Policies
For more information about our policies, please refer to the TESOL Student Handbook.
Credit Transfer
A maximum of 10 quarter hours of graduate credit (500 level or above) with a grade of B or above may be transferred from a regionally accredited institution to count toward the total credit requirement. The transfer of these courses must be approved by the TESOL advisor and the program coordinator, as well as by the Dean of the College of Education and the Office of the Registrar.
If you complete courses as a transitional student at Seattle University, you must petition to have these courses counted toward graduation requirements as a matriculated student.
If you wish to attend another institution while enrolled at Seattle University, other than the School of TESL and plan to transfer the earned credits into this program, you must consult with your advisor prior to undertaking this coursework. If the course is approved, you must complete a petition for exception to policy after completing this coursework. It is your responsibility to gather the relevant course information when requesting enrollment at a second institution. The course must be a regularly-organized graduate course offered by a regionally accredited institution. An official transcript from the second institution showing the completed credits must be submitted to your advisor, usually within thirty days after the completion of the coursework. To be transferred, the course must receive a grade of B or higher. (Non-graded courses are not eligible.) Petition forms for this process are available from the Program Office (206-296-5908).
Graduate level courses taken while you were working toward an undergraduate degree cannot be transferred, nor can courses be transferred that will be more than six years old by the time you graduate from the TESOL program.
In addition, courses from the School of TESL have been pre-approved for transfer; these are 900-level courses. In order to be accepted, however, all EPDES 900 level courses must be done at the graduate level. You are responsible for informing the instructor that you want to complete a 900 level course at the graduate level. A maximum of 12 credits is allowed to be applied toward one of the master's degrees, six credits toward the post-master's certificate (see School of TESL).
Employment
It is a good idea to begin your job search months before graduation. This includes watching for openings in relevant professional publications and employment hotlines, and networking actively. Community college teachers who are willing to relocate have the most success, because the local job market is extremely competitive, with few openings.
Those most successful in the job search take lots of initiative and send out résumés to a number of sites. TESOL students have an opportunity to develop job search skills (résumé, interview, etc.) through SU's Career Services, at 206-296-6080. You are also given tips for the job search in the field of ESOL at a monthly Job Seminar for graduates and near-graduates at S-TESL. You have an opportunity to network with ESOL professionals through your internship and through involvement in the state and national professional associations. The TESOL program also hosts occasional information sessions on teaching EFL in various parts of the world (these are announced via email).
The TESOL program maintains current job listings on the bulletin board outside Loyola 411. Students who have taken or are taking courses at S-TESL have access to the employment resources, including job notices for employment in the U.S. and abroad, available in S-TESL's Student Lounge. Also available are the resources available on the TESOL organization’s Career Center website, including the TESOL Career Center's online Job Search.
Registration
You should meet with your advisor prior to your initial registration for courses. You will receive registration information and a registration time for access to the registration system prior to each registration cycle via SU email. It is therefore critical that you activate and monitor your Seattle University email account.
Registration is completed online at www.suonline.seattleu.edu. It is important to read the information carefully and follow the instructions. If for any reason you do not receive registration information, call the Registrar's Office immediately (206-220-8030). DO NOT WAIT UNTIL REGISTRATION BEGINS!
Courses have enrollment limits and sometimes fill to capacity early in the registration period. Check course enrollments at www.suonline.seattleu.edu frequently. If someone drops out of a course, a space is created and is available to the next person who tries to register for the course. If you are closed out of a course and are uncertain what other courses to enroll in, contact your advisor.
If a course is full and closed, admission to that course is at the discretion of the instructor. Permission is usually not granted unless there are serious consequences, such as the course not being offered for at least one more year and the student needing the course to graduate in the current year.
Graduation and Commencement
Graduation and commencement do not mean the same thing. Graduation comes after the completion of all coursework and other degree requirements and can occur at the end of any quarter. Commencement is the annual formal ceremony in June at which degrees and diplomas are presented.
To qualify for graduation, you must first apply for graduation (see deadlines listed below), complete all coursework and examinations (including the Comprehensive Examination), and remove any ‘holds’ on your records (caused by book fines, unpaid late registration fees, etc.). To apply for graduation, you must do so via SUOnline (www.suonline.seattleu.edu). Application must be made by the following deadlines:
Winter Quarter Graduation: October 1 of year prior to graduation
Spring Quarter Graduation: November 1 of year prior to graduation
Summer Quarter Graduation: February 1 of year of graduation
Fall Quarter Graduation: February 1 of year of graduation
When all degree requirements are met, graduates will have their degrees posted (meaning that ‘Master’s Degree Requirements Completed’ is stamped on your transcript) at the end of the quarter of graduation, and your diploma will be mailed to you in approximately eight weeks. Prior to receiving your diploma, you may request that a letter be sent to you stating that your degree requirements have been completed. This letter is available from the Registrar’s office by emailing your request to registrar@seattleu.edu.
Seattle University policy allows graduate students who have six credits or fewer left to complete to participate in commencement ceremonies held at the end of spring quarter. Students planning to "Attend Commencement with Deficiencies" must apply for graduation by November 1.
PMC students should apply for the Post-Master's Certificate in their last quarter by filling out Certificate Completion Application, available from the TESOL program office (Loyola 304B) or from the Registrar's office, and obtaining the necessary signatures.