Masters Degrees (Phonetics)

Programme description

This programme will give a comprehensive grounding in the theory and practice of phonetics. Students will learn the core phonetic topics of speech production, speech acoustics, and speech perception, and will learn how phonetics relates to many other language-related disciplines.

The programme has a strong practical emphasis. It is designed primarily for graduates wishing to continue studying phonetics at PhD level, and for those wishing to use phonetics as a tool for investigation in related fields, e.g. historical linguistics, phonology, developmental linguistics, psychology, speech technology, etc.

The taught MSc in Phonetics will provide students with an intensive grounding in phonetics and related disciplines, its methodologies, research questions, and techniques of research.

Programme structure

Students will take options from a wide range of courses offered in Linguistics & English Language and related subject areas, and will write a dissertation project.

All students will be required to take two core courses in Phonetics and one core course in Statistics. Those students who do not have a strong background in phonetics and phonology may also be required to take an introductory course in Phonology & Phonetics.

Courses will include lectures, tutorials, and lab practicals.

Assessment is by coursework, project, and/or exams and a dissertation project.

At the dissertation stage, students are assigned a supervisor with whom they meet to plan their reading and to discuss their work.

Learning outcomes

The taught MSc in Phonetics will give students all of the intellectual and practical skills to engage in phonetics research, either for its own sake, or as part of research in another sub-area of linguistics, speech technology, or speech pathology.

Students graduating from our programme will understand basic anatomy and physiology of speaking and hearing, phonetic typology, current theories of phonetics and its relationship to phonology and other parts of grammar, and how to test these theories using empirical data.

We offer a strong focus on practical skills: students will learn how to elicit and collect phonetic data, the mechanisms involved in recording sound, how to measure and analyse acoustic and articulatory components of speech, how to create and analyse perceptual experiments, as well as core elements of scripting and statistical analysis.

Career opportunities

This course is primarily as a conversion course for students looking to do serious postgraduate work in phonetics, speech pathology, speech processing, forensic linguistics or related fields.

Students will also receive training in practical skills, e.g. statistics and computational techniques, which could be relevant for a variety of different fields.

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As a student on our MA in Phonetics and Phonology, you will study the sounds and sound patterns of the languages of the world from cognitive and social angles, combining theory and data. You will be guided by academics who are recognized experts in their field, with specialisms in language change, acquisition, prosody, spoken interaction and sociophonetics.

Overview

Why do the sounds of languages change over time? How do we learn the phonologies of our first and second languages? Why do we have different accents? What information do fine details of everyday speech convey?

These are some of the many questions that you can pursue on our MA in Phonetics and Phonology. This MA programme is designed to familiarise you with a broad range of topics within phonetics and phonology and give you the necessary skills to develop your own research in these fields. You will learn how to collect and analyse phonetic and phonological data, and how to use it to answer theoretical questions.

You will be taught by a diverse group of researchers drawing on traditional and time-tested methods of analysis as well as cutting-edge technological advances. Our own research combines a focus on careful data analysis with a strong interest in theoretical questions. We hope to instill the same attention to theoretical and empirical detail in our students.

Aims
Our MA in Phonetics and Phonology will:
-Deepen your knowledge of phonetics and phonology
-Give you practical training in using auditory and instrumental techniques in phonetic analysis, as well as a range of computational methods
-Provide you with a strong background in quantitative and qualitative data analysis
-Enable you to apply your skills and knowledge to linguistic data
-Train you to carry out original research in phonetics and phonology

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methods
We aim to give you practical training in the skills that are essential for phoneticians and phonologists as well as a firm grounding in theory. Our teaching methods reflect these goals: you will attend a variety of lab sessions, ear training classes and discussion groups besides more conventional lectures and seminars. You will also work closely with a supervisor who will help you develop your own research programme.

We encourage our students to be an active part of the research community here at York. You will have the opportunity to interact with researchers from within and outside the department, and to attend departmental colloquia where you can broaden your view of phonetics, phonology and linguistics in general.

