Masters Degrees (Linguistic Anthropology)

The following collaborative programs are available to students in participating degree programs as ​listed below:
-Aboriginal Health, Anthropology, MA, MSc, PhD
-Aging, Palliative and Supportive Care Acr​oss the Life Course, Anthropology, MA, MSc, PhD
-Asia-Pacific Studies, Anthropology, MA
-Diaspora and Transnational Studies, Anthropology, MA, MSc, PhD
-Environmental Studies, Anthropology, MA, MSc, PhD
-Ethnic and Pluralism Studies, Anthropology, MA, PhD
-Global Health, Anthropology, PhD
-Jewish Studies. Anthropology, MA, PhD
-Sexual Diversity Studies, Anthropology, MA, MSc, PhD
-South Asian Studies, Anthropology, MA, MSc, PhD
-Women and Gender Studies, Anthropology, MA, MSc, PhD
-Women's Health, Anthropology, MA, MSc, PhD​

Overview

The Department of Anthropology offers research training and courses of instruction in five fields:
-Archaeology
-Evolutionary Anthropology
-Linguistic and Semiotic Anthropology
-Medical Anthropology
-Sociocultural Anthropology

The department offers a Master of Arts degree program in all five fields.

The Master of Science degree program is normally taken in three fields: Archaeology, Evolutionary Anthropology, and Medical Anthropology.

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Overview

The MA in Anthropology is an advanced degree in socio-cultural anthropology in which students are given a sophisticated introduction to the theoretical underpinnings of the discipline, a block of modules that open up and explore the conceptual and methodological core of the discipline, and a series of specialised modules that show the range of socio-cultural anthropology today. Students are also required to write a thesis. The MA in Anthropology is primarily a scholarly degree that aims to equip students for later doctoral research or for work in roles that demand academic social-scientific knowledge or the particular skills of trained ethnographic researchers.

Course Structure

In the autumn and spring semesters, students complete an intensive course of four 6-week compulsory modules in anthropological theory (10 credits each) alongside two professional development modules and two optional modules (5 credits each). The taught programme develops students’ core theoretical competence and combines this with the methodological tools necessary to successfully formulate an anthropological topic and carry out a research project. In the summer, students register for the 30-credit Thesis, which must be completed by early September.
Students take a total of 90 credits over 1 year.
Compulsory Modules (60 credits)
- AN651 Social Thought (10 credits)
- AN653 Writing Cultures (10 credits)
- AN652 Key Concepts in Anthropology (10 credits)
- AN634T Thesis (30 credits)

Optional Modules
- AN646 Foundations of Linguistic Anthropology (5 credits)
- AN647 Foundations of Medical Anthropology (5 credits)
- AN648 Foundations of Material Culture and Design (5 credits)
- AN649 Foundations of Anthropology & Development (5 credits)
- AN862 Ethnography Winter School (5 credits)
- AN657 Ethnographic Ireland (5 credits)
- AN630 Creole Culture (5 credits)
- AN666 Topics in Linguistic Anthropology (5 credits)
- AN667 Topics in Medical Anthropology (5 credits)
- AN668 Topics in Material Culture & Design (5 credits)
- AN669 Topics in Anthropology & Development (5 credits)
- PD606 Design Ethnography (7.5 credits)
- GY621 Dublin Urban Laboratory (10 credits)
- GY619 Public Engagement Research and Practice (10 credits)
- GY627 Places, Landscapes, Mappings (10 credits)

Career Options

An anthropology degree provides an excellent preparation for a wide variety of fields in both public and private sectors, and is an especially good foundation for an international career. Anthropology has become increasingly important as a job skill in the context of globalisation, where a deeper understanding of cultural difference is crucial, both locally and internationally. Our graduates go on to employment in a wide variety of careers in community work, education, the health professions, product design, international aid and development projects, NGO work, business and administration, and more.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MHC60

The following information should be uploaded to PAC:

Online PAC application form
Statement of your academic and professional goals (SEE BELOW)
Names and contact details of two referees who have agreed to write letters of recommendation for you (SEE BELOW)
Official Transcripts of degrees not earned at Maynooth University**
A copy of your Birth Certificate or valid Passport (non-Maynooth University students only)
**Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed.

