ObjectivesThis MRes is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for its research training in applied linguistics. It will prepare you for substantial and independent research, leading eventually to a doctoral degree.
Entry requirementsEntry requirements Good degree in linguistics or a closely related subject.
Academic titleApplied Linguistics (MRes)
Course descriptionYou will be required to take the following research methods courses:
-Introduction to Research Methods: understanding the academic, professional, public and user conceptions of language; understanding the ideological assumptions (and their implications) of linguistic research, especially with regard to bilingualism, standard national language, etc; understanding the link between theory, method and data.
-Advanced Research Methods: qualitative research methods; recording, transcription and coding techniques; quantitative research methods; experimental paradigms, descriptive and inferential statistics, the use of standardised measurement instruments; linguistic corpora and tools for analysing them.
-Research Seminar: research project supervision; presentation and discussion of work-in-progress.
You will also take specialist modules offered as part of the MA Applied Linguistics, which include Bilingualism, Second Language Acquisition, Sociolinguistics, Psycholinguistics, Pragmatics, Issues in Translation, Cross-Cultural Communication, and Advanced Linguistic Analysis.
Your chosen research will be supported by regular meetings with your supervisor and by participation in research seminars.
Assessment
All taught courses are assessed by written essays. You will also be asked to do group and individual presentations. A final research project will be submitted in writing.
Staff research areas
Current research centres around: bilingualism and multilingualism; child language development; second language acquisition; psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics; sociolinguistics; cross-cultural pragmatics; discourse and conversation analysis.
Study resources
As a research student in the School of Languages, Linguistics and Culture, you will be given training in research methods. You will also have access to a wide range of generic research training courses offered by the College Research School and the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network. If you receive an ESRC scholarship, you will be required to attend generic as well as subject-specific research methods training. You will also have the opportunity to present your work annually for discussion by fellow students and staff at seminars.