MA Applied Linguistics

Develop specialist skills in the analysis and practice of language in professional contexts, taught by leading experts in a world-class research centre.

Set in the internationally respected Centre for Language and Communication Research, the MA in Applied Linguistics offers both solid training in research foundations and practice, and the freedom to tailor your programme around your interests and ambitions.

Designed for careers requiring specialised language awareness and teaching English as a foreign language, our wide-ranging optional modules enable you to enhance your skills in the areas of linguistic enquiry most important for you and your career.

Incorporating research methodology and language description, this Master's programme will give you an in-depth understanding of a range of language-related issues, from language acquisition and teaching to social interaction and corpus analysis.

You will acquire well-rounded understanding of the theoretical and methodological approaches employed in the exploration of linguistic structures and language description. While becoming an independent and active learner, you will develop in-depth understanding of key issues in language, communication and linguistics.

Our experts are leading on innovative projects in many different fields, including language acquisition, language teaching, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, discourse analysis, professional communication, corpus linguistics, systemic functional linguistics and forensic linguistics.
Career prospects - This programme will offer preparation for all careers where language is used for any purpose, for example to influence or persuade, inform, educate or entertain. Gaining an MA will demonstrate higher abilities in research and communication. Some obvious future work destinations include research, teaching, speech and language therapy, publishing, writing, editing, information design, librarianship, as well as professional jobs, such as banking and HR, and public sector jobs, such as those in the civil service or local government. However, the degree is not limited to these possible directions and offers a good preparation for roles in a variety of fields which involve reasoning, critical and evaluative work, verbal and written skills, assimilation of information, communicative skills such as an awareness of linguistic variation, as well as some quantitative skills and skills in presenting information using technology. Some students will also choose to undertake further study in the form of a PhD.

Typically, you will need to have either:

a 2:1 honours degree in a language-related discipline, or an equivalent international degree
a university-recognised equivalent academic qualification
or relevant professional experience evidenced by a reference from your employer to confirm that you currently work in an area relevant to the programme. This should be signed, dated and less than six months old at the time you submit your application.

IELTS with an overall score of 7.0 with at least 6.5 in all other subskills.
TOEFL IBT- At least 100 overall
International Baccalaureate (Language A) - HL 5 or SL 6