Masters Degrees in Linguistics & Classics

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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Our innovative MA in Classics and Ancient History gives you the chance to study for a world-class degree with the flexibility to tailor the programme to match your own interests. We will give you a supportive and stimulating environment in which to enhance the knowledge and skills you picked up at Undergraduate level.
You can choose to follow an open pathway to mix your modules and interests or one of the specially designed research streams that match our own specialisms. The research streams we currently offer are:
• Ancient Philosophy, Science and Medicine
• Ancient Politics and Society
• Classical Receptions
• Cultural Histories and Material Exchanges
• Literary Interactions
At the heart of the Department is the A.G. Leventis Room, our dedicated Postgraduate study space, which you will have full access to. You might also take the opportunity to participate in Isca Latina, our local schools Latin outreach programme. We have a vibrant Postgraduate community which we hope you will become an active part of.

Programme Structure

The programme is divided into units of study(modules).

Compulsory modules

Research Methodology and the Dissertation are compulsory.

Optional modules

The optional modules determine the main focus of your MA study. Some examples of the optional modules are as follows; Food and Culture; Ancient Drama in its Social and Intellectual Context; Hellenistic Culture and Society – History; Hellenistic Culture and Society – Literature ; Cultural Transformations in Late Antiquity; Migration and the Migrant Through Ancient and Modern Eyes; Ancient Philosophy: Truth and Ancient Thought; Roman Myth; Rome: Globalisation, Materiality; The City of Rome (subject to availability); Greek; Latin; Fast-Track Greek; Classical Language and Text: Greek and Latin Epic

The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Research areas

Our academic staff have a broad range of expertise and ground-breaking research interests, some of the research streams available on our MA reflect these. We regularly review and update our MA programme to reflect both the needs of our students and the latest emerging research within the field.

Research expertise

Some of the areas we have a special research interest include:
• Ancient and modern philosophy, especially ethics
• Classical art and archaeology
• Classics in the history of sexuality
• Comparative philology and linguistics
• Food in the ancient world
• Greek and Roman epic, tragedy and comedy
• Greek and Roman mythology, religion and magic
• Greek and Roman social history, especially sexuality
• Hellenistic history, especially the barbarian interface and the Greek culture of Asia Minor and dynastic studies
• History of medicine in antiquity, especially Galen
• Later Greek literature, including Lucian, Athenaeus, ecphrasis
• Latin literature
• Palaeography

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You’ll study modern languages in the context of the history and current theory of translation. You’ll learn how to use the standard strategies, procedures and techniques of translators, as well as enhancing your interpretative and analytical skills.

We’ll help you develop your ability to translate from at least one language (current translation options are: from English into Arabic, Chinese, Polish and Italian or translation from Czech, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish into English).

Careers

You’ll develop the skills to work in translation, culture and communication internationally
or in the UK. Recent graduates have gone on to work for employers such as SDL, Transact,
The Big Word, Kaplan, the University of Leeds, the State University – Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Centre for French & Francophone Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and as International Projects Director at a South Yorkshire College.

You may also choose to follow in the footsteps of students who have continued to PhD and have been awarded highly prestigious grants for PhD study such as Wolfson and WRoCAH scholarships.

Core modules

Concepts and Approaches in Translation; Translation Technologies; Translation Skills Modules; Dissertation.

Examples of optional modules

A range including: Approaches to Translation Genres; Localisation for Linguists; Language in Context; Film Translation of Literary Classics; Concepts and Approaches in Intercultural Communication; International Management; International Project Management; Enhanced Languages; Critical Reading and Writing at MA Level; Theory and Practice of Subtitling 1.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching takes place through lectures, seminars, small-group work and workshops. You’ll be assessed by essays, presentations, practical translation technologies projects, translation assignments, a translation exam and a dissertation.

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About the course

You’ll learn the theory and practice of screen translation, and gain the technical knowledge and skills needed to work in this specialised area. By studying the theory and working on practical subtitling projects, you’ll find out how the profession works and develop an awareness of the linguistic and cultural issues involved.

We’ll help you develop your ability to translate from at least one language (current translation options are: from English into Arabic, Chinese, Polish and Italian or translation from Czech, Dutch, French, German, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish into English).

