Masters Degrees in Chinese Language & Literature

This programme enables students to engage critically with the varied aspects of Chinese literature.

This new degree covers both pre-modern and modern literatures of China. It includes the study of literary works written in the original languages, as well as an introduction to literary theory.

The programme comprises two compulsory courses, a minor option, and a dissertation.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/cia/degrees/machinlit/

Structure

The MA degree consists of four components:

Not all courses may be available every year.

1. Core Course
Take one of these courses

- Traditional Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC004 (1 Unit) - Full Year
- Modern Chinese Literature in Translation - 15PCHC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year

2. Compulsory Course
- Theory and techniques of Comparative Literature - 15PCSC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year

3. Minor Courses
For non-fluent Chinese speakers
Students who do not have advanced or native-speaker competence in Chinese are required to select one of the following two courses, which offer advanced training in reading and translating Chinese literary texts. These courses are also taken by fourth-year undergraduate students, but MA students will be required to do additional work.

- Traditional Chinese Language and Literature - 15PCHC005 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2016/2017
- Modern Chinese Literature (MA) - 15PCHC003 (1 Unit) - Full Year

For fluent Chinese speakers:
For students with advanced or native speaker competence in Chinese, alternative minor units may be selected from the MA Sinology programme, or the second core course may be selected as a minor, with approval from the programme convenor.

4. Dissertation
A 10,000-word dissertation on an approved topic

MA Chinese Literature - Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 28kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/cia/degrees/machinlit/file80703.pdf

Teaching & Learning

The degree programme consists of two compulsory courses, a minor option and a dissertation of 10,000 words.
The taught part of the course consists of core lectures introducing basic concepts, theory and methodology; and the additional seminars that extend the core material into other areas. At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work where students may be expected to make full-scale presentations for units they take.

Destinations

A postgraduate degree in Chinese Literature from SOAS equips students with essential skills such as competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through the indepth study of Chinese Literature, both pre-modern and modern and the study of literary theory in relation to this literature.

Postgraduate students gain linguistic and cultural expertise enabling them to continue in the field of research or to seek professional and management careers in business, public and charity sectors. They leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek, including written and oral communication skills; attention to detail; analytical and problem solving skills; and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.

A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

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/

Read less

The two-year MA Advanced Chinese Studies offers comprehensive language-based training across a wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.

Students on the programme take four taught courses at SOAS during their first year, including a team-taught core course provided by a range of SOAS China experts. In addition, students take a text-reading seminar, allowing them to integrate their Chinese reading skills into their disciplinary studies, or an approved language-based course. Further courses can be selected from available disciplines including Anthropology, Art and Archaeology, Cinema, Cultural and Regional Studies, Economics, History, Law, Literature, Music, Politics, and Study of Religions.

In their second year, students will undertake an extended period of study at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, where they will follow a tailor-made bilingual programme in Chinese Studies. Options for short-term internships with local companies will be made available. The second half of the second year will be taken up with the writing of the dissertation under close supervision back in London.

The programme is aimed at students pursuing careers in the academic world, business, government and the media that require a skill set which encompasses disciplinary rigour, comprehensive area knowledge and cultural and linguistic fluencies. Applicants should have at least intermediate-level proficiency in modern Chinese (HSK Level 4). The language element of the training will be tailored to meet the needs of students’ existing language skills. Alternative elements are available for applicants not in need of further Chinese language training, such as native speakers of Chinese.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/china-institute/ma-advanced-chinese-studies/

Structure

In the first year at SOAS students on the programme take the team-taught core course provided by a range of SOAS China experts Approaches to Chinese Studies - 15PCIC001 and two taught courses (2 Units) from the list given below. In addition, students take a Reading Seminar in Chinese Studies - 15PCIC003 (1 Unit) or an approved language-based course (1 Unit).

In their second year, students will undertake a Period of Postgraduate Study in China (15PCIC004) at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, where they will follow a tailor-made bilingual programme in Chinese Studies. Options for short-term internships with local companies will be made available. The second half of the second year will be taken up with the writing of the dissertation under close supervision back in London (Extended Dissertation in Chinese Studies 15PCIC999).

These courses should be chosen in close consultation with the programme convenor.

MA Advanced Chinese Studies - Programme Specification 2014/15 (pdf; 207kb) (http://www.soas.ac.uk/china-institute/courses/file93666.pdf)

Teaching & Learning

Lectures and Seminars
Most courses require students to attend two or three hours of classes each week. This time will be spent in lectures, seminars, tutorial discussions and student presentations: the exact mixture of activities varies somewhat from course to course. At Masters level there is a particular emphasis on students’ contributions and presentations, and students are also expected to read extensively and prepare for each class in advance.

Language courses typically involve more hours of contact time, especially at elementary level, and regular homework.

The assessment on most courses consists of two or three coursework essay assignments and an unseen written examination, sat in April or May. However, some courses are assessed purely on the basis of coursework, including essays and reaction papers.

Dissertation
A 20,000-word dissertation will be written by each student on this programme after his/her return from China, for submission in September of the second year. The dissertation will be on an approved topic linked with one of the taught courses.

Learning Resources
SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources. The China and Inner Asia collection consists of approximately 200,000 volumes and 5,000 periodicals.

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

Read less

Research profile

Scotland’s engagement with China is set to become even stronger, particularly in light of Scotland’s China Strategy. Given this, and the international standing of our Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies, researching this field from the Scottish capital makes perfect sense.

Our internationally respected academic staff, excellent facilities and academic, professional and cultural links with the Chinese community and Chinese organisations reinforce the world-leading nature of our research, and the prestige of our postgraduate opportunities.

Our research options centre on the interests of our Chinese members of staff, which include modern culture, both classical and modern literature, media and film, ancient philosophy and religion, and modern Chinese politics.

• Staff research expertise

Training and support

As a postgraduate student you will be part of the Scottish Centre for Chinese Studies, with strong links to researchers at other Scottish institutions that provide a wealth of networking and collaboration opportunities.

In addition, interdisciplinary seminars will widen your perspectives and introduce you to fellow students in related areas of research. You will enjoy comprehensive library resources and exceptional computer facilities, including Chinese word processing.

We encourage engagement with Chinese culture during your research. The Confucius Institute for Scotland – a national centre promoting ties between Scotland and China, based at the University of Edinburgh – offers flexible language programmes as well as courses on many aspects of contemporary China, lectures by distinguished visiting speakers, cultural events and space for leisure and social contacts with the Chinese community.

You are also able to take part in cultural and social events organised by the Edinburgh University Chinese Cultural Society and the Scotland China Association.

Facilities

The University Library contains an open-access collection of books and journals in modern and classical Chinese intershelved with Western-language works on China. It has also recently invested extensively in electronic databases and other online resources on China. Postgraduate students can access the National Library of Scotland and Edinburgh Central Library.

The nearby Royal Scottish Museum has a fine collection of Chinese artifacts. The Chinese section holds a small reference library with a good collection of books and videos. Word-processing facilities including CJK are available in the Chinese section and in the 24-hour College microlab.

Read less

Programme description

Offering two years of study (double that of most masters programmes) and a funded six-month placement at Fudan University’s prestigious International Cultural Exchange School, this programme draws on a wide range of expertise in Chinese studies.

Catering to students at both the beginner and intermediate language levels, this flexible programme is presented by experts in their respective areas, and places you within a vibrant environment in Edinburgh that actively engages with the Chinese community, both academically and socially.

You’ll develop advanced skills in Modern Standard Chinese (Mandarin) and explore aspects of contemporary Chinese society, culture, economy, politics and business.

Programme structure

This programme will provide you with more than 800 hours of language tuition. You will study in interactive multimedia language classes with teachers that include native speakers, in small groups of international students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds.

Language development will be the key focus in your first year, along with four compulsory courses. The first half of your second year will be spent at Fudan University.

Compulsory courses:

• Chinese Society and Culture
• Politics and Economics after 1978

Option courses may include:

• Art and Society in the Contemporary World: China
• Chinese Religions
• Contemporary Chinese Literature
• Corporate Responsibility and Governance in a Global Context
• East Asian International Relations
• Gender, Revolution and Modernity in Chinese Cinema
• Outward Investment from Emerging Markets
• The Rule of Law and Human Rights in East Asia

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme, you will:

• be able to speak, read, write and understand Chinese (Mandarin)
• have a good knowledge of modern Chinese history, society and culture, and advanced knowledge of modern politics, economics, business or management
• be able to communicate this knowledge effectively in speech and writing
• have completed a dissertation on a topic related to contemporary Chinese politics, economics, business or management

Career opportunities

This programme will give you the foundation for a career in China-related business, diplomacy, journalism or culture. Alternatively, your studies may inspire you to continue on to research at a doctoral level, and develop an academic career.

