Masters Degrees (Linguistic)

Why do languages change? Why does your mobile device suggest funny completions for words you are typing? How did it happen that Finnish is spoken mostly in Finland, but its linguistic relatives are scattered over a larger area? How can you study a language that does not have a standard orthography? Why can you sometimes tell where other people come from just by their accent? Why do some people stick to their dialect, but others give it up when they move to the city? Should you try to support language diversity? Can we save languages that are spoken by a very small number of people? How can computer-synthesised speech be made to sound more human? Why do some languages seem so much more difficult to learn - are they inherently more complex?

This Master's programme will provide you with an understanding of the nature and diversity of human language and with the theoretical tools for working with language material. If you are interested in languages but are unable to decide which of them you want to study, this Master's programme offers several fields of specialisation. One of them might be just perfect for you.

During your studies, you will:
-Gain an in-depth understanding of the basic structure of language, its subsystems (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics) and their mutual relationships.
-Learn the fundamentals of linguistic analysis and language description.
-Familiarize yourself with linguistic concepts, theories, descriptive models and the associated research methods.
-Learn how language is related to cognition, speech and interaction as well as to social structures, culture and society.
-Learn to use various methods and technical tools in order to manage and analyze language data.
-Gain a good understanding of linguistic variation and diversity: what is common to the world's languages and how they differ, how language changes through time, how languages influence one another, how individuals cope with multilingual situations and how communities speaking endangered languages can be supported.

After completing your studies, you will be able to work independently in various fields that require multidisciplinary expertise in linguistic sciences. You will have the theoretical knowledge and skills that are required for postgraduate studies in the doctoral programme in language studies.

The University of Helsinki will introduce annual tuition fees to foreign-language Master’s programmes starting on August 1, 2017 or later. The fee ranges from 13 000-18 000 euros. Citizens of non-EU/EEA countries, who do not have a permanent residence status in the area, are liable to these fees. You can check this FAQ at the Studyinfo website whether or not you are required to pay tuition fees: https://studyinfo.fi/wp2/en/higher-education/higher-education-institutions-will-introduce-tuition-fees-in-autumn-2017/am-i-required-to-pay-tuition-fees/

Programme Contents

Linguistic Diversity in the Digital Age is an integrated international programme that offers you a comprehensive view of all subfields of the science of language. As a student in the programme you will be able to choose among four specialist options: (1) General Linguistics, (2) Phonetics, (3) Language Technology, and (4) Diversity Linguistics.

General Linguistics
Gives you comprehensive in-depth training in a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches to language structure and language in use. Special emphasis is put on language typology in a global perspective as well as the documentation and description of endangered and previously undocumented and under-documented forms of speech.

Phonetics
Introduces you to the tools for working with the articulatory, acoustic and perceptional aspects of human speech from a multidisciplinary perspective. At the more advanced level, you will become acquainted with the methods of experimental phonetics.

Language Technology
Combines linguistics with digital technology in an interdisciplinary approach with close links to computer science. The focus areas include natural language processing (NLP) for morphologically rich languages, cross-lingual NLP and language technology in the humanities.

Diversity Linguistics
Encompasses all aspects of linguistic diversity in time and space, including historical linguistics as well as the extralinguistic context of languages: ethnicities, cultures and environ­ments. The areal foci in Diversity Linguistics are Eurasia and Africa.

These four specialist options interact at all levels. There is a study module common to all students in the programme regardless of the specialist option they choose. The integration of these four perspectives into one programme is unique - no similar programme exists anywhere else.

In the context of “Humanities”, the programme has the closest relationship to natural sciences, and many subfields of the programme involve methods directly linked to laboratory sciences, including digital technology and neurosciences.

The teaching in the programme includes lectures and seminars, practical exercise sessions, reading circles, fieldwork excursions, as well as work practice (internship). The broad spectrum of teaching methods guarantees optimal support for your learning processes.

Programme Structure

The scope of the Master of Arts degree is 120 credits. The degree contains the following studies:
-Studies common to all students in the programme (30 credits)
-Advanced studies in the specialist option (at least 60 credits)
-Other studies (up to 30 credits)

The target duration of full-time studies leading to an MA degree is two years.

All students in the programme take the same courses during the autumn semester of the first year.

Then you will focus on your specialist option (general linguistics, phonetics, language technology, or diversity linguistics). This block of studies consists of courses (at least 30 credits) and of the final project, which is your Master's thesis (30 credits).

Additionally, you choose other studies: modules offered either by the other specialist options within this Master's programme or by other programmes within the University of Helsinki. The size of such optional study modules is typically 15, 25 or 30 credits. Courses offered by other universities can also be included here.

The studies in your own specialist option as well as the other studies may also include an internationalization period (e.g. student exchange) and work practice or other working life oriented study units. Working life and career development perspectives are integrated in many courses in the programme.

You will complete your studies systematically. At the beginning of your Master’s studies, you will prepare your first personal study plan (PSP). In this, you will receive support especially from the staff of the Master's programme. Guidance is also given at the Faculty level.

Career Prospects

After graduation, students of the programme find employment in a wide variety of positions, in which special knowledge of language is required.

One path prepares you for a research career, and many graduates work as researchers in Finland and abroad. You can also work in the political, diplomatic, and educational sectors, as well as research administration. Further potential employers are found in the publishing industry, media and journalism, public relations and communications of business and public administration, as well as NGOs.

If you choose a technological orientation, you may work in language technology firms or more generally in the IT sector. Big international companies are in constant need of experts in speech and language technology. Additionally, there is a vibrant field of domestic companies, some established ones and many promising start-ups. Some students have founded their own companies and become entrepreneurs.

Note that it is not possible to graduate as a (subject) teacher in the LingDA Master's programme.

In honour of the University of Helsinki's 375th anniversary, the Faculty of Arts presented 375 humanists during year 2015. Get to know the humanists! http://375humanistia.helsinki.fi/

Internationalization

Linguistics is by definition an international field. Language capacity is a feature common to all human beings, and the objective of linguistics as a science is to study both the universal background of language as a phenomenon and the global diversity of languages as expressions of social and cultural heritage.

In the LingDA programme, internationalization is present in several forms and at several levels:
-The programme functions in English and accepts international students from all countries.
-The programme recruits students representing a variety of linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
-The students are encouraged to study and master many languages from both the practical and the theoretical points of view.
-The students are encouraged early on to get engaged in documentational and typological field work among speakers of little documented languages in various parts of the world.
-The students are encouraged to use the opportunities of international exchange that the university offers.

The programme has a high international profile and all teachers have wide international contact networks. At the university of Helsinki, linguistics was internationalized as early as the 19th century. Finland is a country where, in particular, ethnolinguistics and field linguistics were developed and practised much earlier than in most other European countries. Some of the regions where Finnish ethnolinguists have been active include North and Central Eurasia, the Near and Middle East, East Asia, South Asia, and Africa. This tradition of field-work-oriented linguistics is today carried on by the HALS (Helsinki Area and Linguistic Studies) research community. At the same time, the more recent fields of linguistics, including phonetics, language technology, and typology, have developed their own international profiles.

