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.

To be eligible for admission, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirement and must:

• hold a degree from one of the tertiary educational institutions of Hong Kong funded by the University Grants Committee; or
• hold a degree of a level equivalent to the above from a local or non-local institution recognized for this purpose by the University; or
• have satisfied the academic requirements for corporate membership of a professional institution recognized for this purpose by the University; or
• have obtained an equivalent qualification, or provided evidence of academic and professional attainments, acceptable for this purpose to the University.

Applicants may be required to take an entry test and/or interview.

Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is not English should also fulfill the following minimum English proficiency requirement:

• a score of 59 (revised paper-delivered test)^ or 79 (Internet-based test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)^@#; or
• an overall band score of 6.5 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS)^@; or
• a score 450 in the new College English Test (CET-6) of Chinese mainland; or
• other equivalent qualifications.

In view of the recent development of COVID-19, ‘TOEFL iBT Home Edition’ and ‘IELTS Indicator’, as indicated below, are accepted as equivalent qualifications for the fulfillment of the University’s minimum English proficiency requirement for admission to TPg programmes until further notice:

• TOEFL iBT Home Edition: a score of 79; or
• IELTS Indicator: an overall band score of 6.5

^@TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the commencement of the University's application period. 

^# Applicants are required to arrange with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send their TOEFL results directly to the University. The TOEFL institution code for CityU is 3401.

^ Effective from 11 April 2021, the TOEFL revised paper-delivered test is no longer offered.

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; and
8. (for students in the stream of translation and 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.

Department of Linguistics and Translation
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences