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Studies & Degrees in Bilingual Education

Bilingual education means teaching school subjects in two languages, so that pupils learn mathematics, science or history and a second language at the same time. As a field of study it prepares teachers and school leaders for classrooms where more than one language is used. Students learn how children acquire a first and a second language, how to plan a lesson that teaches content and language together, and how to assess pupils in both languages.

The subject has two main traditions. In the United States it grew around pupils who speak another language at home, often Spanish, and it is closely linked to teaching English as a second language (ESL or TESOL). In Europe it is usually called CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning): part of the ordinary curriculum is taught in a foreign language, most often English.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree with teacher licensing. In the United States the subject is often a specialisation of a teaching degree. The Elementary Education - Bilingual/Bicultural Teacher Education programme at Illinois State University focuses on the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures, prepares students for a licence to teach in bilingual elementary classrooms in grades 1-6 and includes over 300 hours of field experience before student teaching. The university also has a minor in Bilingual Education. Boston University lists a BS in Bilingual Education/Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
  • Bachelor's degree (grado) in Spain. Spanish universities offer bilingual versions of the primary and early childhood teaching degrees. The Grado en Educación Primaria - Bilingual at the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU in Barcelona lasts 4 years and has 240 ECTS credits. Part of the teaching practice can be done in bilingual schools in Spain or in schools in England and Ireland.
  • Master's degree and certificates for teachers. Kean University in New Jersey offers an M.A. in Bilingual/Bicultural Education and a separate certification in bilingual education. Both are designed for certified teachers, and the master's is open to teachers at all levels. Students compare how language and reading skills are acquired in a native and a second language and complete a two-semester thesis project in the final year.
  • Short qualifications. Cambridge English offers TKT CLIL as a specialist module of its Teaching Knowledge Test. Each TKT module is assessed through an 80-minute multiple-choice test.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 19 active schools under bilingual education: 10 in Spain, 8 in the United States and 1 in Mexico. They are of two kinds, and it helps to know which one you need.

The first group is universities, where teachers are trained. It includes Kean University, Illinois State University, Boston University, Wayne State University, Long Island University, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and the University of Northern Colorado in the United States, and in Spain the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU and the Universidad de Salamanca. US programmes are taught in English, often together with Spanish. Spanish programmes combine Spanish (and Catalan in Barcelona) with English.

The second group consists of schools and academies that teach in two or more languages. Examples in Spain are Caxton College near Valencia and Sage College in Jerez de la Frontera, which follow the British curriculum, and Colegio Logos in the Madrid area, where Spanish, English and German are used from the early years. The International School of Broward in Florida works in English and French.

In Spain, bilingual teaching in state schools is organised by each autonomous community. According to Eurydice, the education authorities may establish that part of the subjects of the curriculum is taught in a foreign language, and schools that do so cannot use language requirements as an admission criterion. The oldest national scheme is the Programa Educativo Bilingüe of the Ministry of Education and the British Council, which began in 1996. It runs from the second cycle of early childhood education to the fourth year of compulsory secondary education. The ministry states that it is taught in 148 schools: 90 public primary schools and 58 secondary schools.

Careers

Most graduates work as teachers in bilingual, dual-language or international schools, as ESL or foreign-language support teachers, or as programme coordinators.

A degree alone does not always allow you to teach. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that all states require public school teachers to be licensed or certified for the grade level they teach, and requirements vary by state. It projects little or no change in overall employment of kindergarten and elementary school teachers from 2025 to 2035, with about 99,400 openings a year, mostly to replace teachers who leave. In Spain, each autonomous community sets the requirements for teaching in its bilingual programme. Check the rules of the place where you plan to work.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between bilingual education and CLIL?

Bilingual education is the general term for teaching school subjects in two languages. CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) is the name used mainly in Europe for teaching part of the curriculum in a foreign language.

Do I need to be a qualified teacher to study bilingual education?

It depends on the level. Bachelor's programmes such as the one at Illinois State University lead to a first teaching licence. Master's programmes and certificates such as those at Kean University are designed for teachers who are already certified.

How long does a bilingual teaching degree take in Spain?

The Grado en Educación Primaria - Bilingual at the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU lasts 4 years and has 240 ECTS credits.

Which languages are used in bilingual education programmes?

In the United States most programmes pair English with Spanish. In Spain the usual pair is Spanish and English, with the co-official language where there is one, and some schools add German or French.