Course information

Length

1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Scholarship information

Funding available

Course overview

This Masters programme looks at language from a sociocultural perspective. It's designed for anyone with an interest in the relationship between language, culture and society but also provides a solid understanding of English language and linguistics.

Why study MA Sociocultural Linguistics at Goldsmiths

  • This postgraduate degree focuses on (socio)linguistics and discourse analysis and enhances your analytic and linguistic skills by introducing different approaches to the analysis of written and spoken language from a range of everyday and institutional contexts.
  • You'll cover topics such as language and ideology, linguistic performances of identity (particularly language and gender, sexuality, ethnicity and social class), language and the media, talk at work, English in a multilingual world, intercultural communication, English as a Lingua Franca, multilingualism and code-switching, and attitudes to different varieties of English.
  • You'll be encouraged to engage with these topics by drawing on your own social, cultural and occupational backgrounds in class discussions and in your written work. The opportunity to explore new interests in written work, including the dissertation (dissertation), has allowed many of our students to forge new career trajectories, e.g. in internationalisation, diversity and inclusion, marketing, advertising, journalism, work for NGOs and many different educational contexts, including language teaching.  
  • You will be encouraged to engage in hands-on analysis of spoken and written language, after receiving training in how to collect, transcribe and analyse different types of language data, in interviews, natural conversational context, and a various written texts and corpora.
  • You will learn how authentic spoken English is used as a resource by speakers to achieve their goals, signal intimacy or dislike, gossip or report, persuade or interview others, position themselves and their identities in different ways. You will learn how written English and other semiotic practices are used to report and to distort, create ingroups and outgroups, reflect and perpetuate ideologies in a variety of print and social media.
  • You'll draw on findings, theories and methodologies from across multiple disciplines, including sociocultural linguistics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, ethnography, semiotics, multimodal analysis, conversational analysis and narrative analysis.
  • The programme’s distinct interdisciplinary ethos is also reflected in your opportunity to choose one module from a selection of relevant option modules in other departments in Goldsmiths, including sociology, anthropology, media, politics, translation and literature.
  • We also run optional academic and research skills sessions throughout the year on reading and essay writing, conducting fieldwork, transcription, oral presentation skills, preparing for dissertation etc.

Recent research activities

To find out more about the kind of research underpinning the teaching on the MA Sociocultural Linguistics, watch the short video below by programme convenor Dr Pia Pichler. Pia recently organised a conference on 'Ethnographies of Language, Gender and Sexuality’ at Goldsmiths. For more information visit the conference website.

Facebook

For further information about the MA Sociocultural Linguistics, take a look at our Facebook page.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Pia Pichler.

What you'll study

You will complete two compulsory modules, two option modules, and a dissertation.

Compulsory modules

Please note: Students who have successfully completed a previous linguistics degree may apply to replace one of the following compulsory modules with an additional linguistics option module. You would then complete only one compulsory module, three option modules, and a dissertation. Please state your wish to follow this trajectory clearly in your application and provide detailed information about the content of your previous degree. The final decision will be made by the admissions tutor after reviewing your application.  

Module title Credits
Core Issues in English Language & Linguistics 30 credits
Language in its Sociocultural Context 30 credits

Option modules

You 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.

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

We also run many optional MA linguistic study skills sessions in which we cover topics such as: fieldwork and methodology; using electronic resources; British academic essay writing & referencing at MA level; giving presentations; planning a dissertation in (socio)linguistics.

You may also choose one non-linguistics module, either from our own department (English and Creative Writing) or from another department. Availability of options across the College varies, but typically you can choose from the following selection. Please note that your choice of option module from another department needs to be discussed with the Programme Co-ordinator of the MA Sociocultural Linguistics in advance.

Sociology options

Module title Credits
What is Culture - Key Theoretical Interventions 30 credits
Social Media: A Critical Review 30 credits
Gender, Sexuality and Media 30 credits
Race, Gender And Social Justice 30 credits
Stories and the Social World: Identity, Politics, Ethics 30 credits

Media and Communications options

Module title Credits
Political Economy of the Media 15 Credits
Promotional Culture 30 credits or 15 credits
Race, Empire and Nation 15 credits
Gender Affect and the Body 30 credits
Social Media in Everyday Life: A global perspective 15 credits
Race and the Cultural Industries 30 credits

Anthropology options

Module title Credits
Anthropology and Gender Theory 15 credits
Anthropology and Cultural Politics 30 credits
Anthropology and History 30 credits

Educational Studies options

Module title Credits
Culture, Language and Identity in Education 30 credits
Race, Culture and Education 30 credits

English and Creative Writing options

Module title Credits
Studies in Comparative Literature & Criticism 30 credits
Theories of Literature & Culture 30 credits
Modern and Contemporary Literary Movements 30 credits
Literature of the Caribbean & its Diasporas 30 credits
The Contemporary American Novel in the Era of Climate Change 30 credits
Interculturality, Text, Poetics 30 credits
Thinking Translation: Introduction to Translation Theory 30 credits
Becoming A Translator 30 credits
Translation for the Cultural Tourism, Hospitality and Cultural Heritage Sectors 30 credits
Postcolonial Fiction: Theory and Practice 30 credits
Palestine and Postcolonialism 30 credits
Caribbean Women Writers 30 credits
Postmodern Fiction 30 credits

We also run an optional MA study skills module in which we cover topics such as: fieldwork and methodology; using electronic resources; British academic essay writing & referencing at MA level; planning a dissertation in (socio)linguistics.

