General Admission Requirements & Standards for the M.A. in Linguistics and TESL

General Admission Requirements

Students should consult the Graduate Programs section of this Catalog for the University requirements.

Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 2.85 in the last 60 units of their B.A. degree work and satisfy the University requirements for Graduate Admission.

Candidates with GPAs below a 2.85 for the last 60 units in their B.A. degree work may still apply, but they must email a personal statement and at least one letter of recommendation to the Linguistics and TESL department chair. The personal statement should address the candidate’s motivations for applying to the graduate program and discuss strengths that indicate they are likely to be successful in the program, citing specific examples in support of their claims. Please note in your email that you are submitting supplementary materials for admissions to the graduate program.

Speakers of languages other than English who hold postsecondary degrees from non-English-speaking institutions must have a minimum:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 85 (internet-based test, iBT)
• International English Language Test System (IELTS) Academic score of 7
• Cambridge C1 Advanced English (formerly CAE) score of 185
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic score of 64
• International Test of English Proficiency (iTEP) Academic score of 4.5
• Duolingo English Test (DET) score of 115
• Jitsuyo Eigo Gino Kentei [Test in Practical English Proficiency] Common Scale for English (EIKEN CSE) score of 2630 (1)
• Global Test of English Communication Computer-Based Test (GTEC CBT) score of 1275

Meeting the minimum GPA and English proficiency test score does not guarantee admission into the program.

Applicants should file an online application to the University through Cal State Apply. The application period closes July 1 for Fall admission and November 1 for Spring admission. Submissions after this date will not be considered. The Department of Linguistics/TESL does not require a separate departmental application, letters of recommendation or a statement of purpose. For additional information, please consult Admissions & Records and Cal State Apply Graduate.

Academic Standards

A. University Regulations:

Graduate students will be placed on academic probation whenever their GPA falls below 3.0 in all units attempted. To be removed from probation, students must earn sufficient grades in the following semester of enrollment to raise their GPA to 3.0 or above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification from the University. University regulations allow graduate students to repeat up to 6 units of credit in which a grade of “B-” or below has been received. (See Graduate Programs section of this Catalog.

B. Additional Regulations for the M.A. in Linguistics and the M.A. in TESL: 

1. Students will be disqualified from the M.A. program if they do not pass the graduate project on their second attempt.
2. No grade below “B-” can be counted in the formal program. Any grade of “C+” or lower must be repeated. If the student does not receive a grade of “B-” or better on the second attempt, the student will be disqualified from the M.A. program. University regulations allow graduate students to repeat only up to 6 units. The repeat grade will appear on the transcript. Students must request departmental approval to repeat a course and file a Course Repeat Request Form with Graduate Studies in order to count the repeat grade for their degree.
3. Course substitutions: Taking courses outside the department to count towards the required core courses, whether in another department or at another institution, is normally not allowed and may only be done under extenuating circumstances after consultation and prior approval. Courses must be equivalent in content and quality to the relevant courses in the Linguistics/TESL program curriculum. Students must earn a grade of "B" or higher in all courses to be used as replacements for required core courses in the program.
4. Foreign Language Component: Students must earn a grade of "B" or higher in all foreign language component courses.