Programmes

Master of Arts in Language Studies

Programme	Master of Arts in Language Studies 文學碩士(語文學)
Award Title	Master of Arts in Language Studies 文學碩士(語文學)
Offering Academic Unit	Department of Linguistics and Translation
Mode of Study	Combined mode

Normal Period of Study

- 1 year (full-time)
- 2 years (part-time/combined mode)

Maximum Period of Study

- 2.5 years (full-time)
- 5 years (part-time/combined mode)

Credit Units Required for Graduation

Programme Aims

The programme aims to

1. provide students with an understanding of the nature of language with which to explore the various ways it impacts on society and culture in the context of Hong Kong;

2. create a framework that allows students the option to focus on a particular aspect of language and its interaction with a particular societal / cultural process, be it the structure of language, language and translation and interpretation, and applications of language studies; and sharpen the students’ intellect to enable them to function more effectively as language professionals.

Programme Intended Learning Outcomes (PILOs)

Upon successful completion of this Programme, students should be able to:

1. Analyze the structure and use of language in different social/ cultural contexts.
2. Reflect critically on the nature of language, and the issues of language in its actual use.
3. Apply effective communication skills in their work places in their role as language professionals.
4. Formulate generalizations on the processes and strategies involved in making discoveries in their respective fields of specialization.
5. (For students in the stream of general linguistics) analyze the structure of language, generate innovative linguistic analyses; reflect critically on the social, cultural and psychological aspects of language use, and apply such knowledge in their work.
6. (For students in the stream of corpus and empirical linguistics) apply a range of conceptual skills, with a focus on the corpus and latest empirical tools, to enhance students’ ability and efficiency in generating creative solutions to language tasks and to reflect critically on the multifaceted issues involved in the application of language studies.
7. (For students in the stream of pedagogical linguistics) apply a range of concepts and skills to language learning and its related pedagogical applications, and to enhance students the ability to be exposed to language acquisition and teaching in global contexts.
8. (For students in the stream of translation & interpretation) apply a range of conceptual tools and skills learned to enhance their ability in generating creative solutions to translation and interpretation tasks, and reflect critically on the multifaceted issues involved in translation and interpretation.

Programme Requirements

1. Core Courses (12 credit units)

Common Core Elective Courses for MA Students (3 credits—choose Either)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units	Remarks
LT5903	Language and its Applications	3
LT5904	Language and Culture in Society	3

Stream I: General Linguistics (stream core courses) (9 credits)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units
LT5401	Phonetics and Phonology	3
LT5402	Syntax and Morphology	3
LT5403	Semantics and Discourse	3

Stream II: Corpus and Empirical Linguistics (stream core courses) (9 credits)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units
LT5406	Psycholinguistics	3
LT5421	Corpus Linguistics	3
LT5423	Quantitative Methods for Linguistic Data Analysis	3

Stream III: Pedagogical Linguistics (stream core courses) (9 credits)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units	Remarks
LT5407	Research Methodology for Applied Linguistics	3
LT5451	Pedagogical Grammar: Chinese and English	3	^,@
LT5458	Computer-Assisted Language Learning	3

Stream IV: Translation & Interpretation (stream core courses) (9 credits)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units	Remarks
LT5603	Theory of Translation	3	*
LT5604	Translation Methodology	3	*
LT5605	Interpretation Methodology	3	@

2. Stream Electives Courses (9 credit units)
Students are required to take 3 courses (or 2 courses if one of the chosen courses is LT6580 Master’s Project, which accounts for 6 credit units) from their respective stream cluster.

Cluster A: General Linguistics

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units	Remarks
LT5199	Professional Internship	3	#
LT5406	Psycholinguistics	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream II
LT5407	Research Methodology for Applied Linguistics	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream III
LT5409	Systemic Functional Linguistics	3
LT5413	Philosophy of Language	3
LT5416	Historical Linguistics	3
LT5417	Language Universals and Linguistic Typology	3
LT5421	Corpus Linguistics	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream II
LT5423	Quantitative Methods for Linguistic Data Analysis	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream II
LT5430	Special Topics in Linguistics	3
LT5431	Functional Approaches to Syntax	3
LT5432	Lexical Semantics	3
LT5451	Pedagogical Grammar: Chinese and English	3	^,@,Also listed as a core course for Stream III
LT5454	Grammar of Chinese	3	^,@
LT5455	Pragmatics	3
LT5456	Text Linguistics	3
LT5457	Computational Lexicography	3
LT5458	Computer-Assisted Language Learning	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream III
LT5510	Contrastive Studies of Chinese and English Grammar	3
LT6422	Advanced Topics in Semantics	3
LT6423	Advanced Topics in Syntax	3
LT6580	Master’s Project	6	*
LT6581	Project	3	*

