Department of Second Language Studies

College of Arts, Languages & Letters
Moore 570
1890 East-West Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-8610
Fax: (808) 956-2802
Email: sls@hawaii.edu
Web: www.hawaii.edu/sls

Faculty

*E. Gilliland, PhD (Chair)—writing studies, adolescent literacy, teacher education, qualitative research methods, discourse analysis
*N. Ziegler, PhD (Graduate Chair)—second language acquisition, interaction, corrective feedback, task-based language teaching, synchronous computer mediated communication, Maritime English
(English as a lingua franca, English for specific purposes in the commercial shipping industry)
*G. Crookes, PhD (Undergraduate Chair)—classroom teaching, materials and syllabus design, critical language pedagogy
*D. Crowther, PhD—second language speech intelligibility, global Englishes, listening and speaking pedagogy, research methodology
*T. Grüter, PhD—morphosyntax and semantics, developmental psycholinguistics, language processing, bilingualism
*C. Higgins, PhD—sociolinguistics, multilingualism, discourse analysis, linguistic landscapes
*D. R. Isbell, PhD—language testing and assessment, second language pronunciation, instructed second language acquisition, technology in language learning, quantitative research methods
*B. D. Schwartz, PhD—linguistic theory and second language acquisition, second language analysis, second language processing, child second language acquisition
*D. Zheng, PhD—cognition and instruction, second language technology and pedagogy, bilingual education, instructional media

Emeritus Faculty

*R. Bley-Vroman, PhD—English syntax, second language analysis, formal models of language acquisition
*J. D. Brown, PhD—language curriculum development, language testing, language program evaluation, quantitative research methods
*R. R. Day, Phd—extensive reading, second language teacher education, curriculum design, materials development
*T. Hudson, PhD—language testing, reading, methods and materials, English for specific purposes, research methods

Cooperating Graduate Faculty

*A. Berez-Kroeker, PhD—language data preservation, interface between endangered language communities, language technology, preservation and dissemination of records of language in use
*H. Cook, PhD—Japanese sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, language socialization and pragmatics
*S. Fukuda, PhD—theoretical and experimental syntax; lexical semantics; syntax-lexical semantics interface phenomena and their acquisition
*M. Gonzalez-Lloret, PhD—second language acquisition, technology and language instruction, Spanish linguistics, pragmatics
*K. Kanno, PhD—Japanese SLA, pedagogical grammar, language analysis
*K. Kondo-Brown, PhD—heritage language learning, assessment, Japanese language learning
*W. O’Grady, PhD—syntax, first and second language acquisition, Korean
*A. J. Schafer, PhD—sentence comprehension and production across languages (including Korean, Japanese, and Austronesian languages); sentence prosody; information structure; psycholinguistic approaches to language documentation and conservation

Affiliate Graduate Faculty

*E. Hauser, PhD—conversation analysis
*G. Kasper, Dr. phil.—language and social interaction, qualitative research
*H. T. Nguyen, PhD—interactional competence, classroom discourse, conversation analysis

* Graduate Faculty

The Academic Program

The SLS department’s programs prepare students for professional and academic careers in second language and multilingual settings, including but not limited to language education. Through course work and independent research, students acquire a broad knowledge base and familiarity with a range of research approaches and an understanding of ethics and professionalism in second language studies.

Employment opportunities have expanded nationally and internationally to include various types of educational and occupational institutions. In addition to language education and administration at all levels, employment opportunities extend to such domains as publishing, test development for international agencies, and language training programs for businesses.

The department, whose MA program dates back to 1961, is regarded as one of the most prestigious second language studies programs worldwide. Offerings comprise a wide range of general and specialized courses. SLS faculty members are well respected nationally and internationally through their research, publications, and leadership roles at national and international levels. It attracts top-quality students and maintains a variety of services and activities that stimulate a high level of student satisfaction and collaboration, including post-graduation employment advice and assistance.

SLS faculty members have served on the executive boards of the American Association for Applied Linguistics and the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages International Association. Department faculty are also present and past editors of the international journals Applied Linguistics (C. Higgins, G. Kasper), Language Learning (T. Grüter), Journal of Response to Writing (E. Gilliland).

Undergraduate Study

Bachelor’s Degree

The Bachelor of Arts degree program in second language studies provides students with a comprehensive understanding of a wide range of issues related to how second and foreign languages are learned, taught, and used in local and global contexts. This program, in accord with the values of SLS graduate degree programs, takes the broad view that plurilingual and pluricultural societies have greater success at communication in and across languages, which enables mutual understanding and appreciation, conflict resolution, and negotiation of values.

The program addresses theory, research, and practice, and helps prepare students to become second language specialists who understand the nature of second language learning and use in diverse circumstances, and are able to act upon related challenges that emerge in a variety of settings. The BA in SLS also serves as an excellent preparation for entry into a variety of language-related graduate programs.

Minor Degrees

Please see “Programs” section below for more information about our minors.