- Writing the Statement of Academic and Professional Goals (500 words)

The Statement of Academic Goals is a significant component of the application. This is the statement of purpose that presents your experience, scholarly interests and aspirations to us in the anthropology department, and therefore should be considered carefully. Ideally, your statement should include why you want to pursue postgraduate study in the discipline; what you have read recently that has inspired you to pursue anthropology (please be specific about authors and titles); your general research interests in the field and/or ideas for a potential thesis project. We would also be interested in hearing about your professional/career goals and how you hope the degree in anthropology will help you achieve them.


- Arranging for letters of recommendation

Your application requires two letters of recommendation, which should be written by academic referees (previous lecturers for example). If you do not have recent academic experience, some other type of professional reference will suffice. Personal character references are not accepted. In your application, please provide the names and contact details (preferably emails) of your referees, and the department will contact them on your behalf. Alternatively, you may ask your referees to send letters directly to [email protected]: letters should be signed and on letterhead, and should be sent from the referee’s own email address. They can also be sent by post to Anthropology Department at the address below.

We will endeavour to respond with decisions within 2 weeks of each closing date.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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Overview

The MA in Anthropology and Development is an advanced degree in socio-cultural anthropology with a particular emphasis on the Critical Anthropology of Development. During their studies students shall be provided with a sophisticated introduction to the theoretical underpinnings of socio-cultural anthropology, together with a block of modules that open up and explore the conceptual and methodological core of the discipline, and a series of specialised modules in the Critical Anthropology of Development. Students are also asked to write a thesis in the Anthropology of Development. This Masters programme is primarily a scholarly degree that aims to equip students for later doctoral research or for work in third sector roles that demand academic social-scientific knowledge or the particular skills of trained ethnographic researchers.

Course Structure

Students take a total of 90 credits over 1 year.

Compulsory Modules (70 credits)
- AN651 Social Thought (10 credits)
- AN653 Writing Cultures (10 credits)
- AN649 Foundations of Anthropology & Development (5 credits)
- AN652 Key Concepts in Anthropology (10 credits)
- AN669 Topics in Anthropology & Development (5 credits)
- AN634T Thesis (30 credits)

Optional Modules
- AN646 Foundations of Linguistic Anthropology (5 credits)
- AN647 Foundations of Medical Anthropology (5 credits)
- AN648 Foundations of Material Culture and Design (5 credits)
- AN862 Ethnography Winter School (5 credits)
- AN657 Ethnographic Ireland (5 credits)
- AN630 Creole Culture (5 credits)
- AN666 Topics in Linguistic Anthropology (5 credits)
- AN667 Topics in Medical Anthropology (5 credits)
- AN668 Topics in Material Culture & Design (5 credits)
- PD606 Design Ethnography (7.5 credits)
- GY621 Dublin Urban Laboratory (10 credits)
- GY619 Public Engagement Research and Practice (10 credits)
- GY627 Places, Landscapes, Mappings (10 credits)

Students complete an intensive course of four 6-week compulsory modules in anthropological theory (10 credits each) alongside four compulsory modules in Anthropology and Development (5 credits each), as well as two Saturday workshops. Students develop a proposal for a research project during the taught year in consultation with a member of the anthropology faculty, who will advise the student and mark the project. In the summer, students register for the 30-credit Thesis, which must be completed by early September.

Career Options

An anthropology degree provides an excellent preparation for a wide variety of fields in both public and private sectors, and is an especially good foundation for an international career. Anthropology has become increasingly important as a job skill in the context of globalisation, where a deeper understanding of cultural difference is crucial, both locally and internationally. Our graduates go on to employment in a wide variety of careers in community work, education, the health professions, product design, international aid and development projects, NGO work, business and administration, and more.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MHC62

The following documents should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

Online PAC application form
Statement of your academic and professional goals (SEE BELOW)
Names and contact details of two referees who have agreed to write letters of recommendation for you (SEE BELOW)
Official Transcripts of degrees not earned at Maynooth University**
A copy of your Birth Certificate or valid Passport (non-Maynooth University students only)
**Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed.

- Writing the Statement of Academic and Professional Goals (500 words)

The Statement of Academic Goals is a significant component of the application. This is the statement of purpose that presents your experience, scholarly interests and aspirations to us in the anthropology department, and therefore should be considered carefully. Ideally, your statement should include why you want to pursue postgraduate study in the discipline; what you have read recently that has inspired you to pursue anthropology (please be specific about authors and titles); your general research interests in the field and/or ideas for a potential thesis project. We would also be interested in hearing about your professional/career goals and how you hope the degree in anthropology will help you achieve them.