Research Focus

The MA programme Diversity Linguistics in the Digital Age combines several research fields in which the University of Helsinki has long been a global leader. Language research in Helsinki has always maintained its strong commitment to a better understanding of cultural areas and their history. Situated in an ideal place for the study of language history and contact linguistics of various Eurasian language families, the study of Uralic languages has a long tradition in Helsinki. Our interest in the culturally and historically informed study of language reaches well beyond that, though, spanning Asia, Europe and Africa.

Our language research is empirically driven and informed by linguistic typology. The question of linguistic complexity, its significance for language and cultural history, and its intersection with ecological models is a hallmark of the Helsinki School of Linguistics. We explore new horizons in area and language studies by combining cutting edge research in linguistic typology with field work based descriptive linguistics and linguistic anthropology.

A unique asset at the University of Helsinki is the presence of various language technology initiatives at the forefront of the digital humanities. The study of morphologically complex languages plays a great role here, and special attention is paid to lesser researched languages.

Each of the four study lines of our MA programme thus corresponds to a University of Helsinki focus area. Our language-related research is typically multidisciplinary and involves more than one linguistic specialty. This is also a crucial feature in our MA programme. Students receive theoretical, thematic and methodological training for research or other professional careers that require problem-solving skills in order to maintain linguistic diversity and to support people’s linguistic well-being.

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The MPhil is offered by the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics (DTAL) within the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages as a full-time period of research and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge.

The course aims:

(a) to provide students with necessary background in linguistic theory and related topics at intermediate and advanced level using a range of approaches and methodologies;

(b) to give students the opportunity to acquire expertise in their specific research interests in part by offering the opportunity of specialisation through pathways in the linguistics of particular languages (e.g. English, Romance, Celtic etc.);

(c) to provide foundations for continuation to PhD research;

(d) to offer the opportunity to participate in research culture within and beyond the Faculty, by attending and contributing to graduate seminars and reading groups;

(e) to develop the research skills required to conduct independent study such as
- formulating a realistic research proposal, with suitably delineated aims, objectives, methods, scope and expected outcome;
- preparing written work based on the proposal;
- selecting and mastering suitable research methods;
- collecting relevant bibliography;
- using computer databases and corpora;
- using relevant software, including statistical packages where appropriate;
- presenting well-argued academic material to the wider research community.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/mmalmptal

Learning Outcomes

Students completing the MPhil in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics:
(a) will be aware of the nature of linguistic theories, and how theories relate to models, description, analysis, and explanation

(b) will have gained, in at least four areas of linguistics, a solid foundation, including:
- familiarity with one or more models in each area
- an appreciation of the fact that there can be alternative analyses of given data, and of how to evaluate the alternatives
- where relevant, an awareness of the relation between linguistic models and the mind
- where relevant, an understanding of the relation between linguistic models and their application

(c) will have become familiar with a variety of research skills relevant to research in linguistics

(d) will have developed the strategies needed to present linguistic data, arguments, interpretations, and conclusions both in writing and in oral presentation

(e) will have built up in-depth knowledge of at least one area of linguistics to the point where original research questions can be defined and pursued independently

(f) will have had experience in research sufficient to facilitate the transition to doctoral research

(g) will have acquired both the breadth and the depth of knowledge in linguistics that will prepare them for jobs in linguistics in the future.

Format

The MPhil programme is structured progressively to form a bridge between undergraduate study and possible further research. Its balance changes through the year so that in the first two months (Michaelmas Term - October to December) there is instruction through lectures, whilst by the last three months students are carrying out independent research full-time.

All students are required to follow a course in 'Research Methods' and a statistics course to acquire skills needed for research and 'transferable' skills. Beyond that, each student will follow his or her own 'Study Plan', which allows the individual interests, needs, and strengths of the student to be met. At the start of the course the student, with advice if needed from the Director of the MPhil and subject specialists, draws up a Study Plan for the Michaelmas and Lent Terms (October to March) which is approved by the Department. This will include the selection of a minimum of four introductory taught courses to be followed in Michaelmas, and participation in a minimum of two research seminars in Lent Term. Usually the Lent Term seminars chosen build on courses which have been followed in Michaelmas.

The course structure allows great flexibility in combining areas and approaches. It provides for tailored combinations of work in any of the areas of theoretical, applied, and descriptive linguistics, ranging for instance from formal semantics to experimental phonetics and phonology, from language acquisition to computational linguistics, and from Welsh syntax to the history of linguistics in France. A piece of work may have as its focus the development of an argument in linguistic theory, the description of some aspect of a language or its use, the psycholinguistic testing of alternative linguistic analyses, the application of linguistic theory to the history of a language or languages, the acoustic description of sound systems, and so on. The various pieces of work may relate to any language or combination of languages subject to adequate advice and facilities being available for the topic in question. Some students may wish to specialise and opt for a 'Pathway' relating to a particular language or language family.

The thesis demands independent study under the guidance of the supervisor and will involve a substantial piece of original research. A proposed title and summary for the 20,000 word thesis, formulated in discussion with the supervisor, must be submitted in mid-February, and this will be subject to approval by the Department of Linguistics, the supervisor, and the Faculty's Degree Committee. Because seminars finish at the end of Lent term, students can then devote themselves full time to research for the thesis during the Easter vacation and the Easter Term (April to June). The thesis is submitted on the seventh Friday of Easter Full Term, and about two to three weeks later there may be an oral examination on the thesis at the discretion of the examiners.

Continuing

For those applying to continue from the MPhil to PhD, the minimum academic standard is normally a distinction on the MPhil.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

There are no specific funding opportunities advertised for this course. For information on more general funding opportunities, please follow the link below.

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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Our MA Linguistic Studies is our broadest postgraduate degree, offering you the widest choice of options. You expand your knowledge of language through studying everything from syntax, to computer-assisted language-learning, to language and gender, to language disorders, to multilingualism.

You build a programme best-suited to your individual needs. This course is ideal if you need to study on a part-time basis and wish to fit your course choices in with your existing commitments, as you can also study on an accumulation basis over a period of up to five years.

The optional modules you choose come from a broad list including:
-Theoretical and descriptive phonology
-Sociolinguistics
-Pragmatics
-Semantics
-Syntax

You also gain a basic familiarity with some common research methodologies and paradigms used in linguistics. You will write a dissertation on a topic of your choice. This takes place between April and September.

We are one of the largest and most prestigious language and linguistics departments in the world, a place where talented students become part of an academic community in which the majority of research is rated ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (REF 2014), placing us firmly within the top 10 departments in the UK and ranked among the top 150 departments on the planet according to the QS World [University] Rankings [2016] for linguistics.

If you want a global outlook, are interested in human communication, and want to study for a degree with real-world practical value in a world-class department, welcome to Essex.

Our expert staff

Our staff maintain excellent student-staff ratios with capped language-specific seminars.

In theoretical linguistics, Doug Arnold, Bob Borsley, Louisa Sadler, and Mike Jones work on the structure of sentences, focusing on English and other languages; Andrew Spencer investigates how complex words are created; and Nancy Kula and Wyn Johnson work on sound structure.

In sociolinguistics, Peter Patrick, Rebecca Clift, Enam Al Wer and Vineeta Chand all work on different aspects of how language varies, and investigate which factors cause such variation. Peter is also involved in language rights, and offers expert opinions in asylum cases where language is used to determine origin.