Assessment
This MA programme comprises an overall 180 credits. A large part of this is made up by the dissertation, which is worth 80 credits. As a result, the decisive factor in determining the outcome of the MA is the dissertation.

For the taught modules, assessment is typically by an exam, a dossier of exercises or a short essay for the Autumn Term Modules, and by a 5,000 word essay or equivalent for the Spring Term Modules.

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Overview

This degree will give you a good grounding in major topics in linguistics – the study of how language is structured, represented in the mind and interpreted – and phonetics, the study of how speech sounds are physically produced.

Core modules will introduce you to key aspects of the discipline, such as syntax, phonetics and phonology. You’ll also develop your knowledge of research methods within and outside of the lab. You’ll then choose from optional modules to suit your interests or career plans, such as language acquisition or sociolinguistics.

Spanning the arts and sciences, linguistics is a challenging and rewarding discipline that allows you to gain a real understanding of human communication as well as a wide range of transferable skills. Taught by experts in top-class facilities and supported by the Language at Leeds research network, this programme will give you a good foundation in the subject informed by the very latest research.

Specialist resources

Leeds is a fantastic place to study linguistics and phonetics. Our tutors and research students are active members of the wider Language at Leeds network which brings together researchers from across the University. You’ll be able to enhance your learning with an array of research events throughout the year.

Postgraduates also have access to our extensive facilities, including the Human Communications Suite complete with a recording studio and lab space for psycholinguistics experiments. You can make use of our phonetics lab and the Language Zone, a state-of-the-art space where you can use a range of language-based teaching materials whenever you want.

This programme is suitable for people who have no prior knowledge of linguistics, or those who may have studied some during their first degree. However, if you do have a substantial background in linguistics or phonetics, you may prefer to study for an MA by Research.

The degree is also available to study part-time over 24 months. The part-time MA may be of special interest to those who are working in related fields as part of their career development.

Course Content

Core modules will allow you to develop your knowledge of key aspects of linguistics and phonetics. You’ll study introductory modules in syntax and phonetics and phonology in Semester One, which you’ll build on in more advanced modules in the following semester. You’ll also take core modules to develop your academic and research skills in linguistics.

In addition, you’ll expand your understanding of areas that suit your interests when you choose from optional modules on topics such as pragmatics, sociolinguistics and language acquisition. By the end of the programme, you’ll be able to demonstrate the skills and knowledge you’ve gained when you complete an independently researched dissertation on a linguistics topic of your choice.

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This degree will give you a good grounding in major topics in linguistics – the study of how language is structured, represented in the mind and interpreted – and phonetics, the study of how speech sounds are physically produced.

Core modules will introduce you to key aspects of the discipline, such as syntax, phonetics and phonology. You’ll also develop your knowledge of research methods within and outside of the lab. You’ll then choose from optional modules to suit your interests or career plans, such as language acquisition or sociolinguistics.

Spanning the arts and sciences, linguistics is a challenging and rewarding discipline that allows you to gain a real understanding of human communication as well as a wide range of transferable skills. Taught by experts in top-class facilities and supported by the Language at Leeds research network, this programme will give you a good foundation in the subject informed by the very latest research.

Specialist resources

Leeds is a fantastic place to study linguistics and phonetics. Our tutors and research students are active members of the wider Language at Leeds network which brings together researchers from across the University. You’ll be able to enhance your learning with an array of research events throughout the year.

Postgraduates also have access to our extensive facilities, including the Human Communications Suite complete with a recording studio and lab space for psycholinguistics experiments. You can make use of our phonetics lab and the Language Zone, a state-of-the-art space where you can use a range of language-based teaching materials whenever you want.

This programme is suitable for people who have no prior knowledge of linguistics, or those who may have studied some during their first degree. However, if you do have a substantial background in linguistics or phonetics, you may prefer to study for an MA by Research.

This programme is also available to study part-time over 24 months.

