MA in Sociocultural Linguistics
This interdisciplinary programme looks at language from a sociocultural perspective. It is designed for anyone with an interest in the relationship between language, culture and society but also provides students with a solid understanding of English language and linguistics. The MA develops students’ understanding of historical and contemporary debates in (socio)linguistics and discourse analysis and enhances students’ analytic and linguistic skills by introducing different approaches to the analysis of written and spoken language use from a range of everyday and institutional contexts.
Lauren, MA in Applied Linguistics: Sociocultural Approaches (now MA in Sociocultural Linguistics)
1 year full-time or 2 years part-time.
No application deadline. Please submit an essay (written in English) together with your application, as an example of your academic writing. One academic reference is required. If possible, also submit a breakdown of your marks from your previous degree.
Find out more about applying
You should normally hold, or expect to hold, a first degree of at least upper second standard in a related field, but other qualifications of equivalent level are considered. We also strive to acknowledge relevant teaching or other professional experience. No prior knowledge of linguistics is required. If you would like to explore the options, given your personal background, please contact us via the Admissions Office. If your first language is not English you need a minimum score of 7.0 in IELTS (including 7.0 in the written element) or equivalent. Find out more about our English Language requirements.
Partial fee waivers are sometimes available for this programme. Please see Department of English & Comparative Literature for more information.
Publishing, journalism, British Council roles, public relations, teaching, research, translation, advertising, the civil service, business, industry, the media.
Transferable skills, including enhanced communication and discussion skills in written and oral contexts; the ability to analyse and evaluate a wide variety of spoken and written texts from informal as well as institutional settings; an understanding of the concept of communicative competence; the ability to organise information, and to assimilate and evaluate competing arguments.
Please see Tuition fees.
Please see Staff research interests.
Contact Maria Macdonald
(Please note that Sociocultural Linguistics is a new title for the former MA in Applied Linguistics: Sociocultural Approaches and applies from 2012 entry. Some of the course components mentioned below are subject to approval.)
Topics covered include: language and ideology; linguistic performances of identity (particularly language and gender, sexuality, ethnicity and social class); language and the media; talk at work; global English; intercultural communication; multilingualism and code-switching; varieties of English. Students are encouraged to engage with these topics by drawing on their own social, cultural and occupational backgrounds in class discussions and in their written work. Students are also encouraged to collect their own samples of written and spoken language use and learn to subject those to in-depth critical analysis.
This MA will draw on findings, theories and methodologies from: sociolinguistics, semantics, pragmatics, spoken and written discourse analysis, ethnography, semiotics, feminist stylistics; multimodal analysis; interactional sociolinguistics, conversational analysis, membership categorisation analysis, performativity and narrative analysis. The programme’s distinct interdisciplinary ethos is also reflected in students’ opportunity to choose from a selection of relevant option courses in other departments of the College.
What you study
On this programme you will complete two core courses, two option courses and one dissertation.
Read full descriptions of the courses mentioned below.
The two compulsory core courses are:
- Core Issues in English Language & Linguistics
- Language in its Sociocultural Context
The four linguistics options are:
- Analysing Discourse & Identity in Spoken Interaction
- Global English: History & Variation
- Intercultural Discourse & Communication
- Language & Ideology in Written Discourse
Students may choose two linguistic options or one linguistic option and one option from other MA programmes within the College, where specifically approved by the Programme Co-ordinator. Availability of options across the College varies, but typically students can choose from the following selection (for course descriptions please see departmental webpages):
Department of English and Comparative Literature: Studies in Comparative Literature & Criticism; Theories of Literature & Culture; Modern Literary Movements; Literature of the Caribbean & its Diasporas; American Literature & Culture: Critical and Theoretical Concepts; Rewriting Sexualities; Twentieth Century Caribbean Writing; Caribbean Women Writing & Representation
Department of Anthropology: Anthropology and Gender Theory; Anthropology and History; Anthropology of Religion; Social Anthropology of the Caribbean
Department of Media and Communications: Introduction to Media and Communications Theory; The Structure of Contemporary Political Communications;
Transnational Communications and the Global Media: Orientations; Media Audiences & Media Geography; Media Ethnicity & The Nation; After New Media
Department of Sociology: Introduction to Feminist & Cultural Theory; Gender Affect and the Body; What is Culture? Key Theoretical Interventions; Race Politics & Ethics
Centre for Cultural Studies: Cultural Theory; Text and Image
You also produce a dissertation. Dissertation topics in the past included:
discursive construction of religious identities in interviews with British Muslim converts; code-switching practices in a Tunisian family; discourse and identities in the SLA classroom; language and gender in dream narratives; pauses and silences on Talk Radio; attitudes towards bilingual signs in Thailand; representations of parenthood in UK parenting magazines; political debates on Irish TV; lifetime narratives of older Asian immigrants in the UK; the language of text messaging; language and literacy practices on Facebook; attitudes to non-standard language use; discursive analysis of EFL textbooks; gendered speech style in an all-female group of Iranian friends.
The best (UG or MA) linguistics dissertation is rewarded every year with the Hayley Davis Prize.
We also run an optional MA study skills course in which we cover topics such as: using electronic resources; British academic essay writing & referencing at MA level; planning a dissertation in (socio)linguistics.
Approach to teaching
Our lecture/seminar sessions are designed to combine discussions of preparatory reading materials with tutor-led input and hands-on analyses of data/texts by students. We also tend to invite guest lectures for our option courses and introduce our students to a number of linguistics talk series across the University of London.
Our MA group is usually very tight-knit, students and student reps organise study/revision groups, online discussion forums, outings to lectures across London, and a number of social events.
Read our student testimonials.
Assessment
Three-day take-home essay examinations; coursework/essays; dissertation.
Register your interest
If you register your interest in this programme we will keep you informed about open days and send you relevant further information. If you subsequently decide to apply for this programme you will be able to use the same login details to apply.
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