Even if you choose to pursue a career in an alternative field, you’ll find the skills you gain in research, communication, presentation and analysis will give you an edge in the competitive employment marketplace.

Read less

Who is this programme for?:

Students are expected to have a degree of at least upper-second class level or equivalent and to have proved to our satisfaction that they have a competence in Chinese equivalent to at least the level reached by the end of our third year BA Chinese course. The degree is designed either as an end qualification in itself or to prepare the student for more advanced graduate work (MPhil/PhD).

The MA Sinology is designed to provide a training in advanced Chinese literature and documentary sources for those who already have a knowledge of Chinese (both classical and modern) to a level equivalent to that attained by the end of the 3rd year Chinese BA at SOAS.

This programme does not follow the major/minor pattern. Students must undertake a compulsory course together with two other optional courses.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/cia/degrees/masinology/

Programme Specification

MA Sinology- Programme Specifications 2012/13 (pdf; 28kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/cia/degrees/masinology/file80705.pdf

Teaching & Learning

The taught part of the course consists of core lectures introducing basic concepts, theory and methodology; and additional seminars that extend the core material into other areas. At Masters level there is particular emphasis on seminar work where students may be expected to make full-scale presentations for units they take.

A 10,000-word dissertation written over the summer offers students the opportunity to develop original research in an area of special interest.

Learning Resources

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Employment

A postgraduate degree in Sinology from SOAS equips students with essential skills such as competency in language skills and intercultural awareness and understanding. Familiarity with the region will have been developed through training in advanced Chinese literature and documentary sources.

Postgraduate students gain linguistic and cultural expertise enabling them to continue in the field of research or to seek professional and management careers in business, public and charity sectors. They leave SOAS with a portfolio of widely transferable skills which employers seek, including written and oral communication skills; attention to detail; analytical and problem solving skills; and the ability to research, amass and order information from a variety of sources.

A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

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

Faculty of Languages and Cultures

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

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

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

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

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

Read less

The Chinese Studies MLitt contains taught and research elements. It is well suited as preparation for PhD research. We place a high emphasis on excellent supervision, researcher training and development.

You'll focus on a particular area of Chinese studies that you'd like to carry out postgraduate research on.

You will normally work on a research project which comprises two to four research assignments and a longer dissertation. Your supervisor will be an expert in your chosen field, and will receive support if necessary from an experienced research supervisor.

The School of Modern Languages is part of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Northern Bridge Doctoral Training Partnership and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) North East Doctoral Training Centre. Through training courses provided by these partnerships, you will gain knowledge and skills to undertake high-quality social science research.

Our research staff work in a diverse range of fields from sociocultural, historical and political studies, to film and literature, linguistics and sociolinguistics. The School has strong links with interdisciplinary research centres and groups, including:
-Centre for Caribbean and Latin American Studies
-Centre for Research in Linguistics and Language Sciences
-Research Centre in Film and Digital Media
-Gender Research Group
-Medieval and Early Modern Studies
-Postcolonial Research Group

As a student in the School of Modern Languages, you will benefit from the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) Faculty research training programme. You will choose these research modules in consultation with your supervisors.

Up to £250 per year is available to support your attendance at conferences or for archival research. You can also request an inter-library loan allowance.

Delivery

This course is delivered by the School of Modern Languages, with the possibility of joint supervision with other schools. You will mainly be based in Newcastle’s city-centre campus. Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of the research project.

Full-time students are expected to undertake 40 hours of work per week with an annual holiday entitlement of 35 days (including statutory and bank holidays). Part-time study requires a commitment of at least 20 hours per week.

The MLitt incorporates a formal research training component where you will develop your research skills and methodologies (20 credits).

You also complete a portfolio of essays chosen in consultation with your supervisors according to your interests and experience (80 credits). You then undertake a dissertation of 16,000–24,000 words consisting of a sustained piece of original research (80 credits).

Study consists mainly of tutorials and independent learning supported by research training. Supervisors will advise applicants on how to develop their research proposals.