In applied linguistics, Florence Myles, Monika Schmid, Sophia Skoufaki, Karen Roehr-Brackin, Adela Gánem-Gutiérrez, and Roger Hawkins focus on the learning of second and further languages, whilst Julian Good, Christina Gkonou and Tracey Costley focus on issues to do with the classroom teaching of English as a foreign language.

In psycholinguistics, Sonja Eisenbeiss, Claire delle Luche and Fang Liu use experimental techniques to understand how children learn language, how adults process language, and what happens when language ability is impaired by brain disorders.

Specialist facilities

-An exciting programme of research seminars and other events
-Our Languages for All programme offers you the opportunity to study an additional language alongside your course at no extra cost
-Our ‘Visual World’ Experimental Lab records response times and eye movements when individuals are presented with pictures and videos
-Our Eye-Tracking Lab monitors eye movement of individuals performing tasks
-Our Psycholinguistics Lab measures how long it takes individuals to react to words, texts and sounds
-Our Linguistics Lab has specialist equipment to analyse sound
-Our Albert Sloman Library houses a strong collection of books, journals, electronic resources and major archives

Your future

Our course can lead to careers in areas such as academic research, publishing, journalism, administration, public service and teaching. You develop key employability skills including research design, data analysis, thinking analytically, report writing and public speaking.

We work with the University’s Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

Within our Department of Language and Linguistics, we also offer supervision for PhD and MPhil. We offer supervision in areas including language acquisition, language learning and language teaching, culture and communication, psycholinguistics, language disorders, sociolinguistics, and theoretical and descriptive linguistics.

Example structure

-Assignment Writing and Dissertation Preparation
-MA Dissertation
-Advanced Phonology (optional)
-First Language Acquisition (optional)
-Phonological Development (optional)
-Second Language Vocabulary: Learning, Teaching and Use (optional)
-Topics in the Psychology of Language Learning and Teaching (optional)
-Second Language Acquisition and Linguistics Theory (optional)
-American Languages (optional)
-Varieties of English (optional)
-Sociocultural Linguistics (optional)
-Sentence Processing (optional)
-Language Rights (optional)
-Semantics (optional)
-Literature and Language Teaching (optional)
-Language Learning (optional)
-English Syntax 1 (optional)
-Description of Language for TEFL/ELT and Applied Linguistics (optional)
-Syntactic Theory I (optional)
-Variationist Sociolinguistic Theory (optional)
-Experimental Design and Analysis (optional)
-Materials Design and Evaluation (optional)
-Sociolinguistic Methods 1: Data Collection (optional)
-Research Methods I (optional)
-English Syntax 2 (optional)
-Syntactic Theory II (optional)
-Teaching, Listening and Speaking (optional)
-The Role of Age in Bilingual Development (optional)
-Variation in English II (optional)
-Sociolinguistic Methods: Data Coding and Analysis (optional)
-Research Methods II (optional)
-Graduate Research Assignment (optional)
-Language Attrition (optional)
-Teaching Practice I (optional)
-Approaches, Methods and Teacher Development for TEFL/TESOL (optional)
-Language in Context: From Pragmatics to Conversation Analysis (optional)
-Teaching Reading and Writing in TEFL/TESOL (optional)
-Intercultural Communication: communicating across languages and cultures (optional)

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Why is human language unique, and unlike any other natural communication system? How do children learn their first language? Do women and men speak differently? Are some forms of English better than others? Why does language change through time?

Linguistics seeks to provide answers to questions such as those above, and many others. As the science of language, linguistics studies everything to do with language, including how language is structured, how it develops in children, the ways in which it reflects society and culture, how it defines individuals and groups, and how it changes over time. If you find these questions interesting, then you will enjoy studying linguistics.

This programme offers the opportunity for those who do not have a BA second-class honours degree in a relevant subject to gain an understanding of the social, interpersonal and psychological aspects of human language and communication systems, and to enhance their academic skills in linguistics. It provides training in aspects of both theory and practice in the field of linguistics, language and communication.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

- Arts and humanities courses at Birkbeck are ranked third best in London and 11th in the UK in the Times Higher Education 2015-16 World University Subject Rankings.

- Prepare for further postgraduate study at Master’s level if you have a degree in another subject.
Raise your communicative awareness and competence, and gain knowledge of theories and models of human, social and interpersonal communication.
- Develop skills necessary to proceed to careers in various fields related to linguistics, languages and communication.
- The Birkbeck Applied Linguistics Society, an official University of London society, was formed to bring together students interested in applied linguistics and related fields (for example multilingualism, intercultural communication and TESOL) in the London area.
- Birkbeck’s Centre for Multilingual and Multicultural Research hosts visiting scholars from all over the world and runs regular research seminars given by speakers from overseas and other UK institutions. The centre also supports postgraduate training in applied linguistics, bilingualism, intercultural communication and translation.

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This course is ideal for you if you wish to develop your career in language testing and assessment – whether or not you already have experience in this area – and is the only full-time, face-to-face course in the UK specialising in this area.

The cutting-edge theory combined with practical experience will give you the expertise you need, and you will enjoy the opportunity to pursue your research interests in our world-leading research centre in language assessment.

Visit the website: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/courses/postgraduate/next-year/ma-applied-linguistics-testing-and-assessment

Course detail

• Study a mix of cutting-edge theory and practical real-world applications, building your knowledge and experience of classroom testing, assessing learning outcomes, course evaluation, and institutional tests and exams
• Explore your research interests with CRELLA, our world-renowned Centre for Research in English Language Learning and Assessment; recognised as a leading UK-based centre for research with 100% rating for research impact in the 2014 REF
• Gain from access to the expertise of the English Language and linguistics team with an excellent track record of high-quality teaching
• Benefit from a course which opens up opportunities in organisations, universities and ministries worldwide; to work with exam boards like Cambridge Language Assessment, Edexcel, or Pearson; for an education authority as tests and assessments specialist; or for further doctoral study with CRELLA.

Modules

• Exploring Research: Concepts and Methods
• The Language System
• Statistics in Language Testing
• Principles & Practice in Lang Assessment
• Testing Language Knowledge & Receptive Skills
• Testing Productive and Integrated Skills
• L2 Materials Development
• Professional Practices
• Assessment and Accreditation
• Issues in Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
• Dissertation in Testing and Assessment

Assessment

A range of assessment methods is used throughout the course with the main emphasis on summative assessment but with also some focus on formative assessment. They include: academic papers, oral presentations, test materials and procedures evaluation, production of tasks and tests, in-class tests and examinations and portfolios of practical tasks. Assessments aim to develop independent, critical thinking and serve to reinforce our research culture.

You can expect to produce a critique of theory and current practices, and to evidence your ability to make informed decisions. Feedback plays an important role in the course and you will engage in self-assessment and peer feedback, especially in formative and presentation assessments.

Research Ethics is an integral part of the course and together with training in statistics provides the foundations for the final dissertation: the culmination of the course which entails managing the research project from start to finish.

Careers

Given the highly specialised focus of the course, we anticipate that students will progress onto a position that involves language testing or assessment.

This may involve working with one of the well-known exam boards like Cambridge Language Assessment, Edexcel, or Pearson, or perhaps for an education authority as the specialist on tests and assessments.