Graduate Study

The department offers an MA degree in second language studies, two Advanced Graduate Certificates in second language studies, and a PhD degree in second language studies. The MA and PhD degree programs are recognized Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) regional graduate programs. Residents of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming are eligible, upon admission with a GPA of 3.00 or higher, to enroll at 150 percent of Hawaiʻi resident tuition rates. See the “Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid” section of this Catalog for more information on WICHE programs.

English Language Institute

College of Arts, Languages & Letters
Moore 585-B
1890 East-West Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-6946
Email: uhmeli@hawaii.edu
Web: www.hawaii.edu/eli

The English Language Institute (ELI) is a part of the Department of Second Language Studies. The program’s primary purpose is to provide English instruction for students who speak English as an additional language and to facilitate their academic studies at UH Mānoa. The ELI serves only students who have been admitted to the university.

All newly admitted students who may need English language support are referred to the ELI to determine whether they must take the placement test before classes begin. The ELI Placement Test (ELIPT) is scheduled at the beginning of each semester, and testing dates and registration details are available on the ELI website. Students can sign up for ELI placement tests online prior to the testing date.

ELI Exemptions

Students are exempt from taking the ELI Placement Test if they meet any of the following conditions:

The student is a native speaker of English.

The student has taken one of the following English proficiency tests within the last two years and earned the minimum overall score for ELI placement test exemption:

Test	Minimum Overall Score for ELI Placement Test Exemption
New TOEFL iBT (2026 and beyond)	5
Old TOEFL iBT (pre-2026)	100
TOEFL Essentials	10.5
IELTS Academic (including IELTS Online)	7.0
Duolingo English Test	135
Cambridge English Scale (C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency only)	185
Pearson Test of Academic English (*Undergraduate students only)	68

Scores from tests taken at home or online (when administered under standard procedures) are accepted. Combined scores, such as TOEFL MyBest and IELTS One Score Retake, are also accepted.
Graduate students who have received, within the last five years, a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited English-medium institution in one of these countries: Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Canada (except Quebec), Ghana, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Lesotho, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland (Eswatini), Tanzania, the Bahamas, the United Kingdom, the United States of America (including American Samoa), Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The student has an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science/Natural Sciences degree from a community college within the UH System.
The student has earned 60 transferable semester credits with a minimum GPA of 2.0, all in classroom settings at regionally accredited U.S. colleges or universities where English is the primary language of instruction.
The student has completed six years of full-time schooling in English at a middle school, high school, college, or university in: Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Canada (except Quebec), Ghana, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Lesotho, Malawi, Malta, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland (Eswatini), Tanzania, the Bahamas, the United Kingdom, the United States of America (including American Samoa), Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Documentation of all six years is required.

These exemption criteria apply at the time students are admitted to UH Mānoa. An exemption may be automatically granted by UH Mānoa or by the ELI office if the student provides official documentation, such as transcripts or test results.

Assignment to ELI Courses

All other admitted students who are required to take the ELI Placement Test must sign up to take the test before registering for UH Mānoa courses. Placement or exemption will be determined by ELIPT results and standardized test scores. All ELI courses must be completed within the first year of study at UH Mānoa.

Relationship to Other Course Work

ELI courses are equivalent to 3-credit classes in a student’s course load. Students enrolled in ELI courses should take a reduced regular course load and may make slower progress in their degree studies. This is especially important for graduate students with limited time or funding.

Hawaiʻi English Language Program

College of Arts, Languages & Letters
Moore Hall 586
1890 East-West Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Tel: (808) 956-6636
Fax: (808) 956-5100
Email: eslhelp@hawaii.edu
Web: manoa.hawaii.edu/eslhelp

The Hawaiʻi English Language Program (HELP), located in the Department of SLS, is a noncredit, intensive academic English skills program for students who wish to improve their English language proficiency for academic, business, or professional pursuits. HELP offers a pathway into the UH System for students who need to sharpen their academic English skills before starting credit course work at UH Mānoa or in another American college or university. HELP students who complete two terms at the highest level may receive conditional admission to UH Mānoa without a TOEFL score, after which they may take the ELI placement exam to see if further English preparation is needed. HELP has four levels to meet the needs of students from beginning to advanced, and also offers individualized tutoring for clients needing specific language assistance. At the end of each regular term, HELP offers the TOEFL ITP test to all students; this test is accepted by all UH System campuses for validation of Academic English level for admission purposes.

HELP is also an ESL teacher training center and offers customized teacher training workshops to groups, as well as the globally recognized Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) certification course to individuals. Bespoke programs in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in areas such as Business, Engineering, and Health Sciences can also be arranged through HELP’s Customized Programs specialists.

Admission to HELP is open to individuals 17 or older who have completed high school or its equivalent. There are four 8-week sessions each year beginning in January, March, August, and October. HELP also offers 6- and 4-week intensive summer programs in May and July, for a total of six start dates each year.

See manoa.hawaii.edu/eslhelp/ for more information.

Programs

Bachelor’s

Second Language Studies, BA

Master’s

Second Language Studies, MA

Doctorate

Second Language Studies, PhD

Graduate Certificate

Second Language Studies, Certificate

Minor

Combined