Facilities

You will have access to a dedicated quiet study space, as well as use of a common room with kitchen facilities. The School also houses the Language Resource Centre, with an extensive range of language learning facilities and resources, including:
-Access to 24 satellite television channels from around the world
-Listen and record facilities for speaking practice
-Interactive language learning software
-An international film collection of over 800 titles

Read less

The aim of the programme is to offer grounding in the theories on Cultural Studies which draws on Marxism, Structuralism, Post-Structuralism, Post-Marxism, Feminism, and Post-Modernism and their use, application and adaption in the cross-cultural contexts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It provides an examination of the main historical concepts in Western culture such as ideology, power, class, identity, race, nation, subjectivity, representation, and memory and how these are challenged by scholars working in non-Western cultures of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The aim is to explore the different and plural cultural histories and memories of these contexts to which Cultural Studies must adapt.

Theoretical paradigms covered will reflect on issues of class, ‘race’, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, representation and religion. The course will investigate central questions of epistemology and methodology in relation to the application of Cultural Studies theories in non-Western contexts. The programme is theory and practice based and therefore, it draws on case studies from a diversity of cultural practices, genres and contexts to elucidate complex theoretical concepts and challenge their limitations and/or validity in the context of Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The programme aims to equip students with sufficient knowledge to understand and evaluate the way in which Cultural Studies theories and methods are used in cross-cultural contexts and hence develop analytic skills for undertaking their own research projects.

Visit the website http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/degrees/macultstud/

Structure

The Programme will consist of modules valued at 3 units and a dissertation of 10,000 words.

Full-time students will be allowed to enrol for four units during term one (part-time students two or three), if one of the units is a language acquisition unit. At the end of term one they will have to withdraw from one unit, leaving units to the value of three (pro rata for part-time students) and a dissertation.

MA Cultural Studies Programme Specification 2012/2013 (pdf; 40kb) - http://www.soas.ac.uk/cclps/degrees/macultstud/file53952.pdf

Employment

A postgraduate degree in Cultural Studies from SOAS provides its students with expertise in non-European cultures, in-depth regional knowledge, and strong research and critical analysis skills. As well as subject expertise, Postgraduate students are equipped with the transferable skills needed to continue in research as well as the skills needed to enable them to find professional careers in the private and public sectors. These include familiarity with methods of research; the ability to absorb and analyse large quantities of information; organisational skills. A postgraduate degree is a valuable experience that provides students with a body of work and a diverse range of skills that they can use to market themselves with when they graduate.

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

The Department

The SOAS Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS) exists to promote the disciplines of Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Studies in relation to Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The Centre is housed in and administered by the Faculty of Languages and Cultures, but as a Centre dedicated to interdisciplinary study it is not subordinate to any single Department in the Faculty, either administratively or intellectually.

Many theorists and scholars in the different disciplines of Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Studies are stressing the need for a move toward the study of non-European literatures and non-European aesthetic and cultural practices. The range of expertise in non-European literatures and cultures offered at SOAS aims to respond and contribute to current critical and theoretical debates in these disciplines.

The mission of the CCLPS is therefore to promote research on non-European cultures and literatures in the disciplines of Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Studies, with the aim of having an impact on the debates and of eventually reinvigorating and pioneering certain dimensions of the disciplines. The SOAS CCLPS also aims to promote comparative critical thought and postgraduate research in critical methods derived from the study of non-European literatures and aesthetic and cultural practices, in addition to written literatures in European languages.

The SOAS CCLPS provides an administrative and intellectual home for the School’s MA Comparative Literature, MA in Cultural Studies and MA in Postcolonial Studies, as well as the MPhil/PhD programmes in these three disciplines. The Centre places its emphasis on the acquisition of critical theoretical skills and in-depth regional knowledge across disciplines. Members of the Centre and current research students work on an exceptionally wide range of topics, both theoretical and critical. Supervision for research students can be provided across this wide range. MPhil/PhD students may register for a degree in Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies or Postcolonial Studies while being supervised by an associate member based in a SOAS department.

The Centre organises a training programme in the three disciplines for research students, in coordination with the faculty wide Research Training Seminar, which is supported by regular Centre seminars. The Centre also liaises with other discipline-based centres and departments over the following MA degree programmes offered faculty wide: MA African Literature, MA Chinese Literature, MA Japanese Literature, MA Korean Literature, MA Arabic Literature, MA Gender Studies, MA Theory and Practice of Translation.

