Required courses are held on Sundays, and elective courses are generally held on Saturdays. However, we also offer some elective courses on Sundays, so it is possible for you to complete the program even if you cannot take classes on Saturdays. Please note, however, that it may take longer to finish the program as electives held on Sundays may not be offered regularly (see page 6 for further information).

The majority of our students are in-service teachers. Still you are eligible to apply for the program if you meet other conditions (see page 6, Admission Information); however, you will need to have access to an English teaching site when you take the two practicum courses. For details, contact the TESOL Office.

You can apply for the MA TESOL Program from overseas. However, if you pass the first screening we ask you to be on campus in Japan for the second stage of the entrance exam. There are no exceptions to this point. If you pass the entrance examination, we will issue required documents for you to apply for a student visa. Please note that it is the students’ responsibility to apply for and obtain a visa. Those who are unable to obtain a visa will not be enrolled in the program.

We do not offer scholarships for the MA TESOL Program. However, we offer a credit exemption system for teaching experience and post-graduate credits from other institutions (see page 2 for further information).

Yes, you can. For enrollment in the MA TESOL Program from April in the year of your graduation, you need to apply during the Fall Semester (application period from Dec. to Jan.). Please note that students who do not complete their undergraduate studies for whatever reason will be withdrawn from the program.

Certificate students take the same courses as MA students. Therefore, all credits obtained in the Certificate Program are transferrable to the MA TESOL Program. Certificate students also do not need to pay the admission fee of JPY 250,000 until their status changes to ‘MA student’. Certificate students may choose to take up to 3 credits beyond the required 10 credits without any extra fees and will be exempted from taking these credits upon enrollment in the MA TESOL Program. Please note that certificate students must complete the 10 required credits in one year (two semesters) upon entry into the Certificate Program. Those who are unable to do so will be charged extra fees to complete the Certificate Program (65,000 yen per credit). For details, contact the TESOL Office.

?This program is designed mainly for in-service teachers of English in Japan, both native and non-native speakers of English.
?Classes are held on weekends and during long vacations to fit the teachers’ schedule.
?All classes are conducted in English.
?Students are accepted twice a year (September and April).
?Students will be able complete all the requirements for MA in two and a half to three years.
?The venue is located in Kanda, Tokyo.
?The tuition is determined based on the number of credits which students register for.
?The program focuses on:
　(1) Practice
　(2) Professionalism
　(3) Reflection
　(4) Community

The teaching style of our program is interactive, with a strong emphasis on sharing among students through discussion and reflection, both in and out of class. There is a strong emphasis on practice in all courses; theory courses aim at linking what is being taught to helping teachers become more effective in the classroom. The program as a whole emphasizes the building of a community of teachers who support each other and help each other continue to grow as professionals throughout the program and beyond.

In this program, students become professional teachers, with the ability to make effective decisions that help their students learn. Our students learn how to connect the latest understandings from research about teaching and learning to their own practice, improving how they teach. They learn through practice in workshops and practicum courses where they are given the opportunity to try out new ideas and get helpful feedback from their instructors and peers. They learn about the English language and also how to use it effectively in teaching.

There is currently no other graduate teacher education program in Japan that provides the practical emphasis that this one does. The instructors in the program share this educational philosophy and have long experience working with teachers to help them develop their abilities to teach, to reflect on their practice, and use their knowledge to make effective decisions in the classroom.

The curriculum of this program is practical. Courses focusing on the English language (Pedagogical English Grammar, English Phonetics and Phonology) help develop an understanding of English for effective teaching. Theory courses (e. g., Second Language Acquisition, Second Language Assessment) are all taught in ways that link theory to the classroom, aiming to help teachers understand how theoretical knowledge can inform their practice. But most of all, this program has a greater emphasis on practical courses than any other program in Japan. The practical thread runs throughout the program, from the initial course in Principles and Practices of the TESOL Classroom through two full-semester practica that will involve practice micro-teaching and observation, to a wide range of intensive practical workshops focused on specific aspects of teaching that may hold special interest for individual teachers.
In no other program will teachers get the same level of input about teaching, opportunities to practice (and explore in their practice), and feedback from a supportive community of fellow teachers.