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Course information

Department

English and Creative Writing
Educational Studies

Length

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Scholarship information

Funding available

Course overview

The MA Multilingualism, Linguistics and Education is an applied linguistics programme with an emphasis on both linguistic and cultural diversity. It provides a solid understanding of key theoretical and practical issues in multilingual and intercultural educational settings.

Why study MA Multilingualism, Linguistics and Education at Goldsmiths

  • Learn how the English language and other languages are structured and used in a range of cultural settings, and how to support the literacy and learning development of students from multilingual backgrounds. The course offers critical engagement with theory, policy and practice, and students benefit from intellectual debates in the disciplines of both education and linguistics.

  • Develop and add value to your professional life, whether you’re a manager, teacher, researcher, or in another profession related to language and education.

  • Apply to spend time at our partner institution, the Federal University of Bahia (Salvador, Brazil). This will not require paying additional tuition fees, and – if successful – you will receive a grant for living expenses while in Salvador, through the Turing Scheme.
  • Gain experience in language teaching, either as an additional language, a second foreign language or a lingua franca, and achieve a wider theoretical knowledge base by exploring topics such as intercultural communication, English language teaching, teaching languages from a multilingual perspective, and race, ethnicity and cultural diversity in education.
  • Draw on findings, theories and methodologies from across multiple disciplines, including ethnography, critical pedagogy, sociocultural linguistics, discourse analysis, multimodal analysis, conversational and narrative analysis.
  • We also run optional academic and research skills sessions throughout the year on essay writing, conducting fieldwork, transcription, interviewing, oral presentation skills, preparing for your dissertation etc.

The programme’s distinct interdisciplinary ethos is also reflected in your opportunity to choose modules from both the departments of English and Creative Writing and Educational Studies, including one module from a selection of relevant option modules in other departments in Goldsmiths, including sociology, anthropology, translation and literature.

Live chat with the Programme Coordinator

Meet virtually with the MA Multilingualism Linguistics and Education coordinator to find out more about the cross-disciplinary modules, the Brazilian studentship, and the learning opportunities you can expect over the course of your MA. View dates of upcoming chat sessions and book a slot here.

Facebook

Join our Facebook group to find out more about the degree.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Alessia Cogo.

What you'll study

Overview

Modules are taught by the Department of English and Creative Writing (ECW) and the Department of Educational Studies (ES). You complete two compulsory modules, two option modules and a 15,000-word dissertation.

Compulsory modules

You take one of the following compulsory modules:

Module title Credits
English in a Multilingual World 30 credits
or
Language in its Sociocultural Context 30 credits

And one of these compulsory modules:

Module title Credits
Biculturalism and Bilingualism in Education 30 credits
or
Teaching Languages in Multilingual Contexts 30 credits

In addition to the two compulsory modules, you must choose two option modules.

One of the following modules from the Department of English and Creative Writing:

Module title Credits
Intercultural Discourse & Communication 30 credits
Core Issues in English Language & Linguistics 30 credits
Language & Ideology in Written Discourse 30 credits
English as a Lingua Franca and Language Teaching 30 credits
Discourse and Identity in Spoken Interaction 30 credits

And one of the following modules from the Department of Educational Studies:

Module title Credits
Children’s Literature, Culture and Diversity 30 credits
Race, Culture and Education 30 credits
Masculinities, Femininities, and Identities in Education 30 credits
Early Childhood Education for a Diverse Society 30 credits

For the dissertation we encourage hands-on research based on the uses of written and spoken language in a variety of institutional and informal contexts.

Where possible, we'll help you access multilingual settings relevant to your research. This will give unique insight into the practices of British classrooms and different linguistic communities.

You're also encouraged to draw on your own experience or unique cultural and linguistic background.

We run an additional MA study skills module in which we cover topics such as: using electronic resources; British academic essay writing & referencing at MA level; planning a dissertation.

Individual Modules

Some of these modules are also available to be taken as part of a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme.

Assessment

Coursework; essays; examinations; dissertation.

Download the programme specification.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

What our students say

Sarah
The MA in Multilingualism Linguistics and Education felt like a natural next step after graduating. It allowed me to develop these interests further and encouraged multidisciplinary research, something that really appealed to me.

I really enjoyed studying for my BA in English at Goldsmiths College and graduated with first-class honours. In particular, I liked modules on multilingualism and language use in the context of forced migration. This led me to write my final dissertation on the role of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) for people forced to migrate, residing at the time in Calais (France).

The MA in Multilingualism Linguistics and Education felt like a natural next step after graduating. It allowed me to develop these interests further and encouraged multidisciplinary research, something that really appealed to me. In order to make studying for a Masters financially viable, I applied for the MA fee-waiver bursary and was very fortunate to be offered it. If finances are also a hurdle for you, I highly recommend looking into this and other bursaries. 

Whilst studying for the MA in Multilingualism Linguistics and Education, I applied for the University of London Erasmus exchange project with the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) in Salvador (Brazil). With help from the 'Access to Study Abroad bursaries' and the Erasmus grant, I was able to spend three months in Brazil, conducting research alongside the UFBA university team. The project’s area of investigation was the role of ELF and critical pedagogy for English language teaching. I compared how pre-service (trainee) and in-services (qualified) teachers engaged with critical pedagogy and ELF in the public (state) school system. We were also given the opportunity to learn Brazilian Portuguese, I attended regular in-person lessons throughout the 3 months. This was so useful while I was in Brazil and something I’ve continued with.

Studying and living in Brazil was such a great experience and I couldn’t recommend the MA in Multilingualism Linguistics and Education enough, especially with the UFBA Erasmus exchange!

Entry requirements

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard in education, linguistics, or another relevant subject. 

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

  • Home - full-time: £9630
  • Home - part-time: £4815
  • International - full-time: £17690

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

Scholarships

This programme is eligible for one of the department's fee waivers. Find out more about how to apply.

Additional costs

There is a small charge for hard copy reading packs.

 

How to apply

Apply now

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:

  • Details of your academic qualifications
  • The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively a copy of your academic reference
  • Copies of your educational transcripts or certificates
  • A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online. Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

When to apply

We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September. 

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place that is conditional on you achieving a particular qualification. 

Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available.

If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an earlier application deadline.

Selection process

As part of the selection process, you may be invited to an online or in-person interview. Occasionally, we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.

Find out more about applying.

Careers

Skills

You will acquire a wide-ranging understanding of educational and linguistic policy and research, especially with respect to multilingual settings. You will also develop your critical thinking, communication and research skills.

Careers

Teaching (especially language teaching or teaching in multilingual environments), administration and/or management of educational and language policy, publishing, the civil service, the media.

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths. 

Staff

Dr. Alessia Cogo

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