Skip to main content

Majors and Minors

Undergraduate

Students chatting in groups in a classroom

Majors

Develop multilingual communicative skills, oral and written language ability, and broaden your cultural awareness with a major in the Modern Languages department. 

Minors

Add a minor in Modern Languages to strengthen your skills and make you more marketable after graduation. 

Microcredential (likely available fall 2026)

This option can be a good fit for undergraduate students who:

  • are current SUNY Cortland undergraduate students in any teacher education program who would like to pursue an additional NYS certificate in TESOL on their own after they have earned their initial certificate affiliated with their B.A. or B.S. program

  • are not in a teacher education program, but would like to teach English abroad

  • are education majors who intend to teach in NYS then pursue a master’s degree in an area other than TESOL; the undergraduate microcredential can enable teachers to pursue additional NYS certifications

  • are interested in learning about TESOL but planning to move to a state where a master's degree isn't required

For information on course requirements, see Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Microcredential (see 300/400-level courses for undergrads).

Graduate Program

ESL Classroom

M.S.Ed. TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)

Graduate students are prepared to teach English to non-native speakers in a variety of U.S. and international settings, including general classrooms with multilingual learners, private schools, or adult education classes. Those with NYS initial teaching certification can pursue additional TESOL certification.

Microcredential (likely available fall 2026)

This option can be a good fit for graduate students who:

  • have initial or professional teacher certification and are seeking to obtain an additional initial classroom teaching certificate in TESOL, but don't need or want a master's degree

  • are current SUNY Cortland graduate students in any teacher education program who would like to pursue an additional NYS certificate in TESOL (as long as they have an initial certificate in another area)

  • are interested in learning about TESOL but are planning to move to a state where a master's degree isn't required

For information on course requirements, see Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Microcredential (see 500/600-level courses for grads).

Cookie Consent

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your website experience and help us understand how you navigate our website. By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.