Your career

Our reputation for excellence means your MA will be highly respected by employers. You’ll develop the skills to work in translation, culture and communication internationally or in the UK. Recent graduates have gone on to work for employers such as SDL, Transact, The Big Word, Kaplan, the University of Leeds, the State University – Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Centre for French and Francophone Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and as International Projects Director at a South Yorkshire College.

You may also choose to follow in the footsteps of students who have continued to PhD and have been awarded highly prestigious grants for PhD study such as Wolfson and WRoCAH scholarships.

About us

We constantly review and revise our degrees to make sure you keep on top of the latest developments in the field. You’ll learn academic theory and practical skills – and how to relate the two.

Sheffield is at the forefront of modern languages research. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) ranks us among the top ten Russell Group universities for impact in this field. Recent projects include e-learning and knowledge exchange with industry, and three initiatives looking at language teaching and learning.

Our facilities

You can practise your English, French, German, Italian or Spanish with native speakers at our Modern Languages Teaching Centre. Our specially designed building has modern spaces for teaching and research. We’re right next to the other arts and humanities departments, and there are lots of opportunities to share ideas.

Core modules

Theory and Practice of Subtitling; Advanced Translation of a Language; Subtitling Project; Dissertation.

Examples of optional modules

Film Translation of Literary Classics; Concepts and Approaches in Intercultural Communication; Critical Reading and Writing at MA Level; Approaches to Translation Genres; Language in Context; Intercultural Communication; International Project Management; Localisation for Linguists; International Management; Localisation
for Linguists.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching takes place through lectures, seminars, small-group work and workshops. You’ll be assessed by essays, presentations, practical subtitling projects, translation assignments, a translation exam and a dissertation.

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You learn about European Celts, German invaders with Roman culture and legacy. There are in-depth insights of kingdoms, cultures, invasions and accounts of who we really are. The programme offers theories, method and languages, history and literature.

COURSES
Reading Celtic
Modern Gaelic for Postgraduates
Tales of Vengeance and Enchantment: The Heroic Age in Irish and Icelandic Saga Literature
Modern Irish Language for Postgraduates
Special Study in Language and Literature
Reading Celtic
Modern Gaelic for Postgraduates
Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Kingship and Exercise of Authority: Early Middle Ages
Special Study in Language and Literature

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The Translation and Interpreting MA is open to native and non-native speakers of English, who combine English with any of the following languages: Chinese, French, Italian, Polish or Spanish. The course will provide you with professional training aimed at the translation and interpreting markets, building on your existing language skills to develop a career in those sectors.

The course involves translation as well as conference and public service interpreting between one main language (Chinese, French, Italian, Polish or Spanish) and English. You will learn how to research specialised subjects for professional translation and interpreting purposes and hone your translation and interpreting skills by extensive practice, applying insights drawn from the study of linguistics and translation and interpreting theory as well as from professional practice. You will complete a Translation or Interpreting Project or a Research Thesis. You will also be able to choose from a range of option modules that will, for example, give you an introduction to audiovisual translation, intercultural communication, or sociolinguistics, or enable you to acquire a working knowledge of another language for translation purposes.

You will be able to benefit from our wide range of resources, including an extensive collection of volumes and electronic materials in our library, a state-of-the-art language lab and extensive interpreting facilities, and additional resources made available through the University's Virtual Learning Environment. Our teaching staff includes full and part-time lecturers, all with expertise in translation and interpreting and in other specialist fields. You will be allocated a personal tutor and be given academic guidance by the course team.

Course content

The course emphasis is on practical training in translation and interpreting, developing your skills to a high level and learning about the professional environments. If you are a native speaker of English, your translation modules will involve both institutional and technical translation from French, Italian, Polish or Spanish into English. If you are native speaker of Chinese, French, Italian, Polish or Spanish, your translation modules will cover institutional translation from and into your native language (commonly referred to as your 'first' or 'main' language). You will also study conference and public service interpreting, and learn new relevant skills through the option modules. You will also complete a research-based MA Thesis or an MA Translation or Interpreting Project. Your studies are further supported by regular student-led interpreting practice sessions and mock conferences, blended learning provision on developing your professionalism, weekly lectures on the theoretical concepts and principles of translation and interpreting, introductory workshops to a range of translation memory tools, and guest lectures and workshops delivered by external speakers from industry and international institutions.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.