- Arranging for letters of recommendation

Your application requires two letters of recommendation, which should be written by academic referees (previous lecturers for example). If you do not have recent academic experience, some other type of professional reference will suffice. Personal character references are not accepted. In your application, please provide the names and contact details (preferably emails) of your referees, and the department will contact them on your behalf. Alternatively, you may ask your referees to send letters directly to [email protected]: letters should be signed and on letterhead, and should be sent from the referee’s own email address. They can also be sent by post to Anthropology Department at the address below

We will endeavour to respond with decisions within 2 weeks of each closing date.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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The study of anthropology draws freely on various fields of study in the humanities and in the social and natural sciences, and its diversity today is such that no single central mission earns a wide consensus.
To this end, the department of anthropology at Binghamton University offers students training in the four traditional subfields of archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and social/cultural anthropology, while encouraging students to specialize along tracks that cross these sub-disciplinary boundaries.
Recent doctoral graduates are employed in positions at the New York State Department of Health, the National Geographic Society, Museum of International Folk Art, Purdue University, and the University of Tennessee.

Anthropology seeks to understand the nature and origins of human biological variability, cultural diversity and social formations through systematic exploration, scientific examination and the application of theory to human populations and their artifacts, including their social configurations, past and present.
Although anthropology has historically been most successful in the analysis of small sociocultural systems, its current challenge is to situate the direct objects of study in their global contexts in both space and time. The discipline draws freely on various fields of study in the humanities and in the social and natural sciences, and its diversity today is such that no single central mission earns a wide consensus.
While training in the traditional four subfields of archaeology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology and social/cultural anthropology are offered in the department at Binghamton, students are encouraged to specialize along tracks that cross these sub-disciplinary boundaries.
A central objective of graduate training in anthropology is the ability to develop an original research design and to communicate the research findings in a research paper, thesis or dissertation of publishable quality. All recipients of graduate degrees submit and defend formal, written demonstration of their ability to apply appropriate analysis to an original research project, except for the MS degree for which an oral demonstration of ability is required.

All applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university which you attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores

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Who is this programme for?:

Students who wish to conduct doctoral-level research in Nepal, or in preparation for professional employment in e.g. a government agency or international NGO.

This is the only Masters-level programme offered anywhere in the world that provides students who intend to proceed to conduct anthropological research (broadly defined) in Nepal with the necessary skills (disciplinary, linguistic, methodological).

What will this programme give the student an opportunity to achieve?

- The ability to read, write, speak and understand Nepali to a level suitable for field research in Nepal
- A grounding in the scholarly literature on Nepali history, society and culture
- Expertise in anthropological theory and practice that will provide a basis for research in a Nepali context

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/anthropology/programmes/ma-anthropology-research-methods-nepali/

Structure

- Year 1
Students take a 1.0 unit Nepali language course (either Nepali Language 1 or Nepali Language 2); 1.0 unit Culture and Conflict in the Himalaya; 1.0 unit Theoretical Approaches in Social Anthropology (or other anthropology options, chosen in consultation with programme convenor, for students with equivalent anthropology training); 0.5 unit Media Production Skills; and 0.5 units of anthropology options.

- Summer break between years 1 and 2
Two weeks of intensive Nepali language tuition at SOAS after the June exams, followed by two months in Kathmandu, attached to the Nepā School of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Bishwo Bhasa Campus of Tribhuvan University. At the end of the summer students will be required to submit a 5000-word preliminary fieldwork report and research proposal, accompanied by a 500-word abstract written in Nepali.

- Year 2
Students take the following courses: 1.5 unit Nepali for researchers; 1.0 unit Anthropological Research Methods (0.5 units Ethnographic Research Methods in term 1 and 0.5 units in Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Social Research in term 2). They also attend the compulsory weekly MPhil Research Training Seminar in anthropology and write a 15,000 word MA Dissertation.

Language courses will be assessed though a mixture of written papers and oral examinations.

Non-language courses will be assessed on the basis of coursework essays and written papers.

Programme Specification (msword; 668kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/anthropology/programmes/ma-anthropology-research-methods-nepali/file68458.rtf

Teaching & Learning

What methods will be used to achieve the learning outcomes?

Knowledge:
1. How to assess data and evidence critically from manuscripts and digital sources, solve problems of conflicting sources and conflicting interpretations, locate materials, use research sources (particularly research library catalogues) and other relevant traditional sources.

2. The Research Methods course focuses on teaching the various research methods associated with anthropological fieldwork including: participant observation, historical research, qualitative interviewing, quantitative data collection, Rapid Participatory Assessment, how to design questionnaires and, especially, on how to formulate a research question and design a project and consider the ethical issues involved. The Statistics courseworks on how to compile statistics, and how to critically assess statistics.

3. The Research Training course, which is assessed by the Masters dissertation, works on students’ writing skills with an emphasis on thinking of the history of the discipline, writing to schedule, writing to requested word count, how to formulate a research question based on the material gathered, as well as how to do a presentation, how to comment on presentations and how to apply for funding. Term three looks at the strategies for working on the Masters’ dissertation and how to be upgraded at the start of the MPhil year.

4. A good grounding in the sociocultural and political history of and contemporary sociocultural and political issues in Nepal, and familiarity with the scholarly literature on these topics.

5. Proficiency in spoken and written Nepali sufficient for the purposes of anthropological field research: ability to conduct conversations and interviews, and read and synthesise information from Nepali written sources.

Intellectual (thinking) skills

1. Students should become precise and cautious in their assessment of evidence, and to understand through practice what documents can and cannot tell us.

2. Students should question interpretations, however authoritative, and reassess evidence for themselves. They should be able to design a research project, set a timetable, understand the principles of fieldwork, and consider questions of ethics.

3. Students should learn to read each others’ work for both its strengths and weaknesses, develop their skills as public speakers, learn how to compose short abstracts of their project (for funding), be able to think critically and yet be open to being critiqued themselves.

Subject-based practical skills

The programme aims to help students with the following practical skills:

1. Communicate effectively in writing, in both English and (at a less advanced level) Nepali
2. Retrieve, sift and select information from a variety of sources in both English and Nepali.
3. Present seminar papers.
4. Listen to and discuss ideas introduced during seminars.
5. Practice research techniques in a variety of specialized research libraries and institutes.
6. Be prepared to do fieldwork for an anthropology PhD.

Transferable skills

The programme will encourage students to:

1. Write good essays and dissertations.
2. Structure and communicate ideas effectively both orally and in writing.
3. Understand unconventional ideas.
4. Present (non–assessed) material orally.
5. Function as a student and researcher in a radically different environment.
6. Be able to apply for funding to do a PhD.
7. Be prepared to enter an Anthropology PhD programme and to be upgraded from MPhil to PhD in the shortest possible time.

Destinations

Students who study MA Anthropological Research Methods and Nepali develop a wide range of transferable skills such as research, analysis, oral and written communication skills.

The communication skills of anthropologists transfer well to areas such as information and technology, the media and tourism. Other recent SOAS career choices have included commerce and banking, government service, the police and prison service, social services and health service administration. Opportunities for graduates with trained awareness of the socio-cultural norms of minority communities also arise in education, local government, libraries and museums.

For more information about Graduate Destinations from this department, please visit the Careers Service website (http://www.soas.ac.uk/careers/graduate-destinations/).

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

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The Linguistics MA advances your knowledge of critical theory in theoretical linguistics and the philosophy of language, specifically with regard to the syntax/semantics interface, the semantics/pragmatics interface and grammar.

The MRes is designed for students who already have some background in linguistics and intend to progress to PhD study. It is designed as an enhanced route of entry to a PhD programme, giving you an opportunity to develop research skills early in order to be fully prepared for your doctorate.

Course structure

The programme is designed for both full-time and part-time students, with a flexible framework that can fit in with your professional and personal commitments. Modules are taught across the two semesters, usually in nine sessions per semester.

In addition, you are expected to work independently and engage with reading and research in your subject area. You will be offered support through tutorial supervision and the university's online virtual learning environment.

Areas of study

The Linguistics MA covers semantics, pragmatics (minimalism and contextualism), the philosophy of language, grammar, language variation and attitudes, language and identity (class, age, gender, ethnicity, social networks), language in interaction (politeness, speech accommodation, cross-cultural communication), feminist theory and linguistic theory, and ethnocentrism/racial prejudices in colonial discourse.

You approach these topics by: analysing and evaluating different approaches to studying the structure of the English language; engaging with theoretical frameworks which attempt to account for meaning in language; and examining the relationship between the philosophy of language and linguistics on one hand, and the influence of philosophical theories on the analysis of language on the other.

Modules:

Grammar and the English Language
Semantics: Word Meaning
Pragmatics, Meaning and Truth
Topics in Sociolinguistics
Research Methods
Dissertation

One from:

Discourses of Culture
Semantics/Pragmatics Interface: Approaches to the Study of Meaning
Cultural and Critical Theory module

Careers and employability

The Linguistics MA prepares you for careers in linguistics, linguistic anthropology, forensic linguistics, speech therapy, sign language, journalism, writing, English language teaching, politics and sociology.

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The English Language MA gives you the opportunity to investigate language in its social and cultural contexts.

You will examine theoretical and analytical frameworks that explore issues of language variation, language contact, language and identity; analyse the role of language in social relationships and practices; and look at how linguistic theory can be applied to the analysis of literature and culture.

The programme equips you with high-level research skills that you can apply in your dissertation, which allows you to address an issue of particular interest with the knowledge you have gathered throughout the course.

Course structure

The programme is designed for both full-time and part-time students, with a flexible framework that can fit in with your professional and personal commitments. Modules are taught across the two semesters, usually in nine sessions per semester.

In addition, you are expected to work independently and engage with reading and research in your subject area. You will be offered support through tutorial supervision and the university's online virtual learning environment.

Areas of study

The English Language MA covers semantics, pragmatics (minimalism and contextualism), the philosophy of language, grammar, language variation and attitudes, language and identity (class, age, gender, ethnicity, social networks), language in interaction (politeness, speech accommodation, cross-cultural communication), feminist theory and linguistic theory, and ethnocentrism/racial prejudices in colonial discourse.

You approach these topics by: examining theoretical and analytical frameworks that explore issues of language variation; analysing the role of language in social relationships and practices; and examining how linguistic theory can be applied to the analysis of literature and culture.

Modules:

Grammar and the English Language
Semantics: Word Meaning
Pragmatics, Meaning and Truth
Topics in Sociolinguistics
Research Methods
Dissertation

One from:

Discourses of Culture
Semantics/Pragmatics Interface: Approaches to the Study of Meaning
Cultural and Critical Theory module

Careers and employability

The English Language MA prepares you for careers in linguistics, linguistic anthropology, forensic linguistics, speech therapy, sign language, journalism, writing, English language teaching, politics and sociology.

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Research profile

Our Social Anthropology group forms an international centre of excellence for postgraduate training, recognised as one of the premier research departments in the UK.

Applied research includes policy-related work on asylum seekers, non-governmental organisations, sustainable development and participatory rights. Our regional expertise is not confined to Scotland and the UK but includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and North and South America.

Particular research strengths include:

law and justice
politics, governance and the state
nationalism and citizenship
war, violence and displacement
medicine and health
science and technology studies
history and theory of anthropology
development and environment
kinship and relatedness
death and the limits of the body
material culture, identity and memory
contemporary hunter-gatherers
linguistic anthropology
urban anthropology
anthropology of landscape

Training and support

The PhD programme combines work on your thesis project, usually based on long-term fieldwork, with systematic training in anthropological and social research skills. Research training is also available in the form of our MSc by Research.

The Graduate School provides a suite of ESRC-recognised research training courses for social science students across the University. We are developing an exciting package of flexible web-based training courses in line with the increased emphasis on ongoing training throughout the course of doctoral studies.

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The Philosophy of Language MA is designed for students with a particular interest in philosophy and ways in which its principles and teachings can be applied to the study of language.

The study of language has given rise to a number of distinctive philosophical problems that became central to Western philosophy in the nineteenth century and that have dominated research and discussion in the twentieth century.

Our philosophy modules give you a thorough grounding in philosophical insights, as you engage in critical reflection on the relationship between sociopolitical context and philosophical debate. You explore the history of philosophy from the Enlightenment to the twentieth century, examining the variety of critical and analytical traditions that have emerged from those foundations.

Philosophy of language modules examine the influence of philosophical theories on the analysis of language, focusing on the critical analysis of the relationship between the philosophy of language and linguistics.

Course structure

The programme is designed for both full-time and part-time students, with a flexible framework that can fit in with your professional and personal commitments. Modules are taught across the two semesters, usually in nine sessions per semester.

