Foreign Language Teaching
Graduate Certificate
Online
Course Delivery
10
Total Credits
$700
Credit Hour
1 year
Minimum Duration
Program Overview
For experienced language educators and new teachers entering the field, the graduate certificate in Foreign Language Teaching offers a path to professional development that parallels the Master of Arts in Foreign Language Teaching (online since 2012). Our students and alumni teach a wide range of languages, in face-to-face and online contexts, from locations across the U.S. and around the globe. Our faculty are highly trained instructors and researchers who will guide you to explore contemporary methods and practices, second language acquisition theory, and national and international standards. Our courses use instructional technology extensively to support interaction and engagement, and they incorporate content and assignments that you can immediately apply to your planning and instruction.Maybe you already have a master’s degree in literature, education, international relations, or another area. Maybe you want to try online learning before you make a bigger commitment. Maybe you need a few courses to complete or maintain your state certification. In any case, the FLT certificate will give you a coherent experience that enhances your skills, opens doors, and connects you to a community of motivated and inquisitive educators like you. If you want to continue learning, you can count your certificate courses toward the full master’s degree.
FLT courses are fully online and asynchronous, and they are offered throughout the year. The MAFLT and FLT Certificate are fully accredited, with flexible options for pacing.
Program Outcomes
To earn the FLT Certificate, you will complete 10 credits. Customize your plan by choosing three courses from the same slate offered to MAFLT students (9 credits). Then you will showcase what you have learned and created by building your own teaching portfolio website (1 credit).
Core courses for the certificate – choose one (3 credits):
• Methods of Foreign Language Teaching or
• Program Development and Administration
Additional courses – choose two (6 credits) from topics including:
• Instructional technology in FLT
• Culture and intercultural competence in FLT
• Assessment of foreign language proficiency
• Language concepts and linguistic analysis for teachers
• Foreign and second language acquisition (SLA)
• Sociolinguistics and the pedagogy of speaking and listening
• Literacy, biliteracy, and the pedagogy of reading and writing
Final Portfolio course (1 credit)
Related Program: Master of Arts, Foreign Language Teaching
Career Outlook
The FLT Certificate offers two customizable paths, depending on your career and goals.
Entering the Field: Are you just getting started as a language teacher? Are you looking for a structured way to update your skills? Your core course will be Methods of Foreign Language Teaching, and you can continue with courses on the topics that interest you most.
Advancing in the Field: Are you an experienced language educator seeking out further guidance and considering leadership roles? Your core course will be Program Development and Administration, and you can combine it with a deep dive into areas you want to strengthen.
Either way, the FLT certificate will be a valuable asset when you are applying for a new position, preparing for a new role in your school or district, designing materials and curriculum in new ways, or seeking teachers who can collaborate with you. It also gives you a structured plan if you need a few courses to complete or maintain your teaching certification. In addition to the credential, you will improve your ability to articulate how and why you teach the way you do for your colleagues, supervisors, parents of students, and other stakeholders.
A Top-Ranked Education
- 1st Best in Online Master's in Curriculum and Instruction — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 4th Best Online Master's in Education Administration — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 5th Best Online Master's in Education/Instructional Media — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 7th Best in Online Master's in Special Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 10th Best Online Master's in Education Programs for Veterans — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 24th Best Online Master's in Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
Dr. Amanda Lanier
Assistant Professor and Director of MAFLT program
Dr. Amanda Lanier is an applied linguist who focuses on social and cultural aspects of language learning, teacher cognition, and corpus-based analysis of language in use. She has her primary appointment in the Center for Language Teaching Advancement (CeLTA) and is affiliated with the MSU Second Language Studies (SLS) program. Over the years she has studied four additional languages; taught English as a foreign and second language; and conducted research involving teachers of Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German, and Spanish, as well as working with teachers of 18 languages (and counting) in the MAFLT. She is a member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), the National Council for Less-Commonly-Taught Languages (NCOLCTL), and the Michigan World Language Association (MiWLA) and presents regularly at those and other conferences with students and alumni.