Course Content

Core modules will allow you to develop your knowledge of key aspects of linguistics and phonetics. You’ll study introductory modules in syntax and phonetics and phonology in Semester One, which you’ll build on in more advanced modules in the following semester. You’ll also take core modules to develop your academic and research skills in linguistics.

In addition, you’ll expand your understanding of areas that suit your interests when you choose from optional modules on topics such as pragmatics, sociolinguistics and language acquisition. By the end of the programme, you’ll be able to demonstrate the skills and knowledge you’ve gained when you complete an independently researched dissertation on a linguistics topic of your choice.

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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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Advanced knowledge of phonetics and syntax coupled with practical application and exploration of English in context – e.g. speech therapy, English in education, discourse analysis – forms the core of our MA course.

The next start date for this course is October 2018.

Why Study English Language and Linguistics with us?

Taught at our Parkgate Road Campus in Chester, our cutting-edge MA course is delivered by a dynamic team of linguists, each with their own research specialisms. Our range of expertise includes corpus linguistics (computer-assisted discourse analysis), acoustic phonetics (useful for speech therapy), cognitive stylistics (how our minds process fictional and non-fictional texts) and critical discourse analysis (e.g. ideology in the media). Students can also explore conflicts and controversies in the discipline and contribute to our online blog.

Our dedicated English Language research space will allow you to undertake data-based projects using some of the latest specialist software (e.g. for acoustic phonetics and corpus linguistic analysis).

What will I learn?

Integral to the course is the advanced study of phonetics/phonology and morphology/syntax at the micro-level, combined with application of knowledge about structures of English in discourse (corpus linguistics, critical discourse analysis, cognitive stylistics) and research methods. These core areas of study are supplemented with options which may include the role of English in education (e.g. phonics and grammar in the classroom), language and identity, language change and speech disorders.

How will I be taught?

In most modules you will attend a lecture and discuss ideas in smaller seminars and workshops.
Full-time MA contact hours are approximately four hours per week with 20 hours per week of additional independent study, during term time. Further contact hours with lecturers are in the form of dissertation supervision and personal tutorials.

How will I be assessed?

Assessments are tailored for each module and include exercises in grammar and phonetics/phonology, discourse analysis essays, seminar papers (including presentations), discursive essays, extended data collection and analysis projects, lesson plan and commentary, portfolio, and an extended thesis (dissertation). A successful dissertation is also an essential requirement. There are no exams.

Postgraduate Visit Opportunities

If you are interested in this courses we have a number of opportunities to visit us and our campuses. To find out more about these options and to book a visit, please go to: https://www1.chester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-visit-opportunities

Request a Prospectus

If you would like to know more about the University please request a prospectus at: http://prospectus.chester.ac.uk/form.php

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The Linguistics MA is a flexible programme which aims to explore the breadth and the depth of linguistics. It builds on the widest range of teaching and research expertise, covering all aspects of theoretical and descriptive linguistics: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, discourse and conversation analysis, typology, historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, cognitive linguistics and psycholinguistics, computational and corpus linguistics, field linguistics, and the documentation and description of endangered languages. The academic staff teaching on the programme work on various practical applications of linguistics (e.g. language codification and language policy, institutional language, language in the community) and have expertise in a wide range of languages, including English and its varieties, Germanic, Latin and Romance, Russian, Polish, Kurdish and other Iranian languages, Arabic, Hebrew, Turkish, and several languages spoken in the Americas (e.g. Huave, Quechua, Ulwa), Australia (e.g. Jamingjung), and beyond.
All students receive a solid foundation for linguistic study in three core modules (of which at least two are compulsory):
Grammatical Theory
Semantics and Pragmatics
Phonetics and Phonology
The remainder of the programme allows the students to make the most of what the staff have to offer. Students can either take a variety of course units in different areas including the new Forensic Linguistics unit, or specialise in one of the following pathways: Phonetics and Phonology, Sociolinguistics, Syntax and Semantics, Typology or Romani Linguistics.

