Ph.D. in Language and Communication
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Curriculum
The curriculum for the Ph.D. in Language and Communication, is designed to combine doctoral research with a taught element. It combines eight 3-credit General Modules and three 3-credit discipline-specific Research Seminars tailored to the needs of individual Ph.D. candidates. These offerings are varied in number and content and form a sequence that provides a solid foundation that supports the natural progression of all Ph.D. students: from basic tools of doctoral research and academic writing, to specific concerns relating to individual projects.
Supports Ph.D. students in meeting the diverse challenges of planning and executing quantitative research in Applied Linguistics. The course provides an introduction to relevant research methods and statistical concepts and establishes potential connections with action research and other projects that students are developing for the Ph.D. thesis. The course provides examples of research plans, instruments, and data, and provides hands-on practice to develop students’ abilities to use SPSS for statistics. Students also learn to write up findings of quantitative analyses in formal academic style. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: None
The course will introduce students to the principles and practices of qualitative research and their application to research problems in applied linguistics. It pursues two aims: (1) to develop students’ ability to critically appraise reports of qualitative research, and (2) to prepare students to conduct a qualitative study on an applied linguistic topic, or to further develop a study that is already under way. In order to meet both of these goals, the course places particular emphasis on how to coherently transform theory into research method. Topics to be addressed include research ethics and quality, ethnography, observation, interviewing, and analysis of talk, text, and visual data. Course requirements will include reading and discussion of methodological texts, reviews of reports on qualitative studies, and practical activities. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: None
This course will pursue three goals. 1. to foster students’ critical understanding of discourse analysis as a central, interdisciplinary approach in the social sciences; of its diverse disciplinary origins, theoretical orientations, methodological options, and relationship to historical and current intellectual paradigms. 2. To provide participants with practical experience in conducting discourse analysis, including data collection, transcription, analysis, and preparing a research report. 3. To explore discourse analysis as an approach to diverse research problems in applied linguistics. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: None
This course will address and examine the notion of 'critique', define it as a particular form of analysis-a methodology therefore-and show how it can be deployed to develop anti-hegemonic accounts of current sociopolitical phenomena and processes. We will focus on the creative, 'unthinking' aspect of critique, on the aspect of epistemic solidarity, the need to take no single established framework for granted, and the demand for adequacy in establishing the facts of our cases. The points of departure, technically, will be (a) ethnography, (b) narrative analysis and (c) linguistic landscaping, and each time we shall attempt to reconstruct-or restore-voices 'from below'. The fields of deployment are (i) informal learning processes; (ii) asylum seekers' narratives and (iii) contemporary 'superdiverse' linguistic landscapes. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: None
This two-week core course provides a theoretical and methodological framework for studying the relation of language and culture in cross-cultural communication. The course addresses issues of communication as discourse and interrogates on the role of discourse as connection and narrative. Furthermore, the course looks into culture as historicity and subjectivity; imagined community, social identity, identification, memory and asks how culture is produced and reproduced through discourse. Issues of Social and cultural capital, affiliation, inheritance, expertise; schemas, frames, metapragmatic models are contributing to the formulation of a clear understanding of discourse. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: None
Increasingly, discourse studies play a role in the research program of a number of fields, including applied linguistics. However, not only is there no overarching theory common to all discourse studies, but due to the complexity of situated language use, a wide variety of methods exist to analyze the structure and functions of discourse. The purpose of this course is to provide students with a basic understanding of a few of the major perspectives of discourse analysis. Through lectures and working with real data, students will both learn what assumptions underlie a perspective as well as experience first-hand the task of collecting data and drawing conclusions. While not covering all perspectives, the course is intended to provide students with a sound foundation for future work in this area. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: None
This course unit will explore how texts of different kinds, mono-and multi-modal, are constructed in the context of particular domains and sites of communicative use; how they evidence the conventions of particular genres; and how, as discourses, they reflect and serve to underscore the personal, ideological and social purposes of their author(s). Domains and sites to be chosen will depend on the interests of participants, but will include both educational and professional fields, and will take into account the conditions of production and reception of such texts. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: None
This course gives an overview of the most important issues in mainstream applied linguistics research. It will cast a critical glance at the seven previously offered core courses, guiding students towards formulating tentative plans for their research orientation in the future. The course will also introduce students to the three strands supported by discipline-specific seminars: Second Language Education (SLE)/Intercultural and Professional Communication (IPC)/Translation and Interpreting (TI). Credits: 3, Prerequisites: None
Research Seminars (3 Courses / 9 Credits - 18 ECTS)
Examines various methodologies, both current and historical, used in the teaching of English as a Second Language. It provides an understanding of the principles underlying current teaching practices and raises awareness of the range of methodological options available to language teachers. The course considers the value of teaching methods in language teacher education, taking into consideration the current “post-method” condition of TESOL theory. It also introduces the notion of teacher research and action research, providing opportunities for further inquiry in TESOL and teacher education. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: DAL 01-DAL08
Provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of the construction of language assessments in the context of language programs. The course examines how assessments are designed, developed, administered, and scored. It also looks at the collection and analysis of quantitative data used to provide evidence in support of validity claims. This course is both theoretical and practical in nature, enabling students to pursue their interests in testing research and development. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: SLE1 & DAL 01-DAL08