In addition, you are expected to work independently and engage with reading and research in your subject area. You will be offered support through tutorial supervision and the university's online virtual learning environment.

Areas of study

The Philosophy of Language MA covers semantics, pragmatics (minimalism and contextualism), the philosophy of language, grammar, language variation and attitudes, language and identity (class, age, gender, ethnicity, social networks), language in interaction (politeness, speech accommodation, cross-cultural communication), feminist theory and linguistic theory, and ethnocentrism/racial prejudices in colonial discourse.

You approach these topics by: analysing and evaluating aspects of philosophy that have had significant influence on the general understanding of what language is and how its use interacts with, and exploits, context; engaging with philosophical frameworks starting with Frege, through to Russell and Wittgenstein, which attempt to account for meaning in language; and evaluating philosophical foundations of critical theory that have contributed to debates on the understanding of history, politics and the nature of meaning.

Modules:

Grammar and the English Language
Semantics: Word Meaning
Pragmatics, Meaning and Truth
Topics in Sociolinguistics
Research Methods
Dissertation

One from:

Discourses of Culture
Semantics/Pragmatics Interface: Approaches to the Study of Meaning
Cultural and Critical Theory module

Careers and employability

The Philosophy of Language MA prepares you for careers in linguistics, linguistic anthropology, forensic linguistics, speech therapy, sign language, journalism, writing, English language teaching, politics and sociology.

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MA Program

Our MA program provides students with a broad knowledge of anthropological theory and research methods. Students build their research and writing skills in their graduate courses, culminating in the preparation of a significant piece of scholarly writing, which constitutes their MA thesis. The MA in Anthropology at UBC is based upon a combination of coursework, research and a thesis. Most students attain their degree within two years of starting the program; it is possible for a well-organized person to complete degree requirements during the first twelve to eighteen months of study.

The MA at UBC consists of the following course of study. Candidates must successfully complete

(1) Anthropology 500 (History of Anthropology)

(2) a professional seminar (Anth 506)

(3) an advanced methods course in ethnographic, archaeological or museum studies

(4) at least six credits of other elective courses

(5) after submitting an approved thesis proposal, a six credit thesis. The Anthropology MA thesis at UBC is modeled upon an article in a scholarly journal. It may be based upon original field research. In all cases, MA theses are limited to no more than 50 pages.

The Department accepts part-time MA candidates. The admission and residency requirements are the same as for the regular MA program, and the degree must also be completed within a five-year period. Anthropology 500 and 506 must be completed in the first year of study, the thesis proposal by the end of the second year.

Quick Facts

- Degree: Master of Arts
- Specialization: Anthropology
- Subject: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities
- Mode of delivery: On campus
- Program components: Coursework + Thesis required
- Faculty: Faculty of Arts

Research focus

UBC offers graduate study in the fields of socio-cultural anthropology (including legal, medical, and ecological anthropology, oral and expressive culture, religion, globalization, and applied anthropology), linguistic anthropology, anthropological archaeology, biological anthropology, and museum studies. Faculty research interests include North America, Asia (Russia, India, Japan, and Korea), Mesoamerica, South America, Oceania, Europe, and Africa. The program provides training in quantitative, qualitative, archaeological and museum methods.

Related Study Areas

Interdisciplinary contacts are encouraged, and links are maintained with departments and programs such as Asian Studies, the Institute of Asian Research, Linguistics, History, Geography, Sociology, and the Centre for Women's and Gender Studies.

Facilities

Extensive research facilities are available in the Museum of Anthropology, and in the Laboratory of Archaeology. The UBC Library has excellent collections to support program interests, as well as a large collection of microform theses and dissertations, and the Human Relations Area files. Anthropology has a dedicated graduate computer lab with a wide range of software to support quantitative and qualitative research.

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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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Would you like to study one of our two unique specialisations? Are you interested in graduating by using audio-visual methods or doing a multi-media project? Come to Leiden for our programme in Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology!

Specialisations

- Global Ethnography
- Sociology of Policy in Practice

Visit the website: http://en.mastersinleiden.nl/programmes/cultural-anthropology-and-development-sociology/en/introduction

Course detail

In this master’s programme you will learn to understand the everyday practice of individuals, groups and communities from the inside out, and analyse how you can situate them within complex processes of global social change.

The programme at Leiden is tailor-made, displays a broad range of theoretical, methodological and regional interests, and is renowned for its internationally oriented expertise and the two unique specialisations:

1. Global Ethnography

Our globalising world increasingly demands a comparative and holistic approach to all things cultural. In the specialisation Global Ethnography you will do three months of individual research into the ways global processes manifest themselves in particular and local instances, in remote places as well as close to home.

2. Sociology of Policy in Practice

Our specialisation in the sociology of policy in practice teaches you to think along with companies, NGO’s and other organisations to help them respond to the challenges they are facing in our rapidly changing times. You obtain relevant working experience by conducting a three-month research-oriented internship, in close collaboration with both our Leiden staff and members of your host organisation.

Field schools in Asia, Africa and the Netherlands

The Leiden Institute of CA-DS ensures half a century and more of expertise on South-East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. As a student, you can enjoy the possibilities of this wide network of international contacts and conduct your own research in one of our field schools abroad, located in Indonesia (Java) or Ghana, or in the Netherlands. For more information check our webpage on the Field schools.

Master students are not strictly limited to these regions and field schools. If you have sufficient expertise, local contacts and linguistic skills, it is possible to focus on another region and do your fieldwork there. You can contact the institute’s coordinator and discuss the feasibility of your research plans.

Visual Ethnography as a Method

All specialisations can be combined with the methodological track ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’ Although admission to this track requires certain minimal skills in visual ethnography (which can be obtained at the Institute CA-DS in the pre-master phase), you will be able to improve your use of audio-visual methods like photography, video and audio, both in research and in reporting through course work and your own independent research project.

Career prospects

As a CA-DS master, you will be fully equipped with the scientific skills required to independently design and execute fundamental and applied research.

How to apply: http://en.mastersinleiden.nl/arrange/admission

Funding

For information regarding funding, please visit the website: http://prospectivestudents.leiden.edu/scholarships

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Overview

CREOLE is an innovative two-year Anthropology degree (120 ECTS), funded under the EU SOCRATES Programme, in which students are required to spend two of the four semesters at one or more European partner institutions:

- Universität Wien (Austria)
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
- Université Lumière Lyon 2 (France)
- Univerza v Ljubljani (Slovenia)
- Stockholms Universitet (Sweden)
- Universität Bern (Switzerland)
- Adam Mickiewicz University (Poland)
This unique international Master’s degree allows the opportunity to study and analyse multiple complex societies, and to deal with cultural diversity, transnationalism, visual and popular culture. The programme’s main language is English. Proficiency in the language of the proposed partner institution (French, German, Spanish, Swedish, or Slovenian) is desirable.

Course Structure

Normally, Maynooth University students complete 60 ECTS worth of taught modules in their first year at home in Maynooth. For their second year, students visit at least one of the partner universities where they must carry out original research and submit a thesis. For the thesis, students identify their primary supervisor at the home university (MU) as well as a co-supervisor at the partner university they visit. There is also an Intensive Programme (IP) which takes place every year between Semesters 2 and 3 – normally in July – where all students from all partner universities come together for learning, teaching and networking in one of the 6 partner universities. This MA allows the opportunity to study and analyse multiple complex societies, and to deal with cultural diversity, transnationalism, visual and popular culture. The programme's main language is English but proficiency in the language of the chosen university partner is desirable.

Career Options

The CREOLE MA places its graduates in an excellent position to pursue a wide range of international careers. The experience of living and working in at least two different linguistic settings of Europe equips graduates to communicate well in the context of social and cultural diversity, while the completion of a field-based original research project provides them with analytic and problem-solving competencies that are highly valued in both public and private sectors. Students might pursue careers that deal with migration, visual and popular culture, cultural heritage, or international policy, and might work in internationally oriented NGOs, government organisations, international organisations at the European or global level, or international business.

How To Apply

Online application only http://www.pac.ie/maynoothuniversity

PAC Code
MHC58

The following information should be forwarded to PAC, 1 Courthouse Square, Galway or uploaded to your online application form:

**Certified copies of all official transcripts of results for all non-Maynooth University qualifications listed MUST accompany the application. Failure to do so will delay your application being processed.

- Writing the Statement of Academic and Professional Goals (500 words)

The Statement of Academic Goals is a significant component of the application, and should be given a good deal of thought and preparation. This is your statement of purpose that explains your experience, scholarly interests, and goals. Some of the things your statement should address include (but are not limited to): why you want to pursue postgraduate study in the CREOLE programme; what you have been reading recently that has inspired you to pursue the field of anthropology (please be specific about authors and titles); your general research interests in the field of anthropology and/or ideas for a thesis project; your professional/career goals and how the CREOLE MA degree will help you achieve them.