Course Information
Core courses for certificate (choose one):
FLT 807 - Foreign Language Teaching Methods (3 Credits)
FLT 817 - Foreign Language Program Development and Administration (3 Credits)
Elective courses for certificate (choose two):
FLT 808 - Assessment for Foreign Language Teaching (3 Credits)
FLT 815 - Teaching Culture in Foreign Language Courses (3 Credits)
FLT 845 - Language Concepts for Foreign Language Teaching (3 Credits)
FLT 860 – Foreign or Second Language Acquisition (3 Credits)
FLT 881 - Teaching Foreign Languages with Technology (3 Credits)
FLT 841 – Special Topics in FLT (topics may include Sociolinguistics, Biliteracy, etc.) (3 Credits)
Required course for completing certificate:
FLT 898 Comprehensive Exam / Final Portfolio (1 credit)
Admissions Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
- A bachelor's degree
- Previous work experience preferred (Résumé/CV)
- TOEFL/IELTS if English is not your native language and/or writing sample demonstrating advanced English language proficiency, if your prior schooling was not conducted in English
- A written personal statement summarizing your background and interest in the program
- An academic statement summarizing your prior schooling and preparation for graduate coursework
- 3 letters of recommendation. Provide contact information for your recommenders and the MSU application system will provide instructions to them.
- Official transcripts from all previous schools
To apply to this program:
- Complete a university graduate application and pay the application fee.
- Submit all required materials to the application portal.
Key Dates
Fall Semester
Application Deadline
June 1st
Spring Semester
Application Deadline
October 15th
Summer Semester
Application Deadline
April 1st
Tuition & Fees per credit
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
International Tuition
$700
$700
$700
Cost of Attendance
The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible. In addition to tuition and fees, there are other expenses associated with your Cost of Attendance. A breakdown of a graduate student budget can be found here.
Program Overview
For experienced language educators and new teachers entering the field, the graduate certificate in Foreign Language Teaching offers a path to professional development that parallels the Master of Arts in Foreign Language Teaching (online since 2012). Our students and alumni teach a wide range of languages, in face-to-face and online contexts, from locations across the U.S. and around the globe. Our faculty are highly trained instructors and researchers who will guide you to explore contemporary methods and practices, second language acquisition theory, and national and international standards. Our courses use instructional technology extensively to support interaction and engagement, and they incorporate content and assignments that you can immediately apply to your planning and instruction.Maybe you already have a master’s degree in literature, education, international relations, or another area. Maybe you want to try online learning before you make a bigger commitment. Maybe you need a few courses to complete or maintain your state certification. In any case, the FLT certificate will give you a coherent experience that enhances your skills, opens doors, and connects you to a community of motivated and inquisitive educators like you. If you want to continue learning, you can count your certificate courses toward the full master’s degree.
FLT courses are fully online and asynchronous, and they are offered throughout the year. The MAFLT and FLT Certificate are fully accredited, with flexible options for pacing.
Program Outcomes
To earn the FLT Certificate, you will complete 10 credits. Customize your plan by choosing three courses from the same slate offered to MAFLT students (9 credits). Then you will showcase what you have learned and created by building your own teaching portfolio website (1 credit).
Core courses for the certificate – choose one (3 credits):
• Methods of Foreign Language Teaching or
• Program Development and Administration
Additional courses – choose two (6 credits) from topics including:
• Instructional technology in FLT
• Culture and intercultural competence in FLT
• Assessment of foreign language proficiency
• Language concepts and linguistic analysis for teachers
• Foreign and second language acquisition (SLA)
• Sociolinguistics and the pedagogy of speaking and listening
• Literacy, biliteracy, and the pedagogy of reading and writing
Final Portfolio course (1 credit)
Related Program: Master of Arts, Foreign Language Teaching
Career Outlook
The FLT Certificate offers two customizable paths, depending on your career and goals.
