Studies & Degrees in Language Teaching
Language Teaching Study Programs
Language teaching is the training of people who teach a language to those who do not speak it as their first language: English as a foreign language (EFL, TEFL or TESOL), Spanish as a foreign language (ELE), French, German, Italian and others. It is a subject in its own right, separate from knowing the language well. Students learn how languages are acquired, how to analyse grammar and pronunciation for learners, how to plan lessons, choose materials and assess progress, and they practise teaching real classes under observation.
Much of the profession works with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which describes language ability on a six-point scale from A1 for beginners to C2.
Qualifications and levels
There are two main routes: short professional certificates, and university degrees. Which one you need depends on where you want to teach.
- Certificates for teaching English. CELTA, from Cambridge, is a qualification for teaching English as a foreign language. It can be taken full time, usually over 4–5 weeks, or part time over a few months to a year, at more than 280 authorised centres, and it includes teaching practice with groups of learners. The Trinity CertTESOL is at Level 5 on the Ofqual Regulated Qualifications Framework in the United Kingdom, with a total qualification time of 200 hours and a minimum of six hours of teaching practice with real learners. Many private schools also run their own TEFL courses; Canterbury Consulting Spain SL in Madrid, for example, offers a one-month, 120-hour TEFL course.
- Training for teachers of Spanish. The Instituto Cervantes offers on-site and online courses for teachers, the DADIC diplomas, which accredit teaching competences, and an official master's in ELE in collaboration with the UIMP and the UNED. Several Spanish language schools run short courses for teachers: Escuela Montalbán in Granada aims its Spanish teacher training courses at European teachers and adult education professionals, and Instituto Mediterráneo Sol, also in Granada, lists a training course for non-native teachers of Spanish.
- University degrees. In Spain a bachelor's degree (grado) normally has 240 ECTS credits and an official master's degree 60, 90 or 120. To teach languages in Spanish secondary schools, vocational training and official language schools, the regulated route is the official master's degree for teachers of secondary education, vocational training and language teaching. It has 60 ECTS credits, and students must prove a foreign language at CEFR level B1.
- Online master's programmes. The Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER) offers a Máster en Formación de Profesores de Español como Lengua Extranjera through a virtual campus. Applicants need a university degree, and the diploma is issued by the university in which the student enrols.
Short certificates and school-run courses differ a great deal in length, teaching practice and external assessment. Trinity advises looking for supervised teaching practice with real learners, external moderation and recognition by employers. Ask each school what recognition its qualification has before you enrol.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 62 active schools for language teaching. Spain has 20 and the United Kingdom 6; Canada, Ireland and the United States have 3 each, and Bolivia, Mexico, Italy, France, Germany and Argentina 2 each. Most are language schools that train teachers alongside their language courses. In Spain the list includes Escuela Montalbán and Instituto Mediterráneo Sol in Granada, Tenidiomas in Jerez de la Frontera, which lists teacher training among its English courses, Canterbury Consulting Spain SL in Madrid and FUNIBER in Barcelona. Universities in the list include the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima, the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
Careers
Language teachers work in private language schools, secondary schools, universities, adult education, companies and online. Requirements differ by sector. Private language schools usually ask for a certificate such as CELTA or CertTESOL, while state schools ask for the national teaching qualification.
In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that adult education and ESL teachers in public schools typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and that some community colleges prefer a master's degree or graduate coursework in adult education or ESL. It projects employment of adult basic and secondary education and ESL teachers to decline 14 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,800 openings each year from replacement needs.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a degree to teach a language abroad?
It depends on the employer and the country. Short certificates such as CELTA or CertTESOL are the usual entry route to private language schools. State schools require the national teaching qualification, which in Spain is an official master's degree of 60 ECTS credits.
How long does a TEFL certificate take?
CELTA takes 4–5 weeks full time, or a few months to a year part time. The Trinity CertTESOL has a total qualification time of 200 hours.
Can non-native speakers become language teachers?
Yes. Some courses are aimed at them, such as the training course for non-native teachers of Spanish at Instituto Mediterráneo Sol in Granada. Ask the course provider which language level it requires.
How can I train to teach Spanish as a foreign language?
Through short courses at language schools, the teacher training courses of the Instituto Cervantes, or a master's degree in ELE. The Instituto Cervantes offers an official master's in collaboration with the UIMP and the UNED.