Aims

The course aims to give students a grounding in breadth and depth in Linguistics, by exploring the central features of linguistic theory: its history, objectives, principal theoretical frameworks, methodologies, contested areas and uncontested results. Students will gain experience of excellence in teaching and learning at an advanced level, in an environment where they will benefit from the fact that the School is also home to world-leading research in Linguistics.

Teaching and learning

Teaching takes on a variety of forms. Core course units and other MA specific course units are typically taught as seminars, in a small group, combining lectures with discussion. Many of them have practical tutorials as well which will help students prepare for individual research projects. Directed Readings involve individual or small group meetings during which pre-set readings on a particular topic are discussed. The enhanced Level 3 undergraduate course units combine lectures or seminars, depending on the aim of the course unit, with more optional tutorials. The aim across all teaching forms is to create the opportunity for intensive scholarly work, with areas of focus determined by the participants and their individual interests, which can be investigated in considerable depth.

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Programme description

This intensive programme offers an exciting opportunity to learn from world leaders in both informatics and linguistics. Drawing from our cutting-edge research, the programme’s content covers all areas of speech and language processing, from phonetics, speech synthesis and speech recognition to natural language generation and machine translation.

This flexible programme provides research or vocational training and can be either freestanding or lead to PhD study. The modular nature of the programme allows you to tailor it to your own interests.

Taught by leading researchers from Linguistics & English Language, the Centre for Speech Technology Research and the School of Informatics, this programme combines elements of linguistics, computer science, engineering and psychology.

You will develop up-to-date knowledge of a broad range of areas in speech and language processing and gain the technical expertise and hands-on skills required to carry out research and development in this challenging interdisciplinary area.

Programme structure

You study two semesters of taught courses, followed by a dissertation.

Most core compulsory courses have both computational and mathematical content. A few optional courses need a stronger mathematical background. Courses in the second semester can be tailored to your own interests and abilities.

Compulsory courses:

Advanced Natural Language Processing
Computer Programming for Speech and Language Processing
Introduction to Phonology and Phonetics
Speech Processing

Option courses may include:

Advanced Topics in Phonetics: Speech Production and Perception
Automatic Speech Recognition
Introduction to Statistics and Experimental Design
Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition
Machine Translation
Natural Language Generation
Natural Language Understanding
Prosody
Simulating Language
Speech Synthesis
Univariate Statistics and Methodology using R

Learning outcomes

This programme aims to equip you with the technical knowledge and practical skills required to carry out research and development in the challenging interdisciplinary arena of speech and language technology.

You will learn about state-of-the-art techniques in speech synthesis, speech recognition, natural language processing, dialogue, language generation and machine translation.

You will also learn the theory behind such technologies and gain the practical experience of working with and developing real systems based on these technologies. This programme is ideal preparation for a PhD or working in industry.

Career opportunities

This programme will provide you with the specialised skills you need to perform research or develop technology in speech and language processing. It will also serve as a solid basis for doctoral study.

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The MA in Linguistics aims to give you a general foundation in the central areas of modern linguistics, while at the same time allowing you to develop your own particular areas of interest.

Overview

The MA in Linguistics will:
-Impart a general foundation and background in linguistics
-Give you a practical training in techniques used in linguistic analysis
-Enable you to apply your skills and knowledge to linguistic data
-Introduce you to research questions and methodologies in linguistics
-Enable you to perform original research in linguistics

Course structure

The Autumn term comprises four modules in core areas of linguistics. In the Spring term you will choose two modules from a range of options, and begin a further core module on key ideas in linguistics which you will complete in the Summer term. The programme is completed with a research dissertation.

The modules in the Autumn term assume no prior knowledge and provide introductions to the core areas. The modules in the Spring term provide preparation for the research area in which you will complete your dissertation.