Core modules
-CONFERENCE INTERPRETING
-PUBLIC SERVICE INTERPRETING
-MAIN LANGUAGE INSTITUTIONAL TRANSLATION (INTO YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE)
-MAIN LANGUAGE TECHNICAL TRANSLATION (NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH ONLY)
-SECOND LANGUAGE INSTITUTIONAL TRANSLATION (NATIVE SPEAKERS OF CHINESE, FRENCH, ITALIAN, POLISH OR SPANISH ONLY)
-MA INTERPRETING PROJECT OR MA TRANSLATION PROJECT OR MA THESIS

Option modules
-ADVANCED ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS FOR INTERPRETERS (NATIVE SPEAKERS OF CHINESE, FRENCH, ITALIAN, POLISH OR SPANISH ONLY)
-COMPUTER-ASSISTED TRANSLATION (CAT)
-EDITING: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE
-INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
-INTRODUCTION TO AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION
-MAIN LANGUAGE TECHNICAL TRANSLATION (NATIVE SPEAKERS OF FRENCH, ITALIAN, POLISH OR SPANISH ONLY)
-SECOND LANGUAGE TECHNICAL TRANSLATION (NATIVE SPEAKERS OF FRENCH, ITALIAN, POLISH OR SPANISH ONLY)
-SOCIOLINGUISTICS
-SUBSIDIARY LANGUAGE (LANGUAGES SUBJECT TO ANNUAL CONFIRMATION)
-TRANSLATING CULTURES
-UNITED NATIONS AND EUROPEAN UNION FOR LINGUISTS
-ANALYSING SPOKEN AND WRITTEN DISCOURSE

[Associated careers

Graduates of the course go on to develop careers as freelance and in-house translators in the corporate sector and in national and international organisations, or as freelance interpreters, editors and revisers, subtitlers, terminologists, translation project managers, and specialists in translation tools.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our expert staff

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

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

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

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

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

Specialist facilities

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

Your future

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

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

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

Example structure

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

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This pre-Master's course is a bridge between undergraduate and postgraduate study and will prepare you for studying a Master's degree at a UK university. Through tailor-made courses and training, you will develop an appropriate level of understanding in the subject area you wish to study at postgraduate level. You will also practise postgraduate study skills, including project management, essay writing, research skills, critical analysis and presentation skills, and improve your language proficiency in English. You will develop professional communication skills for working in international contexts, enhance your intercultural competence and build your social and professional networks.

The programme aims to achieve a good balance between challenging and supporting you. In addition to structured learning, you have opportunities to take part in extra-curricular activities, such as professional networking events, workplace visits, and employability workshops to facilitate your career planning and intercultural learning.

If you complete this course satisfactorily, you are guaranteed progression onto one of over 20 Master's degrees at Birkbeck and, if you continue your studies to Master's level at Birkbeck, you will be entitled to a 10% discount on your Master's degree tuition fees.

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Judged Best in the Field

The highly regarded Keuzegids Master’s Selection Guide 2016 ranked Utrecht University’s Linguistics programme as the best in the field in the Netherlands.

In this Research Master's programme, you will learn how to conduct your own research in theoretical linguistics, psycholinguistics, and language use.

This two-year Research Master's programme in Linguistics brings together students from all over the world who combine their unique talents and backgrounds with shared curiosity into language and the way it is embedded in human cognition. The key focus of the programme is the question: which cognitive faculties underlie human language, and how do they interact?

The programme offers a broad focus on:
-theoretical linguistics (phonology, syntax, semantics)
-psycholinguistics (language acquisition, language processing)
-language use (discourse studies, bilingualism, phonetics, historical linguistics)

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Course Outline

The MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL provides professional development and training in applied linguistics appropriate to more experienced teachers of English, including:

-A critical understanding of key issues and debates in many areas of applied linguistics and of how these relate to English Language Teaching.
-A body of knowledge that will enhance your ability to undertake language teaching at a range of levels and cultural and institutional contexts.
-The ability to reflect, analyse and critically evaluate language teaching and learning concepts and theories, and to understand and examine the assumptions underlying different classroom practices.
-The ability to analyse language in use from different perspectives relevant to language teaching and learning.
-The skills to undertake effective practitioner research in your specific area of interest.

We are one of the longest established providers of postgraduate studies in Applied Linguistics and TESOL in the UK. On this course you will join teachers from all over the world. You will also benefit from our active involvement in research in different areas of Applied Linguistics and TESOL.