Provides an overview of research methods in Applied Linguistics and explores key issues in designing and implementing research projects. In this course, students cultivate a critical stance towards published research monographs and articles as they prepare to make their own research contributions. Students learn to identify appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods when addressing particular questions in applied linguistics research. Students are introduced to possible Ph.D. research topics and explore the relevant methods, applications, and implications of this research. This course provides guidance to students in the SLE strand for the formulation of their dissertation proposals. Credits 3, Prerequisites: SLE2 & DAL01-DAL08
The course provides a differentiated understanding of intercultural communication and professional discourse in contemporary professional settings. It examines: i) different approaches to intercultural communication and professional discourse, Linguistic anthropology, Cross-cultural social psychology, Ethnography of speaking, Intercultural Pragmatics, Interactional sociolinguistics, Cultural/Gender Studies, (Management) Communication, Corpus based approaches, ii) the communicative settings that have been explored so far and the types of data and methodologies deployed to do so , iii) the distinction between cross-cultural and intercultural communication and its relevance in contemporary professional contexts resulting from globalization and aided by the widespread use of new media (i.e. ICTs). Drawing on data from empirical studies into various cultures the course addresses the extent to which interculturality is made relevant in encounters between different cultures, the degree to which professional cultural expertise is claimed by non-members of the culture and the way in which presumed cultural experts enact cultural membership in professional settings. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: DAL01-DAL08
This course unit will focus on how communication among and between cultures impacts on how professional discourse is produced and understood by participants in interaction. “Culture” is understood here to imply diversity in terms of ethnicity and in terms of workplace organization. Themes explored in the course will include: issues of identity and membership; rapport management in interaction; interpersonal attitudes and beliefs; impression management; professional expertise as an intercultural achievement; misunderstandings; trust as a core value; the evaluation of intercultural competence. Sites focused on in the course unit will depend on participant interests but may include inter alia those of business and management studies, education, public policy, personnel management, health and social care. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: IPC1 & DAL01-DAL08
Provides an overview of research methods in Applied Linguistics and explores key issues in designing and implementing research projects. In this course, students cultivate a critical stance towards published research monographs and articles as they prepare to make their own research contributions. Students learn to identify appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods when addressing particular questions in applied linguistics research. Students are introduced to possible Ph.D. research topics and explore the relevant methods, applications, and implications of this research. This course provides guidance to students in the IPC strand for the formulation of their dissertation proposals. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: IPC 1, IPC2, DAL01-DAL08
This course will begin with an overview of the development of translation and interpreting studies. It will then explore key areas such as equivalence in meaning, translation strategies and procedures, genre and text type, and the features of translated language. A special focus will be on discussing problems of applying English-based discourse and text analysis models to the analysis of multilingual communication. The latter part of the course will look at the socio-cultural context of translation and interpreting and the way in which they are part of a powerplay which may lead to ideological distortion in a text and/or the suppression of the discourse of lesser-used languages. Particular attention will be paid to the role of the translator/interpreter as an interested intervener (e.g. in scenarios ranging from local healthcare interpreting to interpreting in conflict zones to conference interpreting for international organizations) rather than as a transparent conduit of information. Consideration will also be given to the impact of new modes of translation (audiovisual translation, machine translation, crowdsourced translation, manga scanlation, etc.). Under the guidance of the tutor, students will be expected to gather their own examples of translation and to develop a specific project throughout the course. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: DAL01-DAL08
This course touches on the relationship of cognition with translation and interpretation competence. It focuses on the process of translating and looks at the so-called “black box” i.e. the Translator’s/Interpreter’s mind. Emphasis is placed on analyzing how translation and interpreting stages can be isolated, how translator and interpreter competence can be analyzed. Also, the course addresses issues of technology, machine translation and terminology for translation purposes. Credits:3, Prerequisites: TI1 & DAL01-DAL08
Provides an overview of research methods in Applied Linguistics and explores key issues in designing and implementing research projects. In this course, students cultivate a critical stance towards published research monographs and articles as they prepare to make their own research contributions. Students learn to identify appropriate qualitative and quantitative research methods when addressing particular questions in applied linguistics research. Students are introduced to possible Ph.D. research topics and explore the relevant methods, applications, and implications of this research. This course provides guidance to students in the IPC strand for the formulation of their dissertation proposals. Credits: 3, Prerequisites: TI1, TI2, DAL01-DAL08
Project Papers (7 credits – 14 ECTS)
Seven 2500-word Project Papers, relevant to courses taught and specific to student research interests.
Qualifying Papers (6 credits - 12 ECTS)
Two Qualifying Papers covering, and ultimately forming the core of, the Literature Review and the Methodology and Analysis components in the student’s dissertation.
Dissertation (12 credits – 24 ECTS)
At the end of the taught part of the course, students will be required to write a dissertation on a topic that will be agreed with their supervisor. Advice and guidance is given in formulating and refining the research topic, conducting research, analyzing data, literature review, and documentation of sources. The dissertation offers students the opportunity to carry out independent research in an area of their interest and to apply the knowledge and the skills they have acquired to the investigation of a particular issue or problem.