Autumn Term
Students take modules worth 40 credits in Autumn Term. The typical Autumn Term modules are:
-Language variation and change (10 credits)
-Semantics (10 credits)
-Syntax (10 credits)
-Phonetics and phonology (10 credits)

Spring Term
In the Spring Term you will take two 20-credit modules of your choice. Your options may include:
-Articulatory and impressionistic phonetics (20 credits)
-Bilingualism (20 credits)
-Phonological variation and change (20 credits)
-Second Language phonology (20 credits)
-Second language syntax (20 credits)
-Semantic theory (20 credits)
-Syntactic theory (20 credits)
-The phonetics of talk-in-interaction (20 credits)
-Topics in language variation and change (20 credits)

Note that module offerings may vary from year to year. Not every module is offered every year.

If you have covered substantial parts of the taught MA programme in your undergraduate degree, please talk to us about whether one of our specialist degree programmes may be more appropriate.

Spring and Summer Terms
In the second half of the Spring term and first half of the Summer term you will take a further core module:
-Key ideas in linguistics (20 credits)

Summer Term and Summer vacation
-Dissertation (60 credits)

All terms
-Research training seminar (20 credits)

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You will combine advanced study in historical and modern aspects of English language and English linguistics. This programme provides career opportunities in research, teaching, publishing and lexicography among others. It is a research training Masters in line with Arts & Humanities Research Council practice and is an accredited part of the training programme of the Economic & Social Research Council Scottish Doctoral Training Centre.

Why this programme

-You will have access to Glasgow’s Special Collections, which has a large collection of medieval and renaissance manuscripts and early printed books.
-You will also have access to professional standard equipment for the analysis of speech data in the University’s Phonetics Lab.

Programme structure

You will learn through a combination of lectures, regular supervisions, formative essay writing and attendance at supplementary classes and seminars. Assessment includes a portfolio of essays.

You will undertake a number of core courses in historical and modern English language and English linguistics, including
-Phonetics and phonology
-Sociolinguistics
-Lexicography, lexicology and semantics
-Discourse analysis and grammar
-English historical linguistics

You can also take courses on offer in some MLitt programmes in the College of Arts, for example,Medieval & Renaissance Studies, Classics.

You will take courses in research skills and methods. The second half of the programme is dedicated to your individual dissertation work, under the guidance of an assigned supervisor.

Please note that the availability of Core Courses depends on staff availability in any session; the availability of Option Courses depends on student take-up and staff availability in any session.

Core and optional courses

The components covered in Semester 1 provide a high level overview of core topics in English Language and English Linguistics. You will study current issues in these fields, which will provide the basis for independent empirical research in your chosen specified areas in Semester 2.
-Phonetics and Phonology
-Sociolinguistics
-Discourse Studies
-English Historical Linguistics
-Early English Textual Studies

Dissertation

From April to September, students work on a short dissertation (15,000 words) linking directly to work undertaken in Semester 2 with their supervisors. The Dissertation can be an end in itself, but it is envisaged that it can also act as a pilot-study for, or a component part of, a subsequent doctoral thesis.

Career prospects

Career opportunities include teaching, publishing, digital analysis, journalism and lexicography. You can take advantage of opportunities to establish or advance your career as a writer or editor, or to work in museums, schools or academia. Other graduates have used their specialist knowledge to gain positions in the media or in business.

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The Division of Language and Communication Science in City’s School of Health has an established reputation for teaching and research excellence. Join the MSc Speech and Language Therapy course and join a profession that makes a real difference to people’s lives.

Students starting PG Dip courses in September 2017 will receive a NHS Tuition Fee Bursary to cover the full tuition fees for the duration of their course.

Who is it for?

Our graduate-entry courses allow graduates with a first degree from disciplines other than healthcare to gain a pre-registration health qualification in two years as opposed to the usual three to four - providing a fast-track route into health.

The MSc in Speech and Language Therapy is designed for students who are committed to a career in speech and language therapy. You will need to have:
-Good listening and communication skills
-Good problem-solving skills
-Good organisational skills
-An ability to learn a range of academic subjects and to apply your learning to clinical practice
-An enthusiasm for working with children and adults and as part of a team.

