Multilingual Research Center (MRC)

One of MRC’s strategic goals is to improve the quality of educational programming for multilingual learners in the state of Maryland and beyond, and the quality of related teacher and administrator professional development programs.  The MRC has developed various outreach programs with P-12 school districts and other educational entities related to Teacher and Administrator Development to address multilingual learners' language and academic needs.

Ed.D. in School System Leadership- Specialization in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Dual Language Education:

The Ed.D in School System Leadership, Specialization in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Dual Language Education (SLTL) program is the first of its kind in the entire state of Maryland as well as in the local DC area. This part-time program is dedicated to preparing current P-12 teachers, teacher leaders, school and district administrators to address multilingual learners’ needs at macro levels of education (i.e.,  school and district levels) to parallel the already important changes teachers are making at the classroom level. Given that the multilingual learner populations of the Mid-Atlantic region have increased substantially, including more than doubling in Maryland’s entire P-12 system in less than a decade, school districts have recognized the ever-increasing need for more teachers and administrators to understand how to address these student populations’ academic, language and cultural needs across the curriculum. While teacher education programs in this area have started to increase, teacher leader and administrator preparation continues to lag behind severely.

As opposed to a traditional doctoral programs with a culminating dissertation focusing on theoretical contributions to the field, this program has students addressing real-time school district problems of practice in the form of capstone projects through the lens of Improvement Science, the goal of which is for these doctoral projects to be proposed to the school districts after graduation for implementation.

For more information about this program, visit our FAQ page.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) Program in Dual Language Education:

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Dual Language Education (DLE) is a 12-credit program that prepares educators to teach and lead in dual language PK-12 schools, which include bilingual and immersion language programs. DLE programs aim to develop multilingualism, biliteracy, sociocultural competence, and promote academic success across English and a language other than English. UMD's DL-PBC is the only graduate certificate in the state of Maryland based on the National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation Standards.

For more information about this program, visit the EdTerps Learning Academy - PK-12 Education Programs page. 

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) Program in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL):

The TESOL PBC is a 12-credit, 1-year program in partnership with P-12 school districts to provide educators (teachers, paraprofessionals, specialists, administrators) with foundational knowledge for working with multilingual learners at all grade levels and across disciplines. This is specifically for educators without prior formal teacher education in the field of TESOL. Coursework interweaves practice, theory, and research to enable reflective practitioners to make decisions that address these learners' language and academic needs. Through 2026, there is a partnership with Prince George's Public Schools (please contact their ELD Office directly for more information). Any other school districts wishing to start a partnership should contact program director, Dr. Drew Fagan, at dfagan@umd.edu.

Non-Credit Professional Development Institutes for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL):

In partnership with ministries of education in countries where English is not the dominant language (i.e., English as a Foreign Language settings), the MRC hosts four-week professional development institutes for English teachers consisting of four components: advanced English language courses for teachers, workshops on English language teaching issues, observations of English language courses at local middle and high schools, and social/cultural activities around the Washington, DC metro area.