UCC Postgraduate courses

Linguistics - Applied Linguistics

Course Fact File
CodeMAAPL
Duration1 Year Full-time
Teaching ModeFull-time
QualificationsMA
NFQ LevelLevel 9
Closing DateRolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing DateOpen until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.
Start Date9 September 2024

Course Outline

Our MA Applied Linguistics programme, offered by the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, will provide you with the tools to describe language from various analytical perspectives and with insight and training in various branches of applied linguistics. In addition, we encourage the development of key research skills in terms of methodological training for conducting research in this field.

Invited guest speakers, who are international specialists in their field, add to the richness of our department and reflect student interests in any particular year. The thesis component of our programme allows specialisation on a research topic of specific interest to you.

While the previous study of linguistics is not required, the course will specifically interest you if you are a language graduate or have an interest in a language-related career, such as language teaching, journalism, communications, media, speech and language therapy.

This one-year MA course will appeal to a wide range of people, including present and future language teachers, and those interested in the various areas of linguistics. The programme consists of two parts totalling 90 credits in total.

Modules

Part I
 (45 credits)

  • AL6011 General Aspects of Linguistic Theory (15 credits)

  • AL6012 Applied Aspects of Linguistics (15 credits)
  • AL6013 Optional Areas of Specialisation in Applied Linguistics (15 credits)

Part II
 (45 credits)

  • AL6010 Dissertation in Applied Linguistics (45 credits)

Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Linguistics

Candidates who pass at least 30 credits of taught modules may opt to exit the programme and be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Linguistics.

Academic Programme Catalogue

See the Academic Programme Catalogue where you can search for the complete and up-to-date content for this course. Note that the modules for all courses are subject to change from year to year. For complete descriptions of individual modules, see the Book of Modules.

Course Practicalities

The course generally includes three two-hour weekly lectures and seminars led by different members of the lecturing team. Individual supervision is provided for the purposes of the minor thesis component through regular meetings between you and your supervisor. The course teaching is complemented by recommended reading lists provided by individual lecturers. 

The MA begins in the second week of September, with course teaching ending in early April and thesis submission in early October. The course involves attendance at lectures and seminars, the writing of course papers, and the completion of other assessed tasks.

The course is assessed by assignments in various forms such as practical exercises, oral presentations, essays, and a minor thesis.

Modules are complemented by a number of seminars on research methods in applied linguistics, as well as guest lectures by international specialists in the field. Our teaching staff from the School of Languages, Literatures & Cultures include:

Why Choose This Course

Our guest lecturers are international specialists in the field...

Dr Barbara Siller, Programme Director, School of Languages, Literatures & Cultures

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The MA in Applied Linguistics allowed our academic ideas to be embraced and nurtured to bloom!

MA Applied Linguistics Graduate

... the curriculum provided us a chance to be educated professionally on the core subjects of linguistics.

MA Applied Linguistics Graduate

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This course will provide you with a solid grounding in various branches of applied linguistics, while at the same time allowing you considerable scope for specialisation in a research area of interest to you through the thesis component. Ours is a broad church and we can support you in most areas of study within the field of Applied Linguistics. For example, recent final-year thesis titles include:

  • Josephine Good: "The Discursive Construction of Psychiatric Identity: A Foucauldian Analysis of Patient Case Notes of the Cork District Lunatic Asylum 1900-1935"
  • Anne Marie Griffin: "Coping with Chaos: An Investigation of the Indirect Dyslexia Learning System, An Alternative Method of Teaching Dyslexic Students, with Particular Reference to the Phonological Deficit Theory"
  • Jessica Savage: "Gender Differences in the Language of Young Adults' Text Messaging: A Sociolinguistic Study"

You will also receive training in research methods, allowing you to develop generic skills which you will continue to draw on in your future career as well as in subsequent study at the doctoral level.

PhD Study at UCC

Many of our graduates pursue PhD study at UCC and beyond. The College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences offer up to 10 scholarships to PhD/MPhil students every year. See the PhD Excellence Scholarships page for more information.

Skills and Careers Information

What can I do after I graduate with an MA in Applied Linguistics?

This MA programme will specifically interest language graduates and those with an interest in language issues in society and a language-related career. Given the diverse branches of Applied Linguistics, students have considerable scope for specialisation in a research area of specific interest to them. A further strength of the programme is the training students receive in Research Methods, thereby developing generic skills which graduates will continue to draw upon in their future careers as well as in subsequent study at the doctoral level for example.

Occupations associated with Applied Linguistics

  • Language Teaching, Education & Research
  • Journalism
  • Communications & Media
  • Public Relations
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Translator

While these are examples of career areas, the generic and transferrable skills developed in the MA programme will be helpful in all career paths.

What are our graduates doing?

Past graduates are pursuing careers in a wide range of areas, such as language teaching and education, communications, journalism, and speech and language therapy, among others. Some graduates also choose to continue their studies at the doctoral level through the PhD programme in Applied Linguistics that is offered at University College Cork.

The generic skills that underlie the Research Methods training and the skills of analysis and interpretation that underlie the programme as a whole have been shown to be particularly fruitful in graduates’ subsequent professional and academic lives.

 

Requirements

Applicants must have a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) which includes a language.

Applicants with a Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) will be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), subject to adequate proof of relevant additional work experience or background knowledge as assessed by the programme coordinators in an interview.

For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.

International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

  • In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.
  • Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.
English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Vsit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.

Fees and Costs

Postgraduate EU and International Fees 2024/2025

See our Postgraduate EU and Non-EU (International) Fee Schedule for the latest information.

Deposits 

If your course requires a deposit, that figure will be deducted from your second-semester fee payment in January.

Fee payment 

Fees are payable in two equal instalments. First payment is at registration and the balance usually by the end of January.

How can I pay? 

See different options on our How Do I Pay My Fees? page.

Any questions? See the 'Contact Us' section on the Fees Office page.

How To Apply

1. Check dates

Check the opening and closing dates for the application process in the fact file boxes at the top of the page.

2. Gather documents

Scanned copies of supporting documents have to be uploaded to the UCC online application portal and include:

  • Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC.
  • Any supplementary items requested for your course if required.

3. Apply online

Apply online via the UCC online application portal. Note the majority of our courses have a non-refundable €50 application fee.

Any questions? Use our web enquiry form to contact us.

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)

Note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following:

  • You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.
  • Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.

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For queries regarding course content or timetables please contact

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