Membership of the SOAS Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies is open to all academic staff and students at SOAS as well as to individuals based in other higher education institutions in the UK with an academic interest in the disciplines of Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies and Postcolonial Studies. Membership will operate on an annually renewable basis. Members will be listed under the following headings: Steering Committee, SOAS Staff (listed by discipline), SOAS Postgraduates (listed by discipline), International Advisory Board (to be invited by Chair through Steering Committee), Visiting Scholars and Affiliated Scholars. An up-to-date list of current members will be maintained by the Centre and will be subject to the Data Protection Act.

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

Read less

Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Modern Languages at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).

Modern Languages at Swansea encompasses Arabic, French, German and Hispanic Studies with research strengths in written culture from the medieval period to the present day, including contemporary European cinema. We also have language expertise in Italian and Mandarin Chinese, but, depending on your choice of topic, advanced knowledge of a language is not an entry requirement. Some comparative projects in both literature and film can be researched in English translation.

The MA by Research in Modern Languages is ideal for those who want:

an MA qualification in niche areas where taught programmes are not offered;

the experience of a research degree without committing to a PhD at the outset.

Research proposals are invited on any topic in Modern Languages for which staff can provide supervision. It is advisable to email a member of academic staff in the appropriate area before applying (see staff web pages).

Key Features

An MA by Research in Modern Languages gives you the chance to pursue a project based around your own passions and interests, leading to a qualification which can open the door to an academic career or boost employment prospects outside academia (typically in the private sector, the Civil Service, or education).

It will give you the freedom to explore a topic of your choosing in Modern Languages and develop a methodology under the close supervision of two experienced academics but without attending regular classes as required in taught programmes.

You will be supervised closely by two experienced academics in your field. Typically, you will meet them fortnightly in the first term and at regular intervals thereafter. Meetings are logged and goals agreed each time.

All research students in Modern Languages are required to attend skills and training courses at College and Institutional level. They give presentations to other research students and staff at departmental seminars and the annual departmental postgraduate symposium in June and the College of Arts and Humanities conference in October. Advanced research students may have opportunities to teach undergraduate tutorials and seminars. You have a budget (currently £200 per year) to attend conferences outside Swansea.

MA by Research degrees typically last from one year (full-time study) to two years (part-time study). Some students choose to ‘upgrade’ at the end of their first academic year to an MPhil or PhD. This can be permitted on the recommendation of the two supervisors. If they do upgrade their year on the MA counts towards the MPhil or PhD.

Research Expertise

Our expertise in Modern Languages ranges from the French medieval lyric and Enlightenment drama, women's writing and feminism; travel; the conflicted memories of World War Two; film and literature about the Baader-Meinhof Group; and the works of the Nobel Laureates, Elias Canetti, Jean Cocteau, Günter Grass, Mario Vargas Llosa, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Herta Müller. Our dynamic research environment which has won attention and funding from outside bodies such as the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the Modern Humanities Research Association, the Wellcome Trust and the EU.

We support the following research centres all of which also house postgraduate research students:

Contemporary German Culture (http://www.swansea.ac.uk/riah/researchgroups/ccgc);

Gender in Culture and Society (GENCAS, http://www.swansea.ac.uk/gencas);

The Comparative Study of the Americas (CECSAM, http://www.swansea.ac.uk/riah/researchgroups/cecsam);

Medieval and Early Modern Research (MEMO, http://www.swansea.ac.uk/riah/researchgroups/memo).

For further information on research specialisms and supervisory interests of our staff visit: http://www/swansea.ac.uk/artsandhumanities/about-us/.

Read less

Taught at our Parkgate Road Campus in Chester, our MRes in Modern Languages offers an excellent opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge and research experience in your chosen field of Modern Languages and Area Studies. Please note that this course recruits in even-numbered years, i.e., 2018, 2020 etc. The course will provide graduate students with the opportunity to develop an independent, substantial piece of scholarly research into a field of Modern Languages and Language Area Studies. Students will be informed by, and to contribute to, broader academic debates about the methods, approaches and practices that underpin the discipline of Modern Languages and Language Area Studies.

The MRes in Modern Languages comprises two key elements: a double core module focusing on research methodology (40 credits) and an extended dissertation (140 credits). The Research Dissertation module is divided into three stages, during which you will work closely with your dissertation supervisor exploring, firstly, the existing literature on your topic; secondly, planning your research project; and finally, writing up your dissertation.

