MA in Linguistics

MA in Linguistics

MA linguistics ·
Masters
·
2 years

MA in Linguistics (semester based) program is designed to enable the students to become theory-oriented and explanatorily motivated academic linguists, observationally oriented and descriptively motivated field linguists, and also service-oriented and developmentally motivated applied linguists. The courses further aim at promoting linguistics as an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary discipline, encouraging the students to describe numerous languages of Nepal and applying the knowledge of linguistics in various fields.

This two-year MA program in Linguistics comprises various fields of general and applied linguistics. The focus has been given to foundation courses like phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. With this background, students will then be introduced to sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, historical linguistics, typological studies, various linguistic theories, field methods and application of linguistics to various practical fields.

General Objectives

The courses under this program are designed to enable the students to become theory-oriented and explanatorily motivated academic linguists, observationally or iented and descriptively motivated f ield linguists, and also service-oriented and developmentally motivated applied linguists.

The program aims at promoting linguistics as a discipline, encouraging the students to describe numerous languages of Nepal and applying the knowledge of linguistics in various fields like text analysis, translation, language teaching, lexicography, literacy and other similar kinds of works.

Objectives of the courses

On completion of courses for MA in Linguistics, the students will be able to:

  • develop expertise in various linguistic fields;
  • analyze languages at different levels;
  • use their knowledge of linguistics in various practical fields related to specific language communities in particular and Nepalin general; and
  • work in various practical fields such as language teaching, language documentation, translation, lexicography, language policy and planning, language revitalization, clinical linguistics, forensic linguistics and translation.

Salient Features

Evaluation system

There will be two types of evaluation: external examination and internal assessment.

(a External examination (theoretical, 60%)

At the end of the semester, the external examination will be conducted by Dean’s Office. There will be long answer, short answer and very short answer questions in each course.

(b Internal assessment (practical, 40%)

The internal assessment may consist of:

(i) Attendance

(ii) Presentation and interaction or class participation

(iii) Mid-term exam: written and practical

(iv) Project work

(v) Field work

(vi) Term paper, etc.

(c) Dissertation

The dissertation will be evaluated by two examiners: the external and internal (supervisor).

Eligibility

MA in linguistics is allowed to a candidate holding a Bachelor’s Degree in any discipline, but there is no provision for private candidates. Preferences will be given to those who have majored in linguistics. An entrance examination will be held to test students’ proficiency in the English language. English is the medium of instruction and writing in examination and dissertation.

Curricular Structure

MA in Linguistics is of four semester of two year duration. Each semester is of six months and there are 60 credit hours in total for four semesters, each credit hour equaling to 16 teaching hours.

The courses comprise various fields of theoretical and applied linguistics. All the courses are compulsory in the first and second semesters.

Semester I introduces basic courses in linguistics; namely, phonetics, morphology, syntax, history of linguistics and sociolinguistics.

Semester II also offers basic courses; namely, phonology, semantics and pragmatics, linguistic typology, research methods and field linguistics and psycholinguistics.

Semester III introduces three compulsory courses; namely, historical linguistics, Nepalese linguistics and modern linguistic theories. This semester further offers various types of specialization courses like advanced phonetics, advanced phonology, advanced morphology, advanced syntax, advanced pragmatics, corpus linguistics, computational linguistics, functional-typological grammar, lexical functional grammar, role and reference grammar, minimalist program and cognitive linguistics.

Semester IV offers various courses in applied linguistics like bilingualism and multilingualism, linguistic anthropology, second language acquisition, spoken language, language contact, language documentation, language teaching, multilingual education, lexicography, literary linguistics, language policy and planning, language revitalization, clinical linguistics, forensic linguistics and translation studies.

Two courses are compulsory. The course entitled Project in linguistics and dissertation (equalling 6 credit hours) are compulsory in this semester.

Table 1 presents a flowchart of courses of study including names of the courses, code number and credit hours.

Table 1: Courses of Study: Flowchart

First year

I SEMESTER

II SEMESTER

Papers

Code/ course title

Credit hours

Papers

Code/ course title

Credit hours

Paper I

LING.551 Phonetics

3

Paper I

LING.556 Phonology

3

Paper II

LING.552 Morphology

3

Paper II

LING.557 Semantics and pragmatics

3

Paper III

LING.553 Syntax

3

Paper III

LING.558 Linguistic typology

3

Paper IV

LING.554 History of linguistics

3

Paper IV

LING.559 Research methods and field linguistics

3

Paper V

LING.555 Sociolinguistics

3

Paper V

LING.560 Psycholinguistics

3

 

   

15

   

15

Second year

III SEMESTER

IV SEMESTER

Papers

Code/ course

title

Credit hours

Papers

Code/ course title

Credit hours

Paper I