Entering the Field: Are you just getting started as a language teacher? Are you looking for a structured way to update your skills? Your core course will be Methods of Foreign Language Teaching, and you can continue with courses on the topics that interest you most.
Advancing in the Field: Are you an experienced language educator seeking out further guidance and considering leadership roles? Your core course will be Program Development and Administration, and you can combine it with a deep dive into areas you want to strengthen.
Either way, the FLT certificate will be a valuable asset when you are applying for a new position, preparing for a new role in your school or district, designing materials and curriculum in new ways, or seeking teachers who can collaborate with you. It also gives you a structured plan if you need a few courses to complete or maintain your teaching certification. In addition to the credential, you will improve your ability to articulate how and why you teach the way you do for your colleagues, supervisors, parents of students, and other stakeholders.
A Top-Ranked Education
- 1st Best in Online Master's in Curriculum and Instruction — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 4th Best Online Master's in Education Administration — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 5th Best Online Master's in Education/Instructional Media — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 7th Best in Online Master's in Special Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 10th Best Online Master's in Education Programs for Veterans — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
- 24th Best Online Master's in Education Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2022
Dr. Amanda Lanier
Assistant Professor and Director of MAFLT program
Dr. Amanda Lanier is an applied linguist who focuses on social and cultural aspects of language learning, teacher cognition, and corpus-based analysis of language in use. She has her primary appointment in the Center for Language Teaching Advancement (CeLTA) and is affiliated with the MSU Second Language Studies (SLS) program. Over the years she has studied four additional languages; taught English as a foreign and second language; and conducted research involving teachers of Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German, and Spanish, as well as working with teachers of 18 languages (and counting) in the MAFLT. She is a member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), the National Council for Less-Commonly-Taught Languages (NCOLCTL), and the Michigan World Language Association (MiWLA) and presents regularly at those and other conferences with students and alumni.
Course Information
Core courses for certificate (choose one):
FLT 807 - Foreign Language Teaching Methods (3 Credits)
FLT 817 - Foreign Language Program Development and Administration (3 Credits)
Elective courses for certificate (choose two):
FLT 808 - Assessment for Foreign Language Teaching (3 Credits)
FLT 815 - Teaching Culture in Foreign Language Courses (3 Credits)
FLT 845 - Language Concepts for Foreign Language Teaching (3 Credits)
FLT 860 – Foreign or Second Language Acquisition (3 Credits)
FLT 881 - Teaching Foreign Languages with Technology (3 Credits)
FLT 841 – Special Topics in FLT (topics may include Sociolinguistics, Biliteracy, etc.) (3 Credits)
Required course for completing certificate:
FLT 898 Comprehensive Exam / Final Portfolio (1 credit)
Admissions Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
- A bachelor's degree
- Previous work experience preferred (Résumé/CV)
- TOEFL/IELTS if English is not your native language and/or writing sample demonstrating advanced English language proficiency, if your prior schooling was not conducted in English
- A written personal statement summarizing your background and interest in the program
- An academic statement summarizing your prior schooling and preparation for graduate coursework
- 3 letters of recommendation. Provide contact information for your recommenders and the MSU application system will provide instructions to them.
- Official transcripts from all previous schools
To apply to this program:
- Complete a university graduate application and pay the application fee.
- Submit all required materials to the application portal.
Key Dates
Fall Semester
Application Deadline
June 1st
Spring Semester
Application Deadline
October 15th
Summer Semester
Application Deadline
April 1st
Tuition & Fees per credit
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
International Tuition
$700
$700
$700
Cost of Attendance
The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible. In addition to tuition and fees, there are other expenses associated with your Cost of Attendance. A breakdown of a graduate student budget can be found here.
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MSU actively collaborates with campus and external partners to innovate across all dimensions of graduate education. We create and support networks that increase collaboration and improve educational opportunities for our online students.
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Continuing education can be one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding experiences you undertake in your life. We hope you consider becoming a Spartan, to learn online and reach your career goals. With highly ranked online programs and exceptional professors, we educate students who advance the common good with uncommon will.