Course summary

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2022). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas. Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field which mediates between the theory of language and the practice of language learning and language use. It is also an overarching field that includes second language acquisition (SLA) and, as such, can shed light on the teaching and learning of a second or foreign language. The MSc in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition is a popular course which will introduce you to the key issues within the field of applied linguistics with a focus on topics relating to second language learning. The topics represented within the course draw from some of the related disciplines within applied linguistics such as psycholinguistics, education (language teaching/learning), linguistics, and sociolinguistics. The MSc is taken full-time over one year. The course consists of six taught modules assessed by written assignments and one research dissertation. All taught modules take place in Michaelmas and Hilary terms. In Trinity term the focus of study is the dissertation. In addition to the compulsory assessed modules in Michaelmas and Hilary Terms, students attend non-assessed modules in research methods, quantitative data analysis, and critical reading. The course is designed to provide you with an opportunity to reflect and further develop your understanding of both theoretical and practical considerations in the field of language learning and teaching. It will encourage you to develop a broad theoretical base reflecting current research in applied linguistics and related disciplines. Additionally, this course makes links between the different disciplines which contribute to our knowledge of language learning and issues related to language pedagogy. Supervision For this course, the allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Department of Education and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department of Education. Students may expect 10 hours’ dissertation supervision over the academic year, including supervision meetings and time spent advising via email (but excluding time spent reading and feeding back on written work). Supervisors usually meet with their MSc students 3-4 times per term for between 30–60 minutes per meeting Assessment Students will complete six core modules each assessed by a written assignment, and a dissertation on a topic selected by the student and approved by the supervisor. The core modules are assessed at the end of each taught term, three in Michaelmas and three in Hilary. Assignment titles are released to students in the final week of term and are due for submission by the beginning of the following term. Work on the dissertation begins in Week One of Michaelmas term and is due for submission by the end of the second week of August. Before dissertation research can take place, students are required to complete a course on research integrity, and, if their research involves children, a course on safeguarding. Understanding of these courses is assessed via an online quiz. Students must pass these before being permitted to conduct their dissertation research, but the grades do not form part of the overall award.