MA/Diploma Language Acquisition

About the course

1 year full-time/2 years part-time

You'll be trained in theoretical, empirical and methodological aspects of first and second language acquisition. With its in-depth survey of current research and research practice, the course is ideal if you want to proceed to doctoral study, but equally useful if you don't.

Entry requirements

You'll need a 2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject or overseas equivalent, or a qualification such as Certificate of Education which we'll accept in lieu of a degree.

English language requirements

Overall IELTS grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading, 6.5 in Writing, 6.0 in Listening and 6.0 in Speaking, or equivalent.

Entry requirements for international students

Core modules

• Research Support
• Research Methods
• Introduction to Language and Linguistics
• Linguistic Theory and Language Acquisition
• Dissertation (MA only)

Optional modules

These include:

• Introduction to Second Language Acquisition
• English Grammar
• Seminar in First Language Acquisition
• Current Issues in Second Language Acquisition
• Phonological Acquisition
• Language and Mind
• Discourse and Genre Analysis
• Language Testing
• Intercultural Communication
• Speech Difficulties
• Language and Communication
• Literacy Numeracy and Other Symbolic Systems
• Philosophy of Psychology
• Experiment in Music Psychology

Teaching

• Lectures
• Seminars with opportunities for interaction and group discussion
• For the dissertation (MA only), you'll be assigned a supervisor and have at least four meetings with them when you’re writing your dissertation

Assessment

• Coursework
• Final essays
• In-class presentations

Introduction to Language and Linguistics has a formal examination. The dissertation (MA only) is written over the summer. If you don't complete the dissertation you'll be awarded a diploma.

Fees and funding

Financial information for postgraduate taught courses

Any questions?

If you'd like to know more about any aspect of our courses, contact us:

Jackie Elkington
E: j.elkington@sheffield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)114 222 0211

Where your masters can take you

Our courses will prepare you for a range of careers. For an academic career, you may choose to continue to PhD study, either at Sheffield or elsewhere. Your skills will be useful in many other jobs. Our past graduates are working in teaching (primary, secondary, FE, HE and TESOL), publishing, marketing, librarianship, fund-raising and charity administration.

Learn from the best

You'll benefit from our expertise in language acquisition, historical language studies, applied linguistics, literary linguistics, discourse analysis and sociolinguistics. Our enthusiastic staff publish internationally. We have a lively research culture and collaborate with scholars in Sheffield and beyond.

Our courses will introduce you to the latest ideas and concepts in English language studies and linguistics. You'll have the opportunity to explore these ideas in your own research.

Along with the School of Modern Languages and Linguistics, we established the new University Centre for Linguistic Research to gather and support postgraduate linguistics research across the University.

Within the School of English, we hold weekly research seminars which give you the chance to hear about the latest developments. We have strengths in many fields, from language variation and change, psycholinguistics and syntax to conversation analysis, dialectology and the language–literature interface.

Our resources

We have specialist recording equipment for fieldwork and experimental work.

The University library subscribes to several electronic databases including JStor, Early English Texts online and Eighteenth-century Collections online. For more advanced reading, there's a regular free minibus service to the British Library at Boston Spa.

Apply now

You can apply for postgraduate study using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It is a quick and easy process.

Postgraduate Online Application Form