Trinity College Dublin - Applied Linguistics

Course Overview/Contact:

This long-established course is aimed at teachers of second and foreign languages. The discipline of applied linguistics investigates a range of issues around language in contemporary society. Among these, the most prominent issues – and the central topics of the M.Phil. in Applied Linguistics – are those surrounding second and foreign language education. It is often said that globalisation has made the learning of additional languages an essential goal in education, but in truth, language learning has been important in most places at most times. In spite of this, language education in its various aspects was under-researched until the 1960s, so that applied linguistics is a relatively young, but increasingly important field.

There are two central strands in the applied linguistics of language teaching and learning. One, usually called second language acquisition, investigates the psychology of language learning, which is a phenomenon that is not confined to the classroom or other instructed contexts. The other, second language pedagogy, focuses on instruction at various different scales: language education policy, curriculum, teaching methods, and learning tasks. Given this educational focus, applied linguistics draws not only on linguistics, but also on educational psychology, educational philosophy, social psychology, and cognitive psychology, among other disciplines.

Students need not have any background in linguistics or applied linguistics. They are normally expected to have language teaching experience. Indeed, many of our students have been practising teachers who wish to expand their career horizons by deeper study of the current state of the art in language education. In particular, CLCS has from the start been closely involved with the development of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the associated European Language Portfolio, and the rationale for and practical use of these increasingly important tools are a recurring theme in the course.

Our alumni have followed various career paths in language education and other language professions, with many opting to pursue research at a higher level through the Ph.D., here in CLCS or elsewhere. For some, Ph.D. research has led to professional academic employment.

For more information be sure to visit the course website, and don’t forget to read the Frequently Asked Questions. If you can’t find the answer to your questions, feel free to contact the course coordinator.

Course Options:

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Course Url

www.tcd.ie/slscs/postgraduate/taught-courses/applied-linguistics/

Course Coordinator

Dr Gessica De Angelis

Telephone Number

+353-1-896 1106

Course Email

Next Intake

September 2017

Closing Date

31st March 2017  

Programme Content:

You take four obligatory ‘core’ modules:

• Describing Grammar
• Language Acquisition
• Second Language Curriculum Planning and Implementation
• Language Testing

...and choose two from among the following menu of elective modules:

• Technology, Language, and Communication
• Language Variation and Change
• Corpus Linguistics
• History and Globalisation of English
• Bilingualism and the Maintenance of Irish
• Linguistic Pragmatics
• Multilingualism
• Second Language Teaching

The modules are taught in Michaelmas and Hilary terms, and students prepare and write a 15,000-word dissertation in Trinity term and the long vacation (April-August).

What will I learn?

On successful completion of the course, graduates should be able to:

• engage in the description and analysis of language
• debate central concepts in applied linguistics and language acquisition
• discuss more advanced topics in the study of language and demonstrate the application of this knowledge to the solution of linguistic problems
• integrate theory and practice in areas of applied linguistics such as language teaching and learning, language policy, language and technology, and the role of language in society
• undertake research in applied linguistics, having due regard to the ethical, empirical, and theoretical aspects of this research

communicate the results of their research on topics in applied linguistics through written papers, oral presentations, and other means where appropriate

Entry Requirements:

Applicants are normally required to possess a good primary degree or equivalent qualification. Previous knowledge of applied linguistics is not a requirement. Normally only graduates with language teaching experience are admitted to the course in Applied Linguistics. Students who are not native speakers of English are expected to attend the orientation course in English for Academic Purposes in CLCS in the month preceding the start of the academic year. Applicants must complete the Personal Statement section of the application form and explain their motivation in applying for their chosen course(s).