You will choose the topic of your dissertation in consultation with the Programme Leader and it will reflect your own research interests and the Department's research specialisms.

The Department offers supervision in a range of Modern Languages and Area Studies topics. We have particular strengths in postcolonial, political and cultural studies in the francophone, Hispanic and Chinese-speaking worlds, as well as visual cultures and literary specialisms in peninsular Spain, France and mainland China.

Read less

About the course

This is a highly flexible course that offers a large range of modules in the social sciences that may be combined with Chinese language tuition at a range of levels. The course will cover topics including the Chinese economy, business culture, media, and the politics of the country. At the end of the course you will have a deep understanding of life in modern China.

Your career

Our graduates hold influential positions in business, government, the arts and academia. Some of them are journalists, television producers, interpreters and translators. Others are city brokers and analysts. They work for organisations such as the BBC World Service, BNP Paribas, British Council, British Museum, Deloitte, HarperCollins, Jaguar Land Rover, Lloyds Banking Group, Nintendo, Siemens, Sony, Toyota and the World Food Programme.

Our expertise

We are one of Europe’s leading centres for the study of China, Japan and Korea. We have links with partner universities in East Asia that support our dynamic research culture. Our academics bring theories, methods and findings from their research to their teaching.

All four of our interdisciplinary research clusters inform what we teach. They are: East Asian Business Environment; East Asian Text and Culture; Human Movement and Development in East Asia; Power, Cooperation and Competition in East Asia.

The Sheffield Confucius Institute, which was named Global Confucius Institute of the year in 2015, explores Chinese language and culture. The Institute offers many opportunities for students to get involved in its activities which will help enhance their learning and deepen their cultural understanding of China.

Develop your skills

You’ll learn how to research and analyse, manage projects, write reports and give effective presentations. You will also have the opportunity to take language modules in Chinese, Japanese or Korean if you wish. Your in-depth knowledge of East Asian countries and your understanding of the region will give you an edge in the careers market.

Specialist resources

Our postgrads have their own study space and IT facilities at the Sir Sze-yuen Chung Resource Centre. The University’s libraries have an extensive selection of texts and online resources in Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Options

You can study a shorter course for a Postgraduate Certificate (four months, 60 credits) or Postgraduate Diploma (nine months, 120 credits). You’ll need 180 credits to get a Masters degree, including 60 credits from your extended project.

Modules

Choose from a range of modules which may include: Political Economy of China; Contemporary Chinese Society and Media; Chinese Cities in Transition; Contemporary Chinese Business and Management; International Business in East Asia; Work and Organisation in East Asia; China and Korea in the Modern World; Chinese language modules (of the appropriate level) Project (core).

Teaching and assessment

There are lectures and small-group seminars. You’re assessed on your essays, exams, presentations and an extended project.

Read less

The School of Management and Languages at Heriot-Watt University has offered postgraduate programmes in interpreting and translating since 1994 in order to meet the growing need for professionally trained interpreters and translators. The programme is designed to provide Chinese students with a platform for working as an interpreter and/or translator in a variety of professional contexts.

PROGRAMME CONTENT

Students work in both directions between Chinese and English and follow core subjects covering:

Applied Professional Skills for Conference Interpreters
Conference Interpreting (Chinese-English)
Translation Practice (Chinese-English)
Translation & Interpreting Studies

Optional subjects include Business Communication, Translation Technologies, Liaison Interpreting for Business, Localisation & Technical Writing.

FACILITIES

Students benefit from excellent facilities for interpreting and translating, including state-of-the-art interpreting and language laboratories, digital resources for interpreting, and a range of Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) software packages.

Read less

The School of Management and Languages at Heriot-Watt University has offered postgraduate programmes in translating since 1994 in order to meet the growing need for professionally trained interpreters and translators. The programme is designed to provide students with a platform for working as an interpreter and/or translator in a variety of professional contexts.

Our Chinese-English Translating and Computer-Assisted Translation Tools programme is available as one-year or a two- year programme.

PROGRAMME CONTENT

Students work in both directions between Chinese and English and follow core subjects covering:

Translating
Conference Interpreting
Translation and Interpreting Studies
International Politics and Organisations
MSc Dissertation

ONE-YEAR PROGRAMME

Semester 1 begins in September and finishes in December. Semester 2 starts in January and finishes in May. Four taught courses are taken during each semester. The MSc dissertation commences in May and is submitted by the end of August.