Objectives

The MSc Speech and Language Therapy course leads to work in a challenging and varied field - you could be working with autistic children, people who stammer or adults who have lost their speech following a stroke.

City's MSc Speech and Language Therapy has an excellent reputation and is based within the largest, teaching, research and clinical division in the UK for language and communication science.

The programme is taught by expert staff who are leaders in the field of speech and language therapy. The innovative and research-informed curriculum is supported by a busy in-house speech and language therapy clinic led by specialist staff and is considered as one of the leading educational environments in the world.

At City we have close links with speech and language therapy services throughout London, with many practitioners from these services acting as clinical tutors on our courses.

Placements

The MSc Speech and Language Therapy course provides many opportunities for clinical practice, including attendance at health centres, schools, departmental clinics, special educational settings and hospitals throughout the London area.

Academic facilities

Speech and language therapy students have access to specialist labs and equipment such as ultrasound and laryngographs to help them understand speech production and audiological equipment when learning about hearing and deafness.

The Roberta Williams Speech and Language Therapy Centre, opened in January 2016, is our specialist speech and language therapy clinic. The Centre contains state-of-the-art equipment to enable staff within the Division of Language and Communication Science to deliver cutting edge research and services to patients.

Moodle is an enhanced Virtual Learning Environment which provides students with access to online course materials, resources, interactive activities, assessment and communication tools and is a key element of our blended learning approach, combining face-to-face teaching with online activity.

Teaching and learning

The MSc in Speech and Language Therapy is a very intensive programme which requires full time study by attending lectures, small-group problem-solving sessions, practical classes and tutorials. You will also have access to the most up-to-date equipment in the Speech Acoustics Laboratory and innovative online learning materials. On clinical placements you will benefit from the supervision of a qualified therapist.

Modules are assessed through a diverse range of assignments and examinations. Your clinical progress will also be monitored by supervising clinicians.

Modules

During the MSc Speech and Language Therapy course you will learn about the foundations of speech and language, about how children learn to talk and about disorders that affect communication. A number of subjects equip you for the analysis of speech, language and hearing difficulties, such as phonetics, linguistics and audiology. You will also develop research skills and the ability to apply evidence based practice. You will undertake weekly and block clinical placements in both years of the course.

Modules
-Articulatory Phonetics, Phonology and Speech Development
-Bio-medical Sciences
-Life Span Psychology and Research Methods
-Speech Disorders, Dysfluency and Augmentative and Alternative
-Dysphagia, Voice, Motor Speech Disorders, Dementia
-Language Sciences: Linguistics and Language Development
-Professional Studies A
-Evidence Based Practice and Data Analysis
-Acoustic Phonetics, Audiology and Deafness
-Acquired and Developmental Language Disorders
-Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning Disability, Child Mental Health, Cerebral Palsy, Cleft Palate
-Professional Studies B
-Research Project

When you have successfully completed 13 modules totalling 240 credits you will qualify for an MSc Speech and Language Therapy.

Career prospects

On successfully completing the MSc Speech and Language Therapy you are eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and practise as a speech and language therapist in the NHS and other settings.

A career in speech and language therapy offers opportunities to work with clients of all ages in settings such as:
-Health centres
-Hospitals
-Schools
-Charities
-Universities
-You can also work abroad and in the private sector.

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Programme description

This programme will develop your understanding of how knowledge of language changes as people acquire or lose language at various points in their lifespan.

It is designed primarily for graduates with a background related to linguistics and/or psychology who wish to develop their knowledge of current research on language acquisition (first, second, bilingual, and impaired) and language change from a cognitive perspective and from the point of view of current linguistic theories.

Joining a vibrant research community of developmental linguists, you will have the opportunity to carry out advanced research to try to answer questions related to the area of language development and bilingualism, such as ‘how do children learn language?’ or ‘what happens when we forget a language?’

You will benefit from the programme's strengths in:

scope (with equal emphasis on first and second language acquisition and bilingualism)
interdisciplinary teaching (staff drawn from linguistics, psychology and informatics)
skill-oriented training (through methodology courses, lab sessions and project work)

Programme structure

This programme comprises two semesters of taught courses, followed by a dissertation.

