A bachelor of arts (BA) or science (BS) degree is usually a prerequisite for any of the programs listed below. In most countries, it is not feasible to obtain a work permit for an ELT position without a BA/BS degree. 
 
Just as there are numerous methodologies in language teaching, there are also a wide range of options to launch your education in TESOL. To help you explore these options, TESOL's Directory of Degree & Certificate Programs lists institutions that offer teacher training programs (certificates, and bachelor's and graduate degrees) in TESOL. 
 

Many institutions have created programs that fall in between the TESOL certificate and TESOL endorsement in offering an add-on certification. These programs may take one to two semesters and are designed to provide initial teacher training for overseas teaching assignments. The credits from these shorter programs may be applied toward an endorsement or master's degree upon return to the United States. 

Be aware that some certifications need annual upkeep. Most TESOL certificates do not. Make sure you understand the longevity of your credential.

The most widely available training option in the United States and Canada, the master's degree is required for teaching in higher education and community colleges. Offered by more than 300 universities in the United States and Canada, the degree may go by different names, for example: 

• Master of Education (MEd) in TESOL 
• Master of Arts (MA) in TESOL 
• Master of Arts (MA) or Science (MS) in Applied Linguistics 
• Master of Arts (MA) in English with an emphasis in TESOL 
• Master of Arts (MA) in Teaching (MAT) in ESL 

Any of these programs will prepare those enrolled to teach EAL. They also offer training in curriculum development, teacher training, administration, and materials writing. Master's degrees usually require 30-36 hours of credit and may include a thesis.  

Elementary or secondary school teachers in most states in the United States must have a degree in education with an endorsement or add-on certification in EAL. Certification requirements can be obtained from state departments of education, and may be reciprocal from state to state. University teacher training programs offer the required courses and are another source of information regarding state certification requirements. 
 
Many U.S. teachers who want to teach internationally, but who intend to return to the United States to continue teaching, choose to pursue this type of certification or endorsement. The advantage to the endorsement or add-on EAL certification is that it offers more in-depth training for international positions than the TESOL certificate. It also usually counts toward the completion of the master's degree or state certification upon return to the United States. In other words, TESOL certificates do not count toward employment qualifications for most schools in the United States, but endorsement and add-on certification in EAL do. The training can take two to four semesters of full-time study at an accredited institution.

Educators who decide not to begin their teaching career with a master's degree can choose from several other options. Neither the CELTA nor an independent TEFL certificate alone is sufficient qualification to teach in most institutions in the United States, though the practical training required as part of the certification process greatly enhances teaching skills. 
 
In general, the minimum qualification to teach EAL in private language schools overseas and in some private language schools in the United States is a TESOL certificate. Usually, TESOL certificate courses in the United States and Canada are highly intensive, running full time over the course of two to six weeks. These courses focus on practical training and also teach different language methodologies. 
 
Because of the scope of information that must be covered, a four- to six-week intensive course is likely to be more valuable than a shorter version. Most respected TESOL courses offer 100+ classroom hours and have an additional practical training component. Many institutions are accredited by varying state organizations, and many of these TESOL courses are excellent. 
 
Teacher trainers may vary greatly in qualifications. Look for a program with qualified trainers, such as teachers who have a master's degree in EAL and extensive international experience.  

Based on the TESOL Short-Term Certificate Standards, the TESOL Core Certificate Program (TCCP) is a 140-hour blended-learning certificate program providing a foundation in the theory and practice of English language teaching (ELT). This program delivers a summary of core TESOL knowledge to support individuals in enhancing their professional practice when serving the needs of multilingual learners of English (MLE). This program was developed for TESOL professionals with little to no formal ELT education.  
 
To earn the TESOL Core Certificate, participants must successfully complete three parts: 

1. Part 1. 60-hour blended learning foundation course on the fundamentals of TESOL 

1. Part 2. 60-hour online specialty course focused on teaching adolescent learners 

1. Part 3. 20-hour teaching practicum 
   a) 10 hours of in-person classroom observation 
   b) 10 hours of in-person practice teaching 

The Cambridge UCLES CELTA (formerly known as the Cambridge RSA CELTA) is administered by England's University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. This certificate program is available through language institutes and British Council offices throughout the world. In the United States, the CELTA program is available in major cities on the east and west coasts. 
 
The CELTA course is a standardized program that regulates the selection of candidates and ensures that trainees are given quality instruction and are objectively graded. The teacher trainers who conduct these courses have themselves undergone rigorous training and are required to have substantial, varied, and current teaching experience. Programs may vary in the availability of full- or part-time options (ranging from four to twelve weeks), placement services, and cost. 

The School for International Training (SIT) TESOL certificate course is a 130-hour course that includes workshops, lesson planning, and practice teaching. The course covers the basics of classroom practice starting with a look at learning and how learners' needs inform teaching. The course is available at a variety of locations worldwide and is taught by SIT-trained trainers with extensive EAL classroom experience. 
 
Designed by faculty at SIT, the course emphasizes experiential learning, reflective practice, and learning in community. The course moves through a series of modules that cover how to teach reading, writing, listening, speaking, pronunciation, grammar, and culture at the beginning and intermediate levels. 

Trinity College London’s rigorously assessed certificate courses, available world-wide, provide sound, basic training for entry level into the profession. They are offered full or part-time and are held over a minimum of 130 hours at one of the 100+ Trinity-validated centers, detailed on their website. 
 
Trinity’s CertTESOL is accepted by the British Council as an appropriate initial TESOL qualification in the Council’s teaching operations outside the United Kingdom and in its accredited schools and colleges in the UK. 
 
It cannot be taken online, although an additional precourse component may be done online. Trinity’s CertTEYL, taken over 140 hours, prepares teachers to identify teaching methods, materials, and methods of assessment appropriate to young learners.