Some graduates whose background includes language teaching may secure a position within an educational establishment as the authority on course evaluation and assessment.

Funding

For information on available funding, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/money/scholarships/pg

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/course/applicationform

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Applied Linguistics is for teachers who are at the beginning of their careers and those who have more experience but would like to develop, deepen and enhance their knowledge, skills and practice.

The programme covers the areas of linguistics that inform classroom practice (such as syntax, morphology, semantics, pragmatics and phonetics), raising awareness of these fields and applying them to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Practical teaching opportunities are a feature of the programme, including teaching to your peer group and international students from other programmes. There is also the opportunity to visit a local language college and observe classes.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/357/applied-linguistics-and-teaching-english-to-speakers-of-other-languages-tesol

About the Department of English Language and Linguistics

English Language and Linguistics (ELL), founded in 2010, is the newest department of the School of European Culture and Languages (SECL). ELL is a dynamic and growing department with a vibrant research culture. We specialise in experimental and theoretical linguistics. In particular, our interests focus on quantitative and experimental research in speech and language processing, variation and acquisition, but also cover formal areas such as syntax, as well as literary stylistics. In addition to English and its varieties, our staff work in French, German, Greek, Romani, Korean, Spanish and Russian.

Staff and postgraduates are members of the Centre for Language and Linguistic Studies (CLLS), a research centre that seeks to promote interdisciplinary linguistic research. We also have links with research networks outside Kent, and are involved with national and international academic associations including the Linguistics Association of Great Britain, the British Association of Academic Phoneticians, the Linguistic Society of America, the Association for French Language Studies and the Poetics and Linguistics Association.

Course structure

The programme starts with three linguistics modules (Sounds, Structure and Meaning) and a module on language awareness for teachers (Language Awareness and Analysis) so that you have a firm grasp of the linguistic bases of language teaching and how to apply them to the classroom.

In the spring term the focus is on how languages are learned (Second Language Acquisition), how you can improve classroom technique (The Practice of TESOL), plan for your students’ needs (Course and Syllabus Design) and provide them with materials which will be interesting, effective and motivating (Materials Evaluation and Development).

The dissertation will be an opportunity to plan and develop a piece of empirical research which can be of direct relevance to your current or planned teaching situation.

Assessment

Modules are typically assessed by a 3-4,000-word essay, but assessment patterns can include practical/experimental work, report and proposal writing, critiques, problem solving and seminar presentations. You also complete a 12-15,000-word research dissertation on a topic agreed with your supervisor.

Programme aims

- Provide TESOL practitioners with advanced knowledge of linguistics related to language pedagogy, informed by research and scholarship, which will enhance, develop and inform their understanding of language learning and classroom practice.

- To produce graduates who will contribute locally, nationally and internationally to the TESOL community.

- To prepare students to be more effective in the TESOL classroom.

- To provide students with teaching and training which is informed by research, scholarship, practice and experience.

Research areas

Alongside our research centre below, we also have links with research networks outside Kent, and are involved with national and international academic associations including the Linguistics Association of Great Britain, the British Association of Academic Phoneticians, the Linguistic Society of America, the Association for French Language Studies and the Poetics and Linguistics Association.

- Linguistics Lab

The newly established Linguistics Lab is currently housed in Rutherford College and has facilities for research in acoustics, sociophonetics and speech and language processing. English Language and Linguistics (ELL) members also have access to the School of European Culture and Language (SECL) recording studio and multimedia labs which can be used both for research and teaching.

- Centre for Language and Linguistics

English Language and Linguistics is the main contributor to the Centre for Language and Linguistics. Founded in 2007, the Centre promotes interdisciplinary collaboration in linguistic research and teaching. Membership embraces not just the members of English Language and Linguistics but also other SECL members with an interest in the study of language, as well as researchers in philosophy, computing, psychology and anthropology, reflecting the many and varied routes by which individuals come to a love of language and an interest in the various disciplines and subdisciplines of linguistics.

Careers

Postgraduate work in English Language and Linguistics prepares you for a range of careers where an in-depth understanding of how language functions is essential. These include speech and language theory, audiology, teaching, publishing, advertising, journalism, public relations, company training, broadcasting, forensic and computational work, and the civil or diplomatic services.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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Want to further your career in language teaching? Learn the latest linguistics theories and apply them to your classroom practice. Gain critical and analytical skills that will boost your career prospects.

If you’re involved with any aspect of foreign language teaching, this course will further your theoretical understanding of language learning and give you a chance to develop your teaching skills.

CORE MODULES

Second Language Acquisition

You’ll focus on the major themes that have emerged from literature on second language learning over the last three decades. You’ll examine some of the research on the second-language acquisition process, look critically at reports of second-language research, and examine some of the theories which endeavour to interpret research evidence. You will be encouraged to use your own language learning and teaching experience to assess the relative merits of such materials.

Discourse in Society

You’ll examine the relationship between language and society, and the construction of discourse in various domains. In the first part of the module you’ll explore sociological and sociolinguistic models and theories, such as speech communities, communities of practice and ethnolinguistic vitality, with a particular focus on social variation and stratification across various linguistic levels (phonology, lexicon, syntax). The second part of the module expands the discussion, and you’ll explore the notion (or notions) of discourse in both its linguistic and wider meaning, and its construction in and through society and language use. Throughout the module, you'll study methods for the collection and transcription of data, and discover various approaches to linguistic and discourse analysis. These methods and approaches will then be put into context and used in the analysis of the relevant social spheres and domains, such as educational or institutional discourse. By the end of the course, you’ll become more familiar with some of the theoretical foundations on which the study of language use is built, and you’ll be able to apply the practical techniques of sociolinguistic and discourse analysis.

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics

This module will provide you with an introduction to research methods in preparation for the MA dissertation. Fortnightly sessions will familiarise you with the basic processes of conducting research, including general methodological approaches as well as research ethics. You’ll analyse and discuss both qualitative and quantitative data, in order to develop your critical-evaluative skills

Major Project

This module will support you in the preparation and submission of a Masters dissertation, allowing you to explore in-depth a particular topic that reflects your academic interest.

OPTIONAL MODULES

Materials and Course Design

You will explore the factors involved in the design of language courses and teaching materials, reflecting on one possible process of course design. You will start with an analysis of the context in which the course will take place, the needs of the learners, and current theories of language and language learning. You will move on to consider how course content can be selected and ordered in a principled way, how assessment relates to course design, and how and when courses should be evaluated. Finally, you will consider the evaluation, adaptation and creation of course materials.

Classroom Theory and Practice

You will examine current research on modern classroom operations, exploring key concepts and issues through relevant professional and academic literature. A more practical element will be realised through live and filmed observation of teachers in practice. You will also be encouraged to reflect on your teaching and learning experience, and analyse and discuss your beliefs and attitudes towards learning and teaching.

Impacts of Migration

You will explore the push and pull factors which stimulate migration to Europe, and investigate the impact of cultural difference and interconnectedness at national, regional and local level, including the workplace. While taking account of global trends in migration and diaspora, you will focus on the situation in key European countries, in particular Britain, France, Germany and Spain. Local case studies from various organisations will allow you to conduct an in-depth analysis of the processes of integration and alienation, including patterns of mutual – cultural, racial and/or gender – discrimination, as well as linguistic adaptation. You will give special attention to the dynamics of cultural interaction, which consider the role of religion, male and female codes of honour, patriarchal mentality and potential clashes in expectations from and by contemporary leadership. You will further consider the subjectivity of this experience by exploring selected stories of migration as reflected in migrant film and literature.