Compulsory courses

Introduction to Phonology and Phonetics
Introduction to Syntax
First Language Acquisition
Second Language Acquisition
Psychology of Language Learning
Univariate Statistics and Methodology Using R

Option courses may include:

Sentence Comprehension
Discourse Comprehension
Language Production
Origins and Evolution of Language
Simulating Language
Child Bilingualism: Language and Cognition
Language Behaviours, Brains and Cognition: Data and Theories
Language Behaviours, Brains and Cognition: Principles and Approaches
Experimental Pragmatics
Developmental Language Disorders
Research Methods in Developmental Linguistics
Language Evolution in the Lab
Computational Phonology
Advanced Topics in Phonetics: Speech Production and Perception

Career opportunities

This programme will provide you with the specialised skills you need to perform research in language learning and development. It will also serve as a solid basis for doctoral study.

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The MA in Psycholinguistics will provide you with a general background in psycholinguistics while giving you a practical training in the techniques and methodologies associated with the field of study. You will have the opportunity to develop your interest in areas such as bilingualism, syntactic processing in special populations and early phonetic and phonological development.

Overview

The MA in Psycholinguistics will:
-Impart a general foundation and background in psycholinguistics
-Give you a practical training in techniques used in psycholinguistics, including statistical methods
-Enable you to apply your skills and knowledge to linguistic data
-Introduce you to research questions and methodologies in psycholinguistics
-Enable you to perform original research in psycholinguistics

Course structure

Autumn Term
There are two different routes in the Autumn Term, depending on your prior background. Students with no prior background in Linguistics or Psycholinguistics take the modules in Route A, below. Students who already have some background in these subjects take Route B. We will help you to determine which route you should take, when you apply.

Route A
-Quantitative methods (10 credits)
-Language acquisition (10 credits)
-Psycholinguistics (10 credits)
-Syntax (10 credits) OR Phonetics and phonology (10 credits)

Route B
-Quantitative methods (10 credits)
AND 30 further credits from among the modules below and the modules in Route A:
-Advanced comparative syntactic or semantic typology (20 credits)
-Advanced phonology (10 credits)
-Advanced phonetics (10 credits)
-Emergence of structure from use (10 credits)
-Phonological development (20 credits)
-Directed readings in phonological development (10 credits)

Spring Term
In the Spring Term you will take two 20-credit modules from a range of options. Options may include:
-Topics in phonological development (20 credits)
-Bilingualism (20 credits)
-Learning mechanisms (20 credits)
-Second language phonology (20 credits)
-Second language syntax (20 credits)
-Psycholinguistic approaches to second language acquisition (20 credits)

Note that module offerings may vary from year to year. Not every module is offered every year.

Spring and Summer Terms
-Key ideas in linguistics (20 credits)

Summer Term and Summer vacation
-Dissertation (60 credits)

All terms
-Research training seminar (20 credits)

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The English Linguistics MA provides students with the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to describe modern English, together with appropriate training in academic writing, linguistic argumentation and research methods. Students have access to the Survey of English Usage, an unparalleled resource for research into grammatical repertoire.

Degree information

The MA introduces students to the core areas of the study of English Linguistics, including morphology, syntax, phonetics, phonology and prgamatics. The programme trains students to use library OPACS, specialised websites, discussion lists, and databases, among them the ICE-GB corpus, based at the Survey of English Usage in UCL English.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of three core components (90 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules
-English Grammar and Methodology
-English Corpus Linguistics
OR
-English Language in Use
-Research Methodology

Optional modules - students take two optional modules. Different options are offered each year and have included:
-English Words
-History of the English Language
-Literary Linguistics
-Phonetics and Phonology of English

Dissertation/report
All MA Students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000 words. Students have access to the Survey of English Usage for this project.

