film adaptations, fairy tales, and other popular fiction. In core areas of English study, our unit in Describing Language aims to introduce you to the main structures of English language while also familiarising you with the anatomy of the vocal tract and how sounds are produced.ÌýÌý
You will then build on key elements of English grammar, descriptive and communication skills in our English Sentence Structure unit while also looking at speech in The Sounds of English unit where you will study the relationship between phonology and grammar, speech and accent variation. This is discussed further in our Exploring Language unit where you will identify aspects of language and its value in specific career fields. Similarly, you will learn How Talk Works and How Text Works by focusing on the rules of conversation, its patterns and norms, and how it varies between people and situations. You will do the same with the written word by exploring the different ways texts are produced, its purposes and meanings to help build your language interpretation skills. In areas of teaching, you will be exposed to research in second-language learning in our Language Teaching, Learning and Assessment unit. Similarly, our TESOL Teaching Practice unit will allow you to apply current theoretical issues in language teaching and methodology to practice. This unit will help you gain the skills to design and deliver your own lessons and materials by exposing you to various teaching techniques and tasks.ÌýÌý
You will also be given an Introduction to Linguistics and Phonetics where you will learn how speech and language works, including on a scientific level, by exploring the anatomy of the vocal tract and how speech is produced. Furthermore, you will be provided with an overview of the nature of literacy in our Language, Literacy and Cognition unit and you will look at this on a cognitive level in our Psycholinguistics - Language and the Brain unit. Here, you will explore how language is developed and realised by the human mind and brain. Similarly, you will engage in the study of semantics in our unit called The Meaning of Meaning that will allow you to explore the nature of language interpretation from a cognitive perspective. Moreover, you will focus on how behaviour is understood within educational contexts in our Perspectives on Pedagogy and Behaviour. This unit particularly focuses on children and young people with impairments as well as prioritising their inclusion.ÌýÌý
How will you be assessed?
Assessment information is currently subject to approval.
Careers
The BA (Hons) English with TESOL not only offers a professional qualification for aspiring teachers of English as a second language but also for TESOL practitioners and researchers in language teaching and learning, linguistics and literature. A TESOL qualification is a great way to work and travel abroad and in the UK as you will have the theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the English language classroom to move into a range of exciting careers in language schools in the UK and worldwide.
You also have the choice to continue with your studies at Master’s level with our MA Applied Linguistics (TESOL) course, which offers fully qualified TEFL teacher status (TEFL Q), or progress to initial teacher training with a PGCE qualification
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
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International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,250 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
Ìý
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
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