Language, Identity and Policy

You will explore the psychological and social intricacies of language and interaction both in general and within the EU. You will examine the question of language within the EU, identifying the points of tension for a community of nations who seek to work together increasingly closely and to achieve intercultural understanding while at the same time making a strong commitment to cultural and linguistic diversity. You will assess how far EU policy confronts the language issues identifiable within its current frontiers and the likely way forward as more countries and more languages join, comparing the situation in Europe with those experienced in other countries. Finally, you will explore how developing language technologies might facilitate future intercultural communication and help to resolve some of the current difficulties.

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This Masters programme enables you to acquire and develop skills as an independent researcher in the field of classics. We offer a broad range of options which can either be used to construct a self-contained programme of study or act as the springboard for doctoral research.

Why this programme

◾You will have the opportunity to begin or continue the study of Latin or Greek, enabling those who have not had a ‘traditional’ classical education to acquire linguistic skills necessary for progression to higher research in classics.
◾The programme draws on the University’s rich holdings of ancient material culture (particularly coins) and manuscripts where appropriate.
◾If you have studied classics at undergraduate level and want to take your studies to a higher level; or if you have a background in other periods of history, philosophy, art or literature and want to develop your studies with reference to the ancient world; this programme is designed for you.

Programme structure

Core courses

◾Research training
◾Dissertation.

Optional courses

Options are available via both linguistic and non-linguistic pathways.
◾Thucydides
◾Explorations of the Classical Tradition
◾Ancient Drama
◾Democracy and Governance

You can also take courses in elementary and advanced Greek and Latin languages.

It is also possible to take masters-level courses offered by other subject areas in the College of Arts.

Core and optional courses

Core Courses

Research training (20 credits)

This offers a range of options taught by members of the Classics department. Some provide training in skills relevant to the disciplines such as epigraphy, papyrology or metre. Others develop skills as members of a disciplinary community: the ability to participate in seminar discussion, to respond orally and in written form to the written work of their peers and of established scholars and to present their own work to academic audiences. It runs throughout semesters one and two.

Dissertation (60 credits)

The dissertation is 12,000-15,000 words in length, and must be submitted in September of the year following the start of the course (full-time students) or two years later (part-time students). The dissertation allows students to pursue a particular topic in a depth not possible in the taught options and, whilst it is a self-contained project, may provide the starting-point for subsequent doctoral study. The exact topic will typically emerge as the outcome of a process of negotiation between the individual student and the convenor.

Optional Courses

The options available will vary from year to year depending upon operational factors such as patterns of study leave and the evolving research interests of academic staff. Most modules are available via both linguistic and non-linguistic pathways.
Courses currently available include:
◾Thucydides
◾Explorations of the Classical Tradition
◾ Ancient Drama
◾Democracy and Governance

Language courses

These offer elementary and advanced Greek and Latin language training for postgraduates. Students intending to progress to M.Phil. or PhD, who do not already hold a Level 1 qualification in Latin or Greek, should normally choose 40 credits of language modules. No more than 40 credits of language options may normally be taken as part of a student’s M.Litt. (T) curriculum.

Further topics

A range of other courses are available to MLitt students, drawing on masters courses available elsewhere in the College of Arts and on specialist options taught with the Classics Honours programme. These vary from year to year.

Career prospects

You will develop a broad range of intellectual and transferable skills that employers are looking for. Graduates have found careers in teaching, librarianship and the heritage sector. Over half of our Masters students proceed to PhD. Glasgow PhD graduates currently hold university posts in the UK, rest of Europe, US and Africa.

Positions held by recent graduates include University Teacher, Business Archive Cataloguer, Policy and Governance Manager, Market Research Coordinator and Underwriter.

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Introduction

The MLitt English Language and Linguistics offers students the opportunity to study the intricate workings of language and explore its central role in society.
We investigate how language works, how people use it, what people use it for, where it came from and how it changes. The range of research expertise represented by the three dedicated members of staff teaching on the course are reflected in a comprehensive suite of modules that include cognitive, sociolinguistic, historical, evolutionary, and discourse analytical topics.

Key information

- Degree type: MLitt, Postgraduate Certificate
- Study methods: Part-time, Full-time
- Duration: Full-time: MLitt-12 months, PG Diploma-9 months, PG Certificate-3 months Part-time: MLitt-27 months, PG Diploma-21 months, PG Certificate-9 months
- Start date: September
- Course Director: Dr Bethan Benwell | Dr Andrew Smith

Course objectives

Students will be expected to graduate with a knowledge of contemporary linguistic theories, including both generative and cognitive approaches to linguistic description, and the contexts in which these theories arose.
They will also acquire knowledge and understanding in specialist selected areas of study (e.g. Old and Middle English, historical, social and regional varieties of English, language and cognition, discourse analysis and evolutionary linguistics), including critical understanding of research in these areas.
They will be able to apply a variety of descriptive linguistic tools to language data and linguistic theories to selected specialist areas of study within English Language and Linguistics, according to their areas of interest.
They will learn to plan and manage a Research Project under supervision, undertaking independent research, including keeping track of relevant developments in the chosen field(s) and being able to set them in an appropriate context; they will be able to structure and communicate ideas effectively; gather, evaluate and organise information from multiple sources; and engage with other researchers by writing, debating, and delivering oral and written presentations.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS: 6.0 with 5.5 minimum in each skill
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Grade C
- Pearson Test of English (Academic): 54 with 51 in each component
- IBT TOEFL: 80 with no subtest less than 17

For more information go to English language requirements https://www.stir.ac.uk/study-in-the-uk/entry-requirements/english/

If you don’t meet the required score you may be able to register for one of our pre-sessional English courses. To register you must hold a conditional offer for your course and have an IELTS score 0.5 or 1.0 below the required standard. View the range of pre-sessional courses http://www.intohigher.com/uk/en-gb/our-centres/into-university-of-stirling/studying/our-courses/course-list/pre-sessional-english.aspx .

Career opportunities

Postgraduate degrees in English Language and Linguistics are much sought-after by students across the world, providing a grounding in theories and methods essential for a range of research and teaching careers in disciplines including English Studies, Education, English as a Foreign Language and English for Specific Purposes.
Students with postgraduate degrees in English Language and Linguistics are prized for their excellent communication and problem-solving skills, and their ability to analyse and synthesise information rapidly and accurately. They are generally very adaptable and go on to a wide range of careers in all sectors of the economy, such as: private and public sector management and research, marketing and advertising, government administration, journalism, banking and finance, speech therapy.
Former graduates from the MLitt have gone on to, for instance, Linguistics Research (in the Healthcare sector) and further study in Speech Therapy (for which a Master's in Linguistics was a prerequisite).
In a recent report, graduates of English were as likely (if not more) to be in professional or managerial jobs three to three and a half years after graduation than graduates in other subjects (including science and social science subjects). Almost fifty percent of English graduates pursue further education within three years of graduating from their undergraduate degree, often as a route to a professional career, such as teaching or law.