Teaching and learning
The programme is taught through seminars and individual tutorials. Student assessment is through a portfolio of essays (two 2,000-word essays on English linguistics), two three-hour written papers and the dissertation. Each of the five components of assessment makes up 20% of the final mark.

Careers

The programme provides an ideal foundation for those wishing to continue for a research degree in English language or linguistics; students who obtain good results in their MA examinations may be considered for the MPhil/PhD programme at UCL (subject to places being available). It is also of interest to those who wish to become teachers or lecturers of English, or those intending to pursue a career in writing, publishing, or editing.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-English Language Teacher, BGS College.
-English Language PhD, University College London (UCL).
-English Teacher, Institute of English.
-Study Consultant, Tiandao Education Group.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The department has exceptional resources for the study of English linguistics. Use of the Survey of English Usage has resulted in many important studies of the grammar, semantics and vocabulary of present-day English.

Excellent library facilities are provided by the UCL Library, Senate House Library and the British Library.

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The Linguistics MA aims to give students a thorough grounding in modern theoretical linguistics. Students gain a basic understanding of the three core areas of linguistics: phonetics and phonology; syntax; and semantics and pragmatics, and are then able to tailor the programme to meet their personal linguistic interests.

Degree information

Students gain knowledge and understanding of current research in theoretical linguistics and are prepared for independent research. On completion of the programme, they will be able to formulate appropriate research questions, find and evaluate relevant literature, develop and test new hypotheses, and produce cogent, structured and professionally presented reports.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of four core modules (105 credits), one optional module (15 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

Core modules
-Syntax
-Semantics and Pragmatics
-Phonetics and Phonology
-Foundations of Linguistics

Optional modules - students choose one of the following:
-Advanced Phonological Theory
-Advanced Semantic Theory
-Current Issues in Syntax
-Intermediate Generative Grammar
-Issues in Pragmatics
-Language Acquisition
-Linguistics of Sign Language
-Morphology
-Neurolinguistics
-Phonology of English
-Readings in Syntax
-Semantic-Pragmatic Development
-Sociolinguistics
-Stuttering

Dissertation/report
All MA students undertake an independent research project in any area of linguistics which culminates in a dissertation of 10,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The teaching and assessment of this programme is strongly research-orientated. It is delivered through a combination of lectures, small-group teaching and a virtual learning environment. Some modules also involve workshops or practical classes. Assessment is through take-home and unseen examination, essays, presentations, assignments and the dissertation.

Careers

Many linguistics graduates from UCL carry on studying linguistics at MPhil/PhD level with a view to pursuing an academic career. Others go on to teach languages, especially English (as a first or foreign language) or embark on a range of other careers, from law, media, computing and speech and language therapy to all aspects of commerce and industry.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Lecturer, University of Saudi Arabia
-Software Developer, OpenBet Ltd
-Investigations Specialist, Amazon
-Translator, Hunan University
-PhD in Linguistics, University of Cambridge

Employability
Linguistics MA students acquire a wide range of transferable skills, which opens up opportunities in many different sectors include language teaching, translating and interpreting, marketing, communication, journalism, management, and law.

Graduates who achieve good results are well-placed to go on to a research degree in Linguistics at top universities, often with a view to pursuing an academic career.

Why study this degree at UCL?

The UCL Division of Psychology & Language Sciences undertakes world-leading research and teaching in linguistics, language, mind, and behaviour. More specifically, UCL Linguistics is one of the leading departments for research in theoretical linguistics in the UK and its staff includes world leaders in theoretical syntax, semantics, pragmatics, phonology, and experimental linguistics.

Our work attracts staff and students from around the world. Together they create an outstanding and vibrant environment, taking advantage of cutting-edge resources such as a behavioural neuroscience laboratory, a centre for brain imaging, and extensive laboratories for research in speech and language, perception, and cognition.

Our world-class research is characterised by a tight integration of theoretical and experimental work spanning the full range of the linguistic enterprise and forms the bedrock of the department’s eminent reputation, which is also reflected in other markers of excellence, such as its editorial involvement with top journals in the field.

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