Dissertation

You also produce a dissertation. Dissertation topics in the past have included:

  • Performing multilingual identities online: A multimodal analysis of language practices by a Quebecois Instagram influencer
  • ‘Solving The Migration Crisis’: Common-Sense and Morality in Government Statements for The Nationality and Borders Bill
  • 'The Conflict between Saudi National Identity and Feminism: Critical Discourse Analysis of a Debate between an Anti-feminism Female Member of Shura Council and a Male Feminism Defender
  • Finding the connection between queerness and villainy: deconstructing heteronormativity in Disney’s films
  • Pathologised, Patronised, and Hypersexualised: A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis of how MailOnline presented female fans of One Direction, 2011-2015
  • A semiotic analysis of the depiction of LGBTQ+ lives and narratives as presented by LGBTQ+ movie posters released in the UK from 2002-2022
  • Reclaiming the Narrative: an Analysis of Identity Construction of Transracial and Transnational Adoptees
  • Framing Fairytales: A critical discourse comparison of climate campaigns   
  • ‘Home is a Strong Word’: Constructions of Place and Identity in Interviews with International Students
  • The pragmatics of Covid-19 political (non)-apologies 
  • Representations of BAME students on eight London-based post-92 universities’ web pages
  • Identity construction in migration narratives of ‘Russian’ Jews in Israel
  • Internationalization: the role of language on campus
  • Concepts of culture in the ESOL classroom
  • A discourse-centred analysis of the ideology of Anglo-British nationalism in YouTube comments
  • Discourses of the body in Cosmopolitan.com/UK
  • Narrative self-construction in Irish foster care leavers
  • A CDA of an Individual Transgender Experience on Reality Television, A TransQueer Perspective
  • A discursive study of the representation of the victim of a rape in
  • Student Identity in the Meta-Genre of Commercial College Application Essay Guides
  • Belonging and identity of transnational migrants in super-diverse London
  • Language attitudes and ideologies of luso-descendants in Luxembourg
  • Interruptions and gendered discourses in Sicilian couples talk
  • Heteronorms and contested bisexual identity in talk
  • Language ideologies of Bangladeshi Italians in super-diverse east London
  • A critical investigation of metaphor in accent coaching internationalisation & the role of language
  • Gun Ownership as Freedom and Safety: Framing in the Blogosphere
  • Tweeting Saudi Women’s Elections: A Critical Discourse Analysis
  • Framing and discourses of gender and national identity in sports commentary
  • Discursive identity construction in relation to global hip hop culture in young men’s talk
  • Representations of aging in women’s magazines
  • 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. 

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 as part of option modules and GoldLingS Seminar Series.

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.

Assessment

Coursework; essays; critical review; blog post; dissertation; presentation

Download the programme specification.

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

Entry requirements

You should have (or expect to be awarded) an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard.

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.

No prior knowledge of linguistics is required. If you would like to explore the options, given your personal background, please get in touch.

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 overall and no element lower than 6.0 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

Philological Society UK

The Philological Society invites applications for its master’s bursary scheme. This supports postgraduate students who are undertaking postgraduate studies in the areas of linguistics or philology. Fields of particular interest include historical and comparative linguistics, including an interest in the structure, development and varieties of modern English. Find out more on the Philological Society's website.

Departmental Awards

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

How to apply

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
  • 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

Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. 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

  • Ability to analyse and evaluate a wide variety of spoken and written (English) language in personal as well as institutional settings
  • Ability to execute and manage substantial linguistic projects independently
  • Recognition of the technical and ethical issues involved in organizing and conducting field-work, data collection and transcription
  • Proficient understanding of debates, research and methodology in sociolinguistics and discourse analysis
  • Competence in identifying and sifting through primary data sources to identify linguistic patterns
  • Expert use of analytical techniques of micro- linguistic analysis
  • In-depth understanding of the spontaneous talk and different genres of written English
  • Expert understanding of the differences between spoken and written language use
  • Enhanced communication and discussion skills in written and oral contexts
  • High-level critical thinking, reasoning and writing

Careers

  • Publishing
  • Journalism
  • Internationalisation
  • British Council roles
  • Public relations
  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Translation
  • Advertising
  • The civil service
  • Business
  • Industry
  • The media

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.

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