Alumni stories: George Elletson, MSc TESOL

George, from Scotland, completed a Bachelor's degree in Arabic at the University of Edinburgh and taught English online for a year before studying the MSc TESOL in 2022.

An easy choice

Having already done my Bachelor’s degree at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh was always at the top of my list for a Master’s degree, given its world-class reputation and leading research in TESOL. As such, it was a no-brainer as soon as I got the offer from Edinburgh.

I am passionate about languages, especially my mother tongue, English. During my Arabic degree, I started teaching English online, which lit a fire within me for English language teaching. However, I wanted to be able to teach English in a classroom instead of on the Internet. I wanted to build upon my existing teaching knowledge. Therefore, when I saw that the University of Edinburgh was offering an MSc in TESOL and having read the course details, I jumped at the opportunity and immediately put forward my interest.

'All the teaching staff were fantastic'

All the teaching staff were fantastic and went above and beyond to help you during the Master’s programme. They also created a great atmosphere conducive to learning and made each lecture and tutorial fun. This allowed me to gain a genuine love for teaching English and implement the ideas I had been taught in the programme.

Moreover, the dissertation element of the course allowed me to delve into a particular area of English language pedagogy and conduct research. It was the part I thought would be most cumbersome. However, it turned out to be interesting and fun.

I developed a more critical mindset because I had to read so much, critique, and pull apart ideas.

Furthermore, I became much more effective in areas such as time management and how to devote my time and energy to a particular task.

In addition, the Master’s taught me practical aspects such as conducting a needs analysis and effective lesson planning.

What makes the TESOL programme great

It develops you as a teacher and allows you to encounter the latest research on teaching the English language. Moreover, there are so many students from all over the world, allowing you to build great friendships.

The programme's standard was excellent, and all the teaching staff were brilliant and encouraged you to develop critical thinking and academic writing, which are both invaluable skills.

'Employers value someone with a Master's'

Employers value someone with a Master’s, especially one from a university as prestigious and with such a reputation as Edinburgh. It also allows me to go for jobs like teaching English at universities.

Moreover, the skills I learnt in the course proved invaluable in teaching, as many English-teaching employers are looking for teachers with expertise in communicative language teaching. Communicative language teaching was a central focus of the Master’s course at Edinburgh.

[The programme] gave me an excellent understanding of English language pedagogy and newer approaches to language teaching in general. Alongside these aspects, the course also gave me critical thinking skills, which employers seek. As such, the MSc programme enabled me to gain a professional and competitive edge regarding my career.

Alumni words of wisdom

Get the bit between your teeth and go for it. It is a great year, and you learn from outstanding academics at a world-class university. The more enthusiasm you put into studying, the better you will do. Do not be afraid to ask questions, as it is an academically difficult year, but also one which is very rewarding and enriching.

The most important thing is that teaching is an art, and you have to embrace and be passionate about it to impart a love for learning to your students. Teaching is not a static process or profession. You constantly have to be willing to challenge yourself and change accordingly.

Interested in studying the MSc TESOL at Moray House?

Our TESOL Master's programme is suitable for both experienced teachers and newcomers to the field. It's designed for students who plan to teach English as a second, foreign or additional language and is also ideal for those who plan to work or do research in the contexts of teacher education, management, course design, materials development, and language analysis and/or assessment.

Explore the MSc TESOL programme