Employability

Your MLitt in English Language and Linguistics will provide you with important transferable skills which you will be able to make use of throughout your career. Our course will help you develop your oral and written communication skills so that you can engage in confident and informed debate with a range of audiences. You will be able to design, plan and manage your own independent research projects; you will develop your skills in collecting, analysing and interpreting information, and will be able to structure, contextualise and communicate your ideas and findings effectively.
You will play an active part in our regular Language Research Group meetings, which discuss articles on important and controversial linguistic topics. You will have the opportunity to introduce articles of your choice to the group and will develop important skills in leading and managing open-ended discussions.

- Skills you can develop through this course
An MLitt in English Language and Linguistics is acknowledged by potential employers as providing important skills, such as motivation, intelligence and the ability to meet deadlines. Although English is not a specifically vocational degree it offers a number of important transferable skills, such as the ability to write clearly, effectively, accurately and persuasively.
Seminar discussion and oral presentations (required by many of our modules) help to develop your spoken communication skills. The critical and reflexive study of a variety of texts (literary and non-literary) teaches you how to analyse and interpret complex information and to apply abstract concepts and theories. Our criteria for assessment also require students to be able to synthesise conclusions, to assimilate existing research and to construct and defend an argument clearly and cogently.
Throughout their degrees, our students are also trained to use library and bibliographic resources effectively and appropriately, to reference accurately, and to present their work professionally. All of these skills are essential to many kinds of work, which is why so many employers recognise the value of a MLitt in English Language and Linguistics.

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Our MA in French and Comparative Literature involves the postgraduate study of literature beyond national and linguistic borders with a particular focus on French culture.

Comparative Literature at Kent involves the study of literature from two or more European cultures, to gain an intercultural and transnational understanding of cultural practice. The MA in French and Comparative Literature introduces you to a wide range of theoretical perspectives, enriching your appreciation of the cultures, texts and critical practices examined in the programme’s various modules. You benefit from expert teaching from members of the Department of Modern Languages (http://www.kent.ac.uk/secl/modern-languages/index.html) and the Department of Comparative Literature (http://www.kent.ac.uk/secl/complit/index.html) and thus participate in an interdisciplinary dialogue.

Kent provides an ideal location in which to study French culture; our Canterbury campus is close to mainland Europe, with Paris only a couple of hours away by Eurostar.

In the Autumn and Spring terms, you take a choice of four modules, before undertaking a 12,000 word dissertation over the summer with supervision from an expert within the department. There is also a version of this programme which allows you to spend the spring term in Paris.

This programme is ideal for modern languages graduates who wish to consolidate their knowledge in a wider context; English graduates wishing to diversify their interests; and graduates in other humanities subjects (history, philosophy, theology) who would like to apply their knowledge to literary and visual material.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/secl/modern-languages/postgraduate/taught-french-and-comparative-literature.html

Assessment

Assessment is by one 5,000-word essay for each module and the dissertation.

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

- provide the opportunity for you to obtain a postgraduate qualification (MA) in one year, and to allow, if required, a smooth transition to doctoral studies

- allow you to study modules in both modern French studies and comparative literature

- develop your knowledge and understanding of relevant aspects of contemporary Paris and the cultural history of the city as reflected in modern French, European, English and American literatures and other artistic media

- enhance your comprehension and communication skills in both French and English

- develop your awareness of various critical and research methodologies and of the interplay between literature, art and cultural context

- provide teaching which is informed by current research and scholarship and which requires you to engage with aspects of work at the frontiers of knowledge

- provide a deepening of intercultural awareness and understanding

- provide opportunities for the further development of personal, communication and research skills and other key skills appropriate for graduate employment both in industry and in the public sector

- provide further development of critical, analytical, problem-solving and other transferable skills.

Research areas

Staff interests broadly fit within the parameters of French literature and thought from the 18th century to the present, with research clusters organised around the following areas: the European Enlightenment and Counter-Enlightenment; Ekphrasis; Franco-Sino relations; Life Writing; Medical Humanities; Philosophy and Critical Theory; French Surrealism; Cubism; the Avant-Garde; the interface between visual arts and text.

Recent publications have focused on authors, artists and thinkers including the following: Apollinaire; Artaud; Badiou; Barthes; Blanchot; Cocteau; Crébillon fils; Deleuze; Diderot; Djebar; Flaubert; Foucault; Houellebecq; Lacan; Maupassant; Mérimée; Nimier; Proust; Sade; Yourcenar; Zola.

Centre for Language and Linguistic Studies (CLLS)
Founded in 2007, the Centre for Language and Linguistic Studies (CLLS) promotes interdisciplinary collaboration in linguistic research and teaching. Membership embraces not just the members of English Language and Linguistics but also other SECL members with an interest in the study of language, as well as researchers in philosophy, computing, psychology and anthropology, reflecting the many and varied routes by which individuals come to a love of language and an interest in the various disciplines and subdisciplines of linguistics.

Centre for Modern European Literature
Many of the most significant European writers and literary movements of the modern period have traversed national, linguistic, and disciplinary borders. Co-directed by members of Comparative Literature, French, and German, the Centre for Modern European Literature aims to promote collaborative interdisciplinary research that can do justice to these kinds of border crossing.

Ranging across English, French, German, Italian and Spanish literature, the Centre focuses in particular on the European avant-garde, European modernism and postmodernism, literary theory, the international reception of European writers, and the relations between modern European literature and the other arts, including painting, photography, film, music and architecture. The Centre’s activities include a lecture and seminar series and the regular organisation of conferences. It also works with the editors of the postgraduate journal Skepsi, and runs the MA in Modern European Literature.

Careers

A postgraduate degree in French studies is an extremely versatile qualification that can open the door to exciting career opportunities in many professions. Our graduates have gone on to work in the IT industry, academic administration, cultural management and to further postgraduate training and academic careers at UK and overseas universities.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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The MA in Linguistics at Kent offers an excellent opportunity to explore the broad spectrum of linguistics and its sub-disciplines.

The programme is designed for graduates with a background in language and related areas (for example, English, Modern or Classical Languages, Linguistics, Psychology, Anthropology), looking to explore the theory and methodology of linguistics in-depth, from the study of sound (phonetics and phonology) to the study of words (morphology), sentences (syntax) and meaning (semantics and pragmatics). It draws upon the considerable expertise of staff in the Department of English Language & Linguistics.

Students choose four modules each in the Autumn and Spring terms, including core modules on Sounds, Structure, and Meaning, supplemented with options on, for example, psycholinguistics, language acquisition, language learning and teaching, sociolinguistics and stylistics, which allow students to develop areas of interest, and engage with aspects of their chosen discipline which are informed by the latest research and scholarship. They then complete a research dissertation of up to 15,000 words over the summer.

The programme is ideal for those with a keen interest in language in the broadest sense, and a willingness to explore theories of language critically. The programme also offers a smooth transition to doctoral work for those who wish to pursue their studies further.