- Arranging for letters of recommendation

You must make prior arrangements with two referees to write letters of recommendation on your behalf; these should be academic references, or if you do not have recent academic experience, then some other type of professional reference; personal character references are not appropriate. In your application, provide the names and contact details (preferably emails) of these two referees, and the department will contact them on your behalf to request letters. You may alternatively ask your referees to send letters directly to [email protected]; letters should be signed and on letterhead, and should be sent from the referee’s own email address. They can also be sent by post to Anthropology Department at the address below.

Online PAC application form
Statement of your academic and professional goals (SEE BELOW)
Names and contact details of two referees who have agreed to write letters of recommendation for you (SEE BELOW)
Official Transcripts of degrees not earned at NUIM**
A copy of your Birth Certificate or valid Passport (non-NUIM students only)
Decisions are returned within 2 weeks of each closing date

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/postgraduate-studies/fees-funding-scholarships

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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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The MPhil in Health, Medicine, and Society is a full-time 9-month course that provides students with the opportunity to carry out focused research under close supervision by senior members of the University. Students will acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests, as well as a critical and well-informed understanding of the roles of the history, philosophy, sociology and anthropology of health and medicine.

Those intending to go on to doctoral work will learn the research skills needed to help them prepare a well planned and focused PhD proposal. During the course students gain experience of presenting their own work and discussing the issues that arise from it with an audience of their peers and senior members of the Department; they will attend lectures, supervisions and research seminars in a range of technical and specialist subjects central to research in the different areas of history, philosophy, sociology and anthropology of health and medicine.

The MPhil is jointly run by the Departments of History and Philosophy of Science, Sociology and Social Anthropology. It is a full-time course and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge. Its main aims are:

- to give students with relevant training at first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focussed research in Health, Medicine and Society (HMS) under close supervision;
- to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests;
- to enable students to acquire a critical and well informed understanding of the roles of the history, philosophy, sociology and anthropology of health and medicine; and
- to help students intending to go on to doctoral work to acquire the requisite research skills and to prepare a well planned and focussed PhD proposal.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding -

By the end of the course, students will have:

- Developed a deeper knowledge of their chosen areas of history, philosophy, sociology and social anthropology of health and medicine and of the critical debates within them;
- Acquired a conceptual understanding that enables the evaluation of current research and methodologies;
- Formed a critical view of the roles of the health, medicine and society.

Skills and other attributes -

By the end of the course, students should have:

- Acquired or consolidated methodological, linguistic, technical and ancillary skills appropriate for research in their chosen area;
- Demonstrated independent judgement, based on their own research;
- Presented their own ideas in a public forum and learned to contribute constructively within an international environment.

Continuing -

Students admitted for the MPhil can apply to continue as PhD students. The usual preconditions for continuing to the PhD are an overall first class mark in the MPhil, a satisfactory performance in an interview and agreement of the PhD proposal with a potential supervisor.

Teaching

The course is overseen by a Manager who takes responsibility for day-to-day oversight of the course and liaison with staff and students. Students choose a ‘home’ subject (History, Philosophy, Sociology or Social Anthropology), and the Advisor for that subject guides them in formulating a programme of study. Students work with supervisors in writing their essays and dissertation.

The core modules are the main teaching resource for this course. All students attend all core modules which run twice a week during Michaelmas term and are led by different senior members of teaching staff and focus on selected readings. Eight optional modules run during Lent term, and students are advised to attend at least two of these. In Easter term students attend Dissertation seminars which provide opportunities for them to present their own work. Students receive two one-to-one supervisions on the modules on which they choose to write essays and four on their dissertations.

The Advisors assist students in the identification of a topic and a supervisor for their dissertation during Michaelmas term. Students will be expected to start work on their dissertation during Michaelmas and continue working on it throughout the course of the year.

See more on the website - http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/hphpmphms/study

Assessment

Thesis:
Students submit a dissertation of up to 15,000 words.

Essays:
Students submit three essays, one of which is up to 3000 words and two of which are up to 5000 words.

How to Apply

Please see details of this on the website here - http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/hphpmphms/apply

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