We pride ourselves on the level of support we provide our distance learning students. Our award-winning library has world-class facilities for distance learning students. You will have full access to our other support services and will be assigned a personal tutor. Our virtual learning environment, Blackboard, offers a wide range of study support material, and you will have the opportunity to join an interactive web-based community of fellow students around the world.

If you have any questions about this course, join us for a live online chat with academic tutors and admissions staff.

Course Structure

Modules:
Second Language Teaching and Learning
Description of English
Language, Discourse and Society
Two option modules
Plus your Dissertation

(Please note: due to regular enhancement of the University’s courses, please refer to Leicester’s own website (http://www.le.ac.uk) or/and Terms and Conditions (http://www2.le.ac.uk/legal) for the most accurate and up-to-date course information. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with this information prior to submitting an application.)

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The taught Masters programme combines the theoretical, technological and practical training necessary to effectively translate between English and Chinese and also offers students training and practice in bi-lateral interpreting between the two languages.

You will take modules in English Language, which offer preparation for the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or the Cambridge Advanced Certificate of English. Optional modules are also available and allow you acquire or develop your knowledge of a language other than Chinese or English, or you can progress your existing expertise for technical translation purposes. For more information please go to http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/chinese.

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Programme description

This programme introduces the main fields, topics and research methods in ancient philosophy. It is appropriate for applicants who have previously studied philosophy and classics, or have backgrounds in history, political theory, science and literature. The programme is appropriate for applicants who have previously studied philosophy and classics, as well as those with backgrounds in history, political theory, science and literature.

The degree provides a necessary preparation for further postgraduate research towards a doctoral degree or an academic background to a professional career outside academia.

You will be exposed to the main doctrines and texts of ancient philosophy – including Pre-Socratics, Plato and Aristotle, Hellenistic philosophy and Late Antiquity – mastering analytical skills pertaining to philosophical arguments and to historical (textual) sources.

You will develop the ability to reconstruct, analyse and critically assess philosophical arguments and doctrines based on a careful study of the texts.

Programme structure

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

Compulsory courses:

Ancient Philosophy Seminar I and II
Methodology Seminars in Classics
Option courses may include:

Ancient Ethics
Ancient Theories of Knowledge
History of Science and Religion in the Christian Tradition
Christian-Muslim Relations and the Relationship Between the World of Islam and the West
Ancient Theories of Existence
Ancient Theories of Mind
Topics in Hellenistic Philosophy

Other option courses can be chosen from outside Philosophy and Classics with permission from the Programme Director.

You are encouraged to take at least one course outside the ‘ancient’ curriculum, such as:

Introduction to Philosophical Method
Introduction to Mind, Language, and Embodied Cognition
Free Will and Moral Responsibility
Advanced Philosophical Method
Advanced Topics in Mind, Language & Embodied Cognition
Value Theory

Learning outcomes

You will enhance your knowledge and understanding of the main broad areas of ancient philosophy (Pre-Socratics, High Classics (Plato and Aristotle), Hellenistic philosophy, Late Antiquity) and medieval philosophy, specific types of philosophical thought (idealism, corporealism, naturalism, rationalism, skepticism) in their historical context.

An important goal of the programme is to develop the ability to reconstruct, analyse and critically assess philosophical arguments and doctrines on the basis of a careful study of the text.

For those planning to go on to a PhD in Ancient Philosophy, there will be an opportunity to enhance your knowledge of classical languages by studying the course texts in the original language. Up to 40 credits in ancient Greek, Latin or Arabic can be taken at introductory, intermediate or advanced level.

Career opportunities

This programme aims to improve your analytical skills and give you a solid background in core areas of humanities useful for careers in professional fields such as law, education or public policy.

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The MA in Classics is our core research training degree, suitable for anyone wishing to pursue doctoral work in a branch of Classics. The programme places a strong emphasis on language training, on theoretically informed approaches to Classical texts, and on practical engagement with your chosen specialism. The course is composed of a core research training module, a module in a relevant language (ancient or modern), a 15,000 word dissertation, and two elective modules, which are offered in the areas of current research interests of members of staff.

Course Structure

For information on the structure of the course, please see our department web pages (https://www.dur.ac.uk/courses/info/?id=9532&title=Classics&code=Q8K307&type=MA&year=2016#coursecontent)
Core Modules:
-Dissertation
-Classical Research Methods and Resources
-Compulsory language module (Latin for research/Ancient Greek for research/another ancient language/modern language)

In previous years, optional modules available included:
-Forms After Plato
-Latin Text Seminar
-Greek Text Seminar
-Akkadian
-Latin Love Elegy
-Religious Life in The Roman Near East
-Monumental Architecture of The Roman East
-Vitruvius, On Architecture: The First Treatise On Architecture, Its Significance and Legacy
-Greek Sacred Regulations
-Ancient Philosophers On Necessity, Fate and Free Will
-The Classical Tradition: Art, Literature, Thought
-Comparative Approaches to Homeric Epic
-Greek Text Seminar On Homeric Epic
-Latin Text Seminar On Roman Epic
-Life and Death On Roman Sarcophagi
-Juvenal's Satires in Context
-Ancient Philosophers On Origins
-Animals in Graeco-roman Antiquity
-The Queen of The Desert: Rise and Decline of Palmyra's Civilization
-The Roman Republic: Debates and Approaches
-Rewriting empire: Eusebius of Caesarea and the First Christian History

Not all modules will be offered every year, and new modules (both elective and core) are added regularly. Students may also substitute modules offered in other departments, such as Theology, Philosophy, English, Archaeology, or History.

Learning and Teaching

The MA in Classics is principally conceived as a research training programme which aims to build on the skills in independent learning acquired in the course of the student’s first degree and enable them to undertake fully independent research at a higher level. Contact time with tutors for taught modules is typically a total of 5 hours per week (rising to 7 for someone beginning Latin or ancient Greek at this level), with an emphasis on small group teaching, and a structure that maximises the value of this time, and best encourages and focuses the student’s own independent study and preparation. On average, around 2 hours a week of other relevant academic contact (research seminars, dissertation supervision) is also available.

At the heart of the course is a module focused on the range of research methods and resources available to someone working in the field of Classics. This is run as a weekly class, with a mixture of lectures and student-led discussions. Four further elective modules deal with particular specialised subjects. Students must choose one module involving work with a relevant foreign language (ancient or modern). All those offered will form part of the current research activity of the tutor taking the module. Numbers for each module are typically very small (there are rarely more than five in a class). Typically, classes are two hours long and held fortnightly, and discussion is based on student presentations. (Modules for those beginning ancient Latin or Greek are typically more heavily subscribed, but their classes also meet more often: 3 hours per week.) All students write a 15,000-word dissertation, for which they receive an additional five hours of supervisory contact with an expert in their field of interest.

All staff teaching on the MA are available for consultation by students, and advertise office hours when their presence can be guaranteed. The MA Director acts as academic adviser to MA students, and is available as an additional point of contact, especially for matters concerning academic progress. MA students are strongly encouraged to attend the Department’s two research seminar series. Although not a formal (assessed) part of the MA, we aim to instil the message that engagement with these seminars across a range of subjects is part of the students’ development as researchers and ought to be viewed as essential to their programme. In addition, MA students are welcomed to attend and present at the ‘Junior Work-in-Progress’ seminar series organised by the PhD students in the Department. Finally, the student-run Classics Society regularly organises guest speakers – often very high-profile scholars from outside Durham.

Other admission details

*Note that this need not be 'Classics' (so named). If your plan is to specialise in ancient history, literature, or philosophy, for example, it might be perfectly natural to apply with a first degree in History, or English, or Philosophy; or you might just have taken a substantial range of Classical options along the course of your previous studies.

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The English Language Centre's MA in Applied Linguistics for TESOL programme offers excellent opportunities for experienced language teachers to develop careers in English language teaching.

The programme is designed for anyone with an interest in the wider aspects of teaching English as a foreign language, combining innovative classroom practices with an understanding of issues such as language structure and research methodology.

Course Structure

The programme offers a core of syllabus design and assessment, with greater depth provided through further required modules focusing on both theoretical and practical aspects of the English language and on classroom practice. Students then have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge base by taking three or four further optional modules covering a wide range of relevant areas. The MA is completed by a 15,000-word dissertation.

Core Modules

-Language Teaching Methodology
-Second Language Acquisition: Perspectives for Teachers
-Basic Research Methods
-Language for Teachers
-Advanced Teaching Practice: The Reflective Practitioner

Previous optional modules have included:

-Advanced Research Methods
-Evaluation and Assessment
-Teaching English for Academic Purposes
-Teacher Training, Development and Education
-World Englishes
-English for Specific Purposes
-ELT Materials Development and Evaluation
-Discourse, Texts and TESOL
-English Language Teaching Management
-Teaching Young Learners
-Pragmatics and the Language Classroom

You can also choose to study an optional module offered to students across the University as one of your four options:
-Expert English
-Foreign Language

MA Streams

You can choose to further focus your Masters qualification through our programme streams. To qualify, you must choose the optional module and complete your dissertation in the same topic area

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This course is ideal both for prospective professional translators and for those wishing to go on to further academic study, and it is internationally well respected for both of those purposes. The course is designed for both native speakers of Arabic, and speakers of English who have near-native competence in Arabic.

The MA lasts for twelve months and it combines training in English to Arabic and Arabic to English translation with a special consideration of the theoretical issues involved in the process of translation. The MA modules are mainly taught in the Department of Arabic. Translation Theory and Research Skills for Translation Studies are offered by the School of Modern Languages and Cultures (MLAC).

Course structure

The MA involves a combination of core modules, which are taken by all students, plus a number of optional modules, where students have a choice. The course structure of the MA is as follows:

Core modules: obligatory for all students
In 2015, core modules included:
-Research Skills for Translation Studies (15 UCUs)
-Translation Theory (30 UCUs)
-Translation Practical Arabic>English, English>Arabic (30 UCUs)
-Dissertation (60 UCUs)

Optional modules 1
Students choose one module. In 2015, modules included:
-History of Translation (15 credits)
-Intercultural Project Management (15 credits)
-Revising and Editing for Translators (15 credits)
-Sociology of Translation (15 credits)
-Translation Ethics (15 credits)

Optional modules 2
Students choose two modules. In 2015, modules included:
-Business and Technical Translation, Arabic>English, English>Arabic (15 UCUs)
-Legal Translation, Arabic>English, English>Arabic (15 UCUs)
-Interpreting, Arabic>English, English>Arabic (15 UCUs)

Learning and Teaching

The main emphasis of this programme is on the development of translation and interpreting skills, which are reinforced by the provision of a general introduction to translation theory, as well as to more general academic, research and bibliographical techniques. Students attend on average six hours of translation and/or interpreting classes per week during the first two terms of the year. These classes, which are spread over three separate modules, are held in small groups, and alternate between Arabic>English and English>Arabic work. The classes are prepared for by independent learning in the form of preparation and reading (131 hours per module). The structure of the classes allows for extensive student participation, and for the provision of timely feedback on students’ home assignments in an interactive environment.

The practical orientation of these classes is supplemented and reinforced by the Translation Theory module, taught on a School-wide basis, which typically involves an average of one hour’s attendance per week at either a lecture or a seminar. This should be supported by 282 hours of preparation and reading.

In addition, students receive instruction in general academic, presentational and bibliographical skills through participation in the School-based Research Skills module. Research Skills for Translation Studies provides interactive lectures on research skills and training sessions on the use of library and other resources over the course of the first two terms and, in the early part of the programme, a series of user-focused workshops in which students work intensively to consolidate their knowledge of selected translation technologies.

Over the final few months of the programme, students are able to apply the skills and theory learned over the year to a larger project (either a dissertation or an extended, annotated translation) in a more independent way. Each student is allocated a supervisor, who provides up to five hours of supervision / consultation on an individual basis. This exercise enables the student to apply the results of their studies during the year to a text or topic of particular interest to themselves (595 hours of independent study).

In addition to the formal provision detailed above, all students have access to the MA Course Director and to other members of the teaching staff during weekly office hours. Feedback on formative course assignments may also be provided to students on an individual basis outside these hours. Outside their particular programme, all students are also strongly encouraged to participate in other activities of the School and Department (for example research seminars) as appropriate.

Other admission details

We welcome applications from holders of international qualifications. For advice on the equivalency of international qualifications and further information on English language requirements, please contact our International Office or visit their website. We will require two academic letters of reference. If these are not uploaded with your application, we will contact your referees directly. It would be useful if you could inform your referees to let them know that they will be approached for references by Durham University.

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