Cluster B: Corpus and Empirical Linguistics

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units	Remarks
LT5199	Professional Internship	3	#
LT5401	Phonetics and Phonology	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream I
LT5402	Syntax and Morphology	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream I
LT5403	Semantics and Discourse	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream I
LT5407	Research Methodology for Applied Linguistics	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream III
LT5411	Computational Linguistics	3
LT5422	Cognitive Linguistics	3
LT5432	Lexical Semantics	3
LT5451	Pedagogical Grammar: Chinese and English	3	^,@,Also listed as a core course for Stream III
LT5456	Text Linguistics	3
LT5457	Computational Lexicography	3
LT5458	Computer-Assisted Language Learning	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream III
LT5459	Terminology	3
LT5631	Corpora and Translation	3
LT6421	Advanced Topics in Corpus and Empirical Linguistics	3
LT6580	Master’s Project	6	*
LT6581	Project	3	*

Cluster C: Pedagogical Linguistics

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units	Remarks
LT5199	Professional Internship	3	#
LT5401	Phonetics and Phonology	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream I
LT5402	Syntax and Morphology	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream I
LT5403	Semantics and Discourse	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream I
LT5406	Psycholinguistics	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream II
LT5408	Sociolinguistics	3
LT5412	Language Teaching	3
LT5418	Second Language Pronunciation Acquisition: from Theory to Practice	3
LT5420	Language Arts and Literature	3
LT5421	Corpus Linguistics	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream II
LT5423	Quantitative Methods for Linguistic Data Analysis	3	Also listed as a core course for Stream II
LT5452	Learning and Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language	3	^,@
LT5453	The Cantonese Language: Pronunciation, Lexicon and Grammar	3	%,@
LT5460	Studies of Second Language Acquisition	3
LT5461	Cognition and Language Differences	3
LT6580	Master’s Project	6	*
LT6581	Project	3	*

Cluster D: Translation and Interpretation

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Units	Remarks
LT5199	Professional Internship	3	#
LT5451	Pedagogical Grammar: Chinese and English	3	^, @, Also listed as a core course of Stream III
LT5456	Text Linguistics	3	Also listed as an elective course of Cluster B
LT5601	Stylistics and Translation	3	*
LT5606	Culture in Translation	3
LT5617	Bilingual Reading and Writing for Translators	3	*
LT5620	Translation Technology	3
LT5621	Language and Literature in Translation	3	*
LT5626	Translation and Comparative Literature	3	*
LT5627	Advanced Interpreting	3	*
LT5628	Human-Machine Interactive Translation	3
LT5630	Special Topics in Translation and Interpretation	3	*
LT5631	Corpora and Translation	3	Also listed as an elective course of Cluster B
LT6505	Legal Translation	3	*
LT6514	Advanced Legal Translation	3	*
LT6580	Master’s Project	6	*
LT6581	Project	3	*

Free Elective Courses: (9 credits)
Students are free to choose any three 3-credit unit courses (9 credit units) offered for the MA Language Studies programme.

Remarks: Students can only choose either LT6580 Master’s Project or LT6581 Project, but not both.

Medium of Instruction and Assessment

^ Medium of instruction is English, supplemented with Putonghua.
% Medium of instruction is English, supplemented with Cantonese.
@ Medium of assessment is English, supplemented with Chinese.
* English is the main medium of instruction and assessment, supplemented with Chinese (Cantonese/Putonghua) in situations where English-Chinese translation and interpretation or Chinese linguistic data/texts is involved.
# English is the medium of instruction on campus and assessment; English and/or Chinese may be required by individual internship partners.

Part III Accreditation by Professional / Statutory Bodies

Part IV Additional Information

Intermediate Awards

Required Courses

Total Credits

Postgraduate Diploma in Language Studies

深造文憑 (語文學)

Fulfill the stream core requirements (3 courses/ 9 credit units) and elective requirements (5 courses, at least 3 should be taken from one’s respective stream cluster).

Postgraduate Certificate in Language Studies⁺

深造證書(語文學)⁺

any four 3 credit unit courses

⁺The stream designation is not available to graduates of Postgraduate Certificate.