About the Department of English Language and Linguistics

English Language and Linguistics (ELL), founded in 2010, is the newest department of the School of European Culture and Languages (SECL). ELL is a dynamic and growing department with a vibrant research culture. We specialise in experimental and theoretical linguistics. In particular, our interests focus on quantitative and experimental research in speech and language processing, variation and acquisition, but also cover formal areas such as syntax, as well as literary stylistics. In addition to English and its varieties, our staff work in French, German, Greek, Romani, Korean, Spanish and Russian.

Staff and postgraduates are members of the Centre for Language and Linguistic Studies (CLLS), a research centre that seeks to promote interdisciplinary linguistic research. We also have links with research networks outside Kent, and are involved with national and international academic associations including the Linguistics Association of Great Britain, the British Association of Academic Phoneticians, the Linguistic Society of America, the Association for French Language Studies and the Poetics and Linguistics Association.

We welcome applications from students interested in MA and PhD research. Please see our staff and research pages for more information on the topics staff are able to supervise.

National ratings

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, modern languages and linguistics was ranked 3rd for research quality, 3rd for research output and in the top 20 for research intensity, research impact and research power in the UK.

Our submission was the highest ranked nationally to include modern languages – a testament to our position as the UK’s European university. An impressive 100% of our research was judged to be of international quality and the School’s environment was judged to be conducive to supporting the development of world-leading research.

Course structure

The programme comprises eight 15-credit modules.

The four core modules, Sounds, Meaning, Structure and Research Skills, provide you with a solid grounding in linguistic theory and methodology, while a range of optional modules either develop themes covered in the core module, or explore the relationship between language and other disciplines, such as literature (stylistics), the mind (psycholinguistics), and society (sociolinguistics).

Teaching in the MA in Linguistics takes the form of lectures, tutor-led and student-led seminars and tutorials, as well as problem-based workshops allowing students to engage with linguistic data and theory. You also have the opportunity to attend subject-related conferences and talks by visiting speakers.

You can study the programme on a 12-month full-time or a 24-month part-time basis.

Visit the website: https://www.kent.ac.uk/secl/ell/postgraduate/taught-linguistics.html

Assessment

Assessment consists of a combination of written coursework, practical/experimental work (where appropriate) and seminar presentations.

On successful completion of the taught modules, students write a 15,000-word research dissertation (included in their final grade) on a topic agreed with their supervisor.

Programme aims

The programme aims to:

- enable you to obtain a postgraduate qualification (MA) in one year, and provide a smooth transition to doctoral work if you wish to pursue your studies further
- develop your critical awareness of research methodologies in linguistics
- offer a learning experience which is informed by the latest research and scholarship, and which requires you to engage with aspects of the discipline at the frontiers of knowledge
- provide further development of critical, analytical and other transferable skills acquired at first degree level.

Careers

Postgraduate work in English Language and Linguistics prepares you for a range of careers where an in-depth understanding of how language functions is essential. These include speech and language theory, audiology, teaching, publishing, advertising, journalism, public relations, company training, broadcasting, forensic and computational work, and the civil or diplomatic services.

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Who is this programme for?:

If you are seeking an advanced level of specialised training that will set you on course for a career related to Arabic language learning or teaching in higher education, research, publishing or consultation, this programme offers a firm grounding in the theory and practice of language learning and teaching, as well as in linguistic research methods.

You will study both the general areas of linguistic inquiry and Arabic linguistics. This programme will also allow you to explore the relationship between linguistics and second language acquisition, and how this relationship supports Arabic language teaching, specifically in higher education.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/linguistics/programmes/ma-arabic-language-learning-and-teaching/

Structure

Core Modules:
You must take all of the core modules listed below including: 15PLCH013: Teaching Communicative Arabic

- Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy - 15PLIC015 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Arabic Linguistics and Language Pedagogy - 15PLIH050 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
- Dissertation in Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy - 15PLIC989 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Compulsory Module
Compulsory module for students with no background of general linguistics.

- Introduction to the Study of Language - 15PLIC008 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Optional Modules
If you are not taking the compulsory module for students with no linguistics background, you must take module/s to the value of 1 unit from the courses below and/or from the list of running Linguistics PG modules.

- Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism - 15PLIH038 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
- Language, Society and Communication (Masters) - 15PLIH004 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

The Department

Key Facts
- Long and distinguished tradition in leading in-depth study of African, Asian and Middle Eastern languages and the contexts in which they are used
- Complementary thematic and regional expertise among staff, leading to the potential of original research synergies
- We offer a BA programme with a wide range of joint degrees, five postgraduate taught MAs with several pathways, and the PhD in Linguistics

Linguistics Department in UK top 10 for research of world-leading quality:
18 December 2014: The Department is now in the top ten nationally for its research output of world-leading quality and for the vitality of its research environment. Find out more... (http://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem98001.html)

- Our strengths

The department is a centre for linguistic study in an unparalleled range of languages, many of which we are documenting for the first time. They include languages of Africa, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and Siberia. The department has close academic ties to the rest of our faculty, the Departments of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, as well as the Language Centre.

The research interests of members of staff cover a wide range of theoretical and applied aspects of linguistics, including syntax, phonology, semantics, information structure, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, linguistic typology, language documentation and description, language contact and multilingualism, language support and revitalisation, language archiving, lexicography, language pedagogy, translation studies, and the studies of individual languages and language families.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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If you are pursuing intensive research-related and practice-related training for a career in Chinese language learning or teaching, this programme offers a firm grounding in theory and practice of language learning and teaching; as well as in research methods.

You will study general areas of linguistic inquiry (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics and discourse structure, if you have not previously studied linguistics). You will also study how linguistic inquiry informs second language acquisition and language teaching. You will also learn about teaching Chinese in higher education.

By the end of the degree, you will be fully adept at evaluating published materials (e.g. textbooks) and research papers related to Chinese language teaching, conducting pedagogical research, in addition to designing teaching materials and lesson plans.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/linguistics/programmes/ma-chinese-language-learning-and-teaching/

Structure

Students take core modules up to the value of three full units plus a 10,000-word dissertation. This includes two core compulsory modules, Language Pedagogy and Chinese Language Learning and Teaching. For those who have not previously studied linguistics an introductory module, Introduction to the Study of Language (ISL), is required. The remaining units can be taken from the list of optional modules.

Core Modules
You must take all of the core modules listed below:

- Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy - 15PLIC015 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Chinese Language Learning and Teaching - 15PCHC019 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Dissertation in Applied Linguistics and Language Pedagogy - 15PLIC989 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Compulsory Module:
Compulsory module for students with no background of general linguistics.

- Introduction to the Study of Language - 15PLIC008 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Optional Modules:
If you are not taking the compulsory module for students with no linguistics background, you must take module/s to the value of 1 unit from the list below or other linguistics course(s) approved by the programme convenor.

- Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism - 15PLIH038 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
- Topics in the Structure of Chinese (Masters) - 15PLIH009 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
- Language, Society and Communication (Masters) - 15PLIH004 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1

The Department

Key Facts
- Long and distinguished tradition in leading in-depth study of African, Asian and Middle Eastern languages and the contexts in which they are used
- Complementary thematic and regional expertise among staff, leading to the potential of original research synergies
- We offer a BA programme with a wide range of joint degrees, five postgraduate taught MAs with several pathways, and the PhD in Linguistics

Linguistics Department in UK top 10 for research of world-leading quality:
18 December 2014: The Department is now in the top ten nationally for its research output of world-leading quality and for the vitality of its research environment. Find out more... (http://www.soas.ac.uk/news/newsitem98001.html)

- Our strengths

The department is a centre for linguistic study in an unparalleled range of languages, many of which we are documenting for the first time. They include languages of Africa, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and Siberia. The department has close academic ties to the rest of our faculty, the Departments of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, as well as the Language Centre.