TWO-YEAR PROGRAMME

The programme is studied over a two year period of four semesters. The first two semesters are spent studying academic English and background courses for translating and interpreting. The second two semesters are spent studying the Chinese-English Translating and Computer-Assisted Translation Tools programme. The MSc dissertation commences in May and is submitted by the end of August.

FIND OUT MORE

Read less

MA Chinese/English Translation & Interpreting

The MA in Chinese/English Translation and Interpreting is jointly taught by specialist staff in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, the Institute of Contemporary Chinese Studies, and the Centre for English Language Education. It is designed for native speakers of Chinese who have a high level of competence in English and wish to develop this further. The MA is also open to native speakers of English who have a high level of competence in Chinese. The course combines practical, technological and theoretical training in translation between English and Chinese along with training and practice in bi-lateral interpreting between the two languages. For native speakers of Chinese, modules in advanced English skills offer preparation for the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE, equivalent to Council of Europe level C2), or alternatively the Cambridge Advanced Certificate of English (CAE, equivalent to level C1).

This is a postgraduate qualification for prospective professional translators between English and Chinese and interpreters mediating between the languages. It is also suitable for Chinese teachers of English wishing to enhance their qualifications. In addition it provides a basis for those who might wish to go on to further academic study.

Additional Entry requirements

Candidates who are native speakers of English should hold an honours degree in Chinese Language and/or Chinese Studies, with a Chinese language component in every year of the degree, at 2:1 level or above or an international equivalent. Native speakers of English should also have at least a year of overseas work experience in a Chinese-speaking country. Passing advanced HSK is also essential.

Candidates whose first language is not English must achieve an overall score on the British Council IELTS test of at least 7 with no less than 6.5 in each element; or a TOEFL score of 600 with at least 5 in the Test of Written English (TWE); or TOEFL iBT score of 100, with no less than 21 in any element. Test results should be no more than two years old.

Course structure

The MA is structured around core modules in translation theory and practice, use of technological translating tools, training and practice in bi-lateral interpreting, and advanced English or Chinese skills, as appropriate to the native language of the student.

Optional modules allow the acquisition or extension of skills in a language other than English or Chinese, or development of existing expertise for technical translation purposes. These modules are taught across two semesters, running from the end of September to the following June. The remaining time is allocated to the preparation and submission of a targeted translation project with commentary, for submission in September. If appropriate arrangements can be made, the project may be a practical exercise undertaken during a placement with a local public body or charity.

The first semester modules can be taken separately as a Postgraduate Certificate in Chinese/English Translation and Interpreting. The first and second semester modules can be taken as a Diploma in Chinese/English Translation and Interpreting.

While providing generic training in the theory and practice of translating and interpreting, the course is dedicated to translation and interpreting between the specific languages and cultures of English and Chinese. It is therefore able to target specific theoretical, technical and practical issues relating to this particular cultural interface. Information about staff research interests and publications can be found at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/modernlanguages

Read less

About the course

We will teach you the practical skills you need to be able to teach Chinese as a foreign language. You will learn how to plan your lessons, select teaching materials and manage a classroom. We also teach the theory. You’ll learn about different methodologies, Chinese linguistics and the science of how people acquire a second language.

Your career

Our graduates hold influential positions in business, government, the arts and academia. Some of them are journalists, television producers, interpreters and translators. Others are city brokers and analysts. They work for organisations such as the BBC World Service, BNP Paribas, British Council, British Museum, Deloitte, HarperCollins, Jaguar Land Rover, Lloyds Banking Group, Nintendo, Siemens, Sony, Toyota and the World Food Programme.

Our expertise

We are one of Europe’s leading centres for the study of China, Japan and Korea. We have links with partner universities in East Asia that support our dynamic research culture. Our academics bring theories, methods and findings from their research to their teaching.

All four of our interdisciplinary research clusters inform what we teach. They are: East Asian Business Environment; East Asian Text and Culture; Human Movement and Development in East Asia; Power, Cooperation and Competition in East Asia.

The Sheffield Confucius Institute, which was named Global Confucius Institute of the year in 2015, explores Chinese language and culture. The Institute offers many opportunities for students to get involved in its activities which will help enhance their learning and deepen their cultural understanding of China.

Develop your skills

You’ll learn how to research and analyse, manage projects, write reports and give effective presentations. You will also have the opportunity to take language modules in Chinese, Japanese or Korean if you wish. Your in-depth knowledge of East Asian countries and your understanding of the region will give you an edge in the careers market.

Specialist resources

Our postgrads have their own study space and IT facilities at the Sir Sze-yuen Chung Resource Centre. The University’s libraries have an extensive selection of texts and online resources in Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Options

You can study a shorter course for a Postgraduate Certificate (four months, 60 credits) or Postgraduate Diploma (nine months, 120 credits). You’ll need 180 credits to get a Masters degree, including 60 credits from your extended project.

Modules

Choose from a range of modules which may include: Mandarin Chinese and Universal Grammar; Mandarin Chinese and Second Language Acquisition; Reflections on Practice in Learning and Teaching; Practical Chinese Translation: Intercultural Communications.

Teaching and assessment

There are lectures and small-group seminars. You’re assessed on your essays, exams, presentations and a dissertation.

Read less

The programme offers an introduction to the fascinating and fast-changing dimensions of China today. It provides a broad grounding in Chinese society, economy, business, politics and culture. There is the flexibility to combine cultural and political studies with introductory or more advanced modules in Mandarin.

Why this programme

-◾The degree is interdisciplinary, drawing on the expertise of specialists in Chinese politics, economics, business, culture and history, as well as seminars, workshops and lectures delivered by the University's Scottish Centre for China Research.
◾You can spend eight weeks (May to July) in China, where you will have the opportunity to gain firsthand experience of Chinese society and culture. A variety of scholarships are available to fund or part-fund short-term language study at a Chinese university or language institute.
◾Glasgow boasts a number of China-focused organisations and events you can get involved with, including the Confucius Institute at University of Glasgow and the Scottish Centre for China Research, which brings together scholars undertaking cutting edge research on China.
◾You are encouraged to learn Chinese language at the level appropriate to your ability. For those not taking credit-bearing language modules, a free place on one of the Confucius Institute's existing classes is available.

Programme structure

You will take two and four optional courses, and submit a dissertation. The dissertation is your opportunity to explore your own specialist interest in China and to demonstrate the research and writing skills you have developed during the programme.

Core courses

◾Chinese politics and society
◾Research design

Optional courses

The courses are structured into six pathways

Language and Culture

◾Beginner's Chinese
◾China and the West
◾China’s century of conflict: 1839-1949
◾Gender, culture and text
◾Internship and language in China
◾Object biographies (History of Art)
◾Secularisation and society .

Language and Business

◾Beginner's Chinese
◾Business environment in China*
◾Contemporary issues in HR*
◾Internship and language in China
◾Managing strategic change*
◾Marketing management*.

*Courses offered by the Adam Smith Business School

Students taking the internship/language option have to pay for their own travel, accommodation and fees for the internship placement and/or language course in China. The language options are not available to Chinese nationals.

Governance and Society

◾Comparative public opinion: concepts and applications
◾Environmental policies and problems in China
◾Global cities
◾Social change in China**
◾Understanding public policy.

(**) Externally offered. Involves travel around China for one month in the summer. Students have to pay for their own international travel and a fixed fee which includes tuition, internal travel and accommodation in China.

International Relations

◾China's international politics
◾Environmental policies and problems in China
◾International relations research
◾International relations theory
◾International security and strategic thought.

Human Rights

◾Critical perspectives in human rights
◾Critical perspectives in securities & vulnerabilities
◾Environmental policies and problems in China
◾Human rights and global politics
◾Humanitarian intervention: civilian or sovereignty.

Research Methods

◾Generalised linear modules
◾Introduction to social theory for researchers
◾Qualitative research methods
◾Quantitative data analysis.

You are free to choose options outside your pathway but we would encourage you to consult with the programme convenor if you plan to do so.

Career prospects

This programme is ideal for anyone interested in pursuing a career involving China, whether in the business world, public services, the arts and media or as preparation for further academic study through PhD study. Our alumni have also gone on to successful careers as public affairs consultants, advertising and PR managers, as well as in secondary school education and the charity sector. The programme has helped graduates develop international perspective, critical thinking and writing skills, and also smoothed the path to living and working in the Far East.

Read less