Regulations and Procedures for MA Program in TEFL
Department of Foreign Languages and Literature
National Tsing Hua University
Revision Approved at Departmental Affair Meeting September 20, 2000
I. Admission
1. Graduates from national and private universities/colleges, government-approved foreign universities, or those who possess an equivalent certificate issued by the Ministry of Education are qualified to take the entrance exam for this program. Upon passing the exam, students may enroll in the MA program.
2. Foreign students should apply to the program according to the procedures set out in the “Regulations of Foreign Student Application.” After receiving approval from the department, students may enroll in the MA program.
II. Academic Years
According to the Ministry of Education, students should study for at least one year; and at most four years.
III. Coursework and required credits
M.A. students in the program must complete coursework of 27 credits, not including the thesis (4 credits). Required courses are as follows:
1. Theories in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning (3 credits), Methodology in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning (3 credits), and Research Methods and Writing (3 credits.)
2. At least 3 credits from courses of language teaching skills (subject number 57xxxx), at least 3 credits from courses of language teaching course design (subject number 58xxxx), and at least 3 credits from subject number 59xxxx.
3. M.A. students in the program have to complete 18 credits from the courses mentioned above. In addition, students can take the remaining 9 credits from other courses offered by the TEFL group or other courses approved by the group (see note 1). With approval from the thesis supervisor or the MA supervisor, students may take credits in courses outside this department or at other universities. The thesis supervisor or the MA supervisor must report this decision at the departmental affairs meeting.
IV. MA Thesis
1. As a rule, at least one of the thesis supervisors must be a full-time faculty member of the Foreign Languages and Literature department, ranking at the assistant professor or above. In certain cases, with approval from the department supervisor, the thesis may be co-supervised by a faculty member from another department or university. The student must submit a thesis supervision agreement form to the TEFL group for approval. If the application is approved in the group meeting, the department will appoint the additional supervisor(s).
2. Each faculty member may simultaneously supervise at most three students. In certain cases, if a faculty member wishes to supervise more than three students, he/she must apply at the department office. The request must be approved at the departmental affairs meeting.
3. Students must choose a thesis supervisor before the end of the second semester by filling in the appropriate form and submitting it to the group coordinator for approval in the section meeting. If students wish to change their thesis supervisor, they must follow the same procedure and wait for approval from the group.
4. The thesis proposal defense must be evaluated by at least two appointed faculty members (see note 2). The evaluation results should be handed in to the department office within 7 days after the defense. The thesis proposal should include an introduction/background, approach, literature review, and major references.
5. The thesis draft can only be submitted after the student has met the coursework requirements and passed the thesis proposal defense. The draft can only be submitted three months after the thesis proposal defense. It should be given to the thesis supervisor and the supervisor should sign the “Thesis supervisor recommendation form.” Students should take this form to the department office to apply for the degree examination.
6. The thesis defense can only be held two weeks after the submission of the thesis draft.
7. The dates and times for the thesis proposal defense and the thesis defense must be announced prior to the defense, which should be held publicly. All participating members are allowed to give suggestions and advice about the content of the thesis.
8. After the thesis defense, revisions in the thesis must be clearly annotated and elucidated. The revisions must be approved by the thesis supervisor(s); a written approval form with their signatures must be submitted to the department office within the stipulated time frame. The department office will submit the grades to the office of Academic Affairs one week after the thesis defense to process graduation procedures.
9. Three copies of the revised thesis should be submitted: one will be kept by the department office, the other two will be sent to the university library.
10. The thesis proposal and thesis should follow the APA format and be written in English (according to the University’s “Graduate students thesis format regulation”)
V. For regulations and procedures not outlined in this document, please refer to the University’s “Course Regulations” and “MA Degree Examinations Regulations” and other relevant regulations
VI. These regulations are implemented after being passed by the Departmental Affairs Meeting. When revised, the same procedures will apply.
Notes
1. Approved courses include: LING 5001: Phonology I, LING 5003: Syntax I, LING 5007: Articulatory Phonetics. For approval of other courses, please submit an application according to regulation number 3 and 4.
2. The purpose of the thesis proposal defense is to allow professors to see if the student’s approach is correct and enable the student to receive guidance on how to broaden or refine the approach.