The research interests of members of staff cover a wide range of theoretical and applied aspects of linguistics, including syntax, phonology, semantics, information structure, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, linguistic typology, language documentation and description, language contact and multilingualism, language support and revitalisation, language archiving, lexicography, language pedagogy, translation studies, and the studies of individual languages and language families.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Who is this programme for?:

This programme offers those with an interest in Korean language learning and teaching extensive practical and rigorous theoretical training. The programme provides you with the skills and knowledge to succeed, whether you are interested in pursuing a career in linguistic research or Korean teaching.

You will study general areas of linguistic inquiry and study how they relate to the study of second language acquisition and language teaching. You will also learn about teaching Korean in higher education.

Throughout the degree, you will evaluate published materials (e.g. textbooks) and research papers related to Korean language teaching, conduct pedagogical research, and design teaching materials and lesson plans.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/linguistics/programmes/ma-korean-language-learning-and-teaching/

Structure

Students take core courses up to the value of three full units plus a 10,000-word dissertation. This includes two core compulsory courses, Language Pedagogy and Korean Language Learning and Teaching. For those who have not previously studied linguistics an introductory course, Introduction to the Study of Language (ISL), is required. Students that have studied Linguistics before are required to take, History and Structure of the Korean Language.

Faculty of Languages and Cultures

Six of the academic departments are devoted to teaching and research in the languages, literatures and cultures of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, with the seventh teaching and conducting research in Linguistics. The Language Centre caters to the needs of non-degree students and governmental and non-governmental organisations. It maintains a huge portfolio of courses, including year-long diploma programmes, weekly evening classes in about 40 different African and Asian languages, and tailored intensive one-to-one courses. The Language Centre also offers courses in French, Portuguese and Spanish.

Their teaching is in three main areas:
- language competence acquisition;
- textual and cultural studies - both comparative and language-specific, and covering not only 'literature' in a strict sense but also visual media, performance, folklore, translation etc.;
- language studies with linguistics at its core - including the prestigious Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Project.

The Faculty is also home to the Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS) (http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/).

While SOAS as a whole represents the most substantial concentration in the Western world of expertise dedicated to African, Middle Eastern and Asian studies, the Faculty of Languages and Cultures is heavily committed to teaching and research grounded in a knowledge of the principal languages and cultures of two thirds of humankind.

Department of Linguistics

The department is a centre for linguistic study in an unparalleled range of languages, many of which we are documenting for the first time. They include languages of Africa, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia, Central Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and Siberia. The department has close academic ties to the rest of our faculty, the Departments of Africa, China and Inner Asia, Japan and Korea, the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and South East Asia, as well as the Language Centre.

The research interests of members of staff cover a wide range of theoretical and applied aspects of linguistics, including syntax, phonology, semantics, information structure, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, linguistic typology, language documentation and description, language contact and multilingualism, language support and revitalisation, language archiving, lexicography, language pedagogy, translation studies, and the studies of individual languages and language families.

View Degree Programmes - http://www.soas.ac.uk/linguistics/programmes/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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Who is this programme for?:

The programme is run on a modular basis to suit students with little or no training in linguistics who:

- Wish to acquire a more profound knowledge of the discipline or take the degree as a conversion course before proceeding to a research degree.

- Are looking to gain a working knowledge of an Asian, Middle Eastern or African language.

This two-year programme is meant for students who wish to combine rigorous training in the discipline of linguistics, with the intensive study of one or more African or Asian languages. At the end of the programme students will be able to embark on professional careers in language-related fields with emphasis on the region in which the language chosen for the programme is spoken. They will also be able to undertake further study, e.g. for a research degree in linguistics.

The programme is built on the MA Linguistics and includes all parts of this programme (4 units). It may be combined with Intensive Language (Japanese), Intensive Language (Korean) and Intensive Language (Arabic). Relevant departments deliver 4 units of language study, which may include a summer abroad in a country where the language is spoken. Please click on the links to view their webpages for further information.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/linguistics/programmes/ma-lingandlang/

Structure

The MA Linguistics and Intensive Language consists of three components: core courses, optional courses and dissertation research.

Students take seven full units of taught courses and write a 10,000 word dissertation on the topic of their choice in linguistics in consultation with the supervisor. Three units are taken in the Linguistics department, and four units are taken in other SOAS departments and involve the practical study of a language at any level. Students also attend the weekly Research Training Seminar in Year 1.

Programme Specification

MA Linguistics and Intensive Language - Programme Specifications 2015/16 (pdf; 334kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/linguistics/programmes/ma-lingandlang/file91061.pdf

Teaching & Learning

Programme Aims:

- To provide students with knowledge of the discipline of linguistics and research methodology in the study of language, both from a theoretical and practical viewpoint

- To provide students with sufficient transferable skills to enable them to function in other professional environments related to language

- To provide either a further qualification in linguistics or a preparation for research (MPhil/PhD) study. By the end of the course students are able to pursue further research or training, at either PhD or professional level

- To provide the opportunity of studying one or more Asian, Middle Eastern and African languages. By the end of the course students are able to have an intermediate-level command of at least one language

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1. Acquiring a solid foundation in the ‘core’ areas of theoretical linguistics, syntax, phonology and semantics

2. Familiarity with the basic concepts and assumptions of different theoretical frameworks in the discipline, and the ability to critically question and evaluate these assumptions

3. Familiarity with the relevant conventions and methodology applicable to working with both raw linguistic data and linguistic descriptions

4. Opportunity to specialise in the area of interest

5. The student will have the opportunity to gain knowledge (or further knowledge) of one or more Asian, Middle Eastern or African languages

Intellectual (thinking) skills:
Having completed the programme, students should have:

1. The ability to formulate appropriate linguistic problems, propose and evaluate analyses and present evidence (for and/or against) these analyses

2. Knowledge of how to assess data and evidence critically from the literature and original sources, how to formulate analyses and arguments within the system of concepts and assumptions in the discipline, how to solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations

Subject-based practical skills:
Having completed the programme, students should be able to:

1. Practise research techniques in specialised research libraries and through consultant work

2. Retrieve and select information from a variety of linguistic sources such as specialised papers and reference grammars

3. Have strong practical language skills which will help them in any context where the language is used and which will also be of benefit if they need to learn another language in the future

Transferable skills:
Having completed the programme, students should be able to:

1. Locate materials and use research sources (library holdings, ‘raw’ language data, periodicals, internet)

2. Structure and communicate ideas effectively in writing

3. Question, understand and evaluate competing proposals

Employment

Many linguistics graduates continue their studies and go to do a PhD, either at SOAS or elsewhere. Others work in the domains of education, translation, information and media technology, journalism, publishing, consultancy for law and medicine, product-naming companies, as well as governmental organisations concerned with language planning, language policy and foreign affairs.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.soas.ac.uk/admissions/pg/howtoapply/

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