MA in Language Teaching

Justification Statement

The justification statement serves two purposes. First, it provides an overview of the course of study you propose to complete and how it relates to your personal and professional goals. Second, it serves as an indicator of your writing proficiency, in accordance with University policies and procedures.

Guidelines

For the most part, the justification statement is a description of the course of study you are pursuing within the Master of Arts degree program in Languages Teaching, i.e., the preliminary program that you have developed in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator and other faculty advisers.

  • In the first part of the statement, you are to highlight the courses you are including in your preliminary plan, describing how they fit together to comprise an integrated and interdisciplinary program of study. Your description should include required coursework as well as electives in each area within the program—second language acquisition, pedagogy, language studies, culture studies, research and master’s study. It should also provide the rationale for your selection of courses, demonstrating how they meet professional requirements in the field.
  • In the second part of the statement, you are to explain how this program will enable you to meet the personal and professional goals you have set for yourself. More specifically, consider what you plan to do upon completion of the degree and then explain how the program you describe will provide the knowledge, attitudes, and skills you will need to achieve these goals.

The statement should be at least two pages in length, typewritten, and double-spaced. Upon completion, submit your justification statement to the Graduate Coordinator for review and inclusion in your file. This writing proficiency requirement should be taken care of by the end of your first semester in the program.