Applied Linguistics courses

Join us in putting language to work!

Exciting programs in Applied Linguistics at Macquarie University

Applied Linguistics is the application of language study to address real-world challenges. For many people, this takes the form of a career in language teaching, editing and publishing, or consulting in the area of professional communication.

While you may be energised by the immediacy of the classroom and learners, you may also be seeking to specialise in a range of areas, including curriculum development, language testing and evaluation, or leading and managing language programs, to name but a few. Or perhaps you are seeking formal qualifications in editing and electronic publishing to enhance your career prospects.

Whether you are aspiring to a language-related career and are interested in an entry level qualification, or are an experienced teacher, editor or language professional looking to take your career to the next level, Macquarie University has a program to suit you.

While some of our courses have a strong practical focus on teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), our underlying philosophy is that language is fundamental to human existence and has important work to do. Our units of study therefore explore in depth the ways in which language works, showing how linguistic elements like grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation are deeply connected with issues of identity, diversity, social justice, and intercultural communication.

If you’re passionate about language, we’d love to have you join us!

Why choose to study Applied Linguistics at Macquarie University?

Flexible delivery
You can complete your qualification in Applied Linguistics and TESOL entirely on campus or online, or a combination of both. Domestic students and international students who are studying outside Australia can complete these qualifications part-time if they wish to do so. Our Editing and ePublishing course is offered fully online.
Internationally relevant
More than 1000 Macquarie graduates in Applied Linguistics and TESOL fields live and work across Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa, North America and South America. Our current students come from over fifteen different countries. Many of our staff have experience teaching and/or researching in many parts of the world.
Highly regarded
Macquarie University’s Linguistics Department sits in the top 50 Linguistics Departments internationally (#27 – QS Rankings 2021). Our research record has been assessed at “above world standard” by Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).

Our courses

We offer three qualifications: the Graduate Certificate of TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages), and the Master of Applied Linguistics and TESOL. Both of these courses are endorsed by NEAS (as TESOL Teacher and Academic Manager qualifications respectively) and by NESA (the New South Wales Educational Standards Authority) as courses that provide an EAL/D specialization for qualified school teachers. Our Graduate Certificate in Editing and Electronic Publishing is the longest running online editing and publishing qualification in Australia.

The Graduate Certificate of TESOL is a course designed for prospective teachers wishing to teach English to speakers of other languages. It is also suitable for qualified school teachers who are seeking a specialist EAL/D (English as an additional language or dialect) qualification. This course will prepare you for a variety of language teaching contexts in Australia and overseas. It integrates current theory and practice of TESOL, including teaching methodologies, programming and planning, and linguistics for language teaching. The course covers a range of language learning contexts, varying by age, social and cultural backgrounds.
The Master of Applied Linguistics and TESOL covers theoretical and methodological issues, with a particular focus on TESOL. Through this course, you will develop your understanding of the complex relations between language and context in professional and educational settings. You will also have many opportunities to apply this understanding to the teaching and learning of languages. This qualification is valued by major TESOL employers in Australia and internationally.
The Graduate Certificate of Editing and Electronic Publishing is designed for practising editors who are looking to consolidate and expand their skill set into new areas of publishing, as well as for people with limited editing experience wanting to gain a qualification that will aid their employment prospects in the industry. It provides the academic tools to make informed decisions about preparing a text for publication, using linguistic knowledge including grammar, cohesion and regional variation.

Career opportunities

Graduates may find employment in a variety of Australian and overseas English language teaching contexts, including:

Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP)
English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students (ELICOS)
primary and secondary school EAL/ESL programs (for qualified school teachers)
overseas language colleges for young, adolescent and adult learners
overseas schools as teacher assistants (requirements will vary by country)
in private companies as language tutors in English for Specific Purposes programs
professional editing services
communication consulting to government and business organisations.

Our research strengths

Our research spans a very wide range of areas of enquiry, all connected by themes of language learning and teaching, and language in society on a local and global scale.

TESOL methodology
second language classroom interaction
language teacher cognition
systemic functional grammar and its applications
sociocultural approaches to language learning and teaching
language teaching curriculum design
academic literacy and research communication
genre-based pedagogy
internationalisation of higher education
intercultural communication
linguistic experiences of multilingual speakers
settlement experiences of migrants in Australia
bilingual education
social consequences of linguistic diversity
individual differences in second language acquisition
interpreter-mediated communication
communication in healthcare interactions
terminology in healthcare
lexicography and lexical innovation
regional variation and English in international contexts.

Our people

Current academic staff:

Honorary associates:

What our students say

Alumni testimonial for the Graduate Certificate of TESOL

“The department requires EALD teachers to be qualified, and I successfully gained a position through the merit selection process. I enrolled at Macquarie University, as the department stipulates that you do a practicum.

I also received a scholarship through the STEP program, where the Department of Education paid $5000. (The new scholarship has increased.) I also received four study days.

All the units for the Graduate Certificate of TESOL were practical. The units were interrelated and beneficial for the classroom. The practicum allowed me to put all that I had learnt into practice. The lecturers were available to assist you via the forums, and other students assisted if they could.

The workload was challenging, but I had a schedule and ensured that I stuck to it. The assignments were spaced out during the semester; however, the final ones were all due in the same week, but they were manageable as you were given assistance within enough time to complete them.

I would recommend this course to classroom teachers who need ways to improve student writing, as you learn how to analyse texts and speech. The other courses relate to the classroom and how to assist ESL students. Schools with significant NESB students would benefit from these courses.”

Karen Sparrow
Graduate Certificate of TESOL

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