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School of Languages, Linguistics and Film

MA in Linguistics

The MA in Linguistics builds on the department's top-ranking research performance and a thriving undergraduate programme. We accept applications throughout the year until the end of August, for a September start of the same calendar year.

MA students 2018 The MA in Linguistics offers advanced training in core areas of linguistics and provides four pathways for students to choose from: conversion, general, formal and sociolinguistics. Pathway choices allow students to tailor their specialization to specific needs and interests while retaining the broad degree title of MA in Linguistics. The pathways are briefly outlined below.

Conversion: suitable for students who have little or no undergraduate training in linguistics. Provides postgraduate level introduction to the main sub-fields of linguistics.

General: Suitable for students who have studied linguistics at undergraduate level, but who choose not to specialize in formal or sociolinguistics at this stage. An especially exciting option for students who wish to explore topics at the interface between the two (e.g. sociosemantics or formal approaches to variation).

Formal: suitable for students who have studied linguistics at undergraduate level, and who wish to specialize in syntax, semantics and/or morphology. Provides the opportunity to participate in events organized by the Formal Linguistics Research Group (e.g. a reading group, one-off workshops and London Semantics Day).

Sociolinguistics: suitable for students who have studied linguistics at undergraduate level, and who wish to specialize in sociolinguistics.  Provides the opportunity to participate in events organized by the Sociolinguistics Research Group (e.g. reading groups, book clubs, training events and the Jenny Cheshire Lecture).

The degree additionally offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience in conducting and applying linguistics research. In addition to their dissertations, students can take our unique Research Practicum option, in which they undertake a research partnership either with a member of staff on an ongoing research project or with one of our private or public sector partners (in past years these have included the British Library, the British Museum, and the BBC Pronunciation Unit). We also work closely with the award-winning Careers and Enterprise Office to provide career support and guidance as students progress through their degree.

 

There was a good mix of academic instruction as well as hands on experience which included fieldwork and learning new research and analytic methods, and I feel that through this I was able to acquire useful long-term skills and experience.
Kyle Helke, 2012

 

For details of entry requirements, funding options, and how to apply, please visit: MA Linguistics

Programme structure

An outline of the programme structure is below. For more details, see modules.

  Semester 1 Semester 2
Conversion Trends in Linguistics Research
Intro to Semantics
Intro to Phonology
1 option
Dissertation Proseminar
Intro to Syntax
2 options
General Trends in Linguistics Research
Concepts and Consequences
Sociolinguistic Theory
1 option
Dissertation Proseminar
3 options
Formal Trends in Linguistics Research
Concepts and Consequences
Extensional Semantics
1 option
Dissertation Proseminar
Morpheme to Meaning
2 options
Sociolinguistics Trends in Linguistics Research
Sociolinguistic Theory
2 options
Dissertation Proseminar
Sociolinguistic Methods
2 options

Further information

Dr Hazel Pearson
MA Convenor in Linguistics
Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 6637
Email: sllf-pg@qmul.ac.uk

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