Advisors: Virginia David, Susan Piazza, Selena Protacio, Magda Tigchelaar

The Accelerated Graduate Degree Program (AGDP) in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) allows qualifying students to begin accumulating credits toward completion of a Master of Arts degree in TESOL while still enrolled as undergraduates in teacher education programs. Undergraduate students admitted to the AGDP may take up to 12 credit hours of designated 5000 and 6000-level classes for graduate credit. These designated courses may be used in completion of both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree.

The 30-hour program of study is identical to the MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Students will pay undergraduate tuition for the designated AGDP 5000 and 6000-level courses as undergraduates, and the courses will be included in the flat tuition rate. On completion of the undergraduate degree, the student will be re-classified as a graduate student and then will pay graduate tuition rates for additional courses leading to the M.A. Students who previously have received their baccalaureate degrees will be ineligible to apply for this program and retroactively claim credits toward the M.A. TESOL degree.

Admission criteria

1. Students must have a declared major that leads to initial teacher certification in Michigan, and have a minimum accumulated grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (based on at least 45 earned credit hours, 15 of which shall be earned at Western Michigan University).
2. The student completes the online graduate application (www.wmich.edu/apply) and within the application selects the application type “Accelerated degree seeking - only available to current WMU undergraduate student.”
3. International students must clarify their visa status with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services before submitting an application for AGDP.
4. For international students, minimum iBT TOEFL score of 89 with a minimum subscore of 20 for writing or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum subscore of 6 for writing. Provisional admission would require a minimum iBT TOEFL score of 70 and a minimum IELTS score of 6.

Admission procedure

1. As early as possible in the academic junior year, the student contacts the graduate program advisor to discuss this AGDP option and review the requirements, timelines, and application procedures.
2. The student completes the online graduate application.
3. Upon acceptance into the AGDP, the student meets with the graduate program advisor and an undergraduate academic advisor to prepare an appropriate program of study that meets the requirements for the undergraduate and graduate degrees.
4. The AGDP Course Approval Form that lists the graduate courses to be counted in both degrees will be sent to the student and to the registrar. A copy of this form will also be included in the student’s graduate file.

Requirement for continuing eligibility and graduation:

1. Students must complete the requirements for the M.A. degree within 24 months from the completion of the bachelor’s degree. Students unable to meet this requirements must apply for an extension with the director of graduate studies in the Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies.
2. To progress automatically into the graduate program, students must achieve a grade of “B” or better in each of the graduate courses being counted for the undergraduate degree, as well as maintain a 3.0 GPA overall in their major. Students will be admitted as graduate students (with the relevant graduate credit) in the next semester or session after receiving the bachelor’s degree. Students who do not meet these requirements will have the earned grade applied to their undergraduate degree only and must apply for readmission into the graduate program.
3. Students in the AGDP must follow the program of study developed with the graduate director and the undergraduate advisor. Failure to follow this program of study may result in ineligibility for the AGDP.
4. Both undergraduate and graduate transcripts will show that the student completed the AGDP.

Withdrawal

A student may withdraw from an approved AGDP at any time by informing the director of the undergraduate program and the graduate advisor in writing. A copy of this withdrawal statement will be forwarded to the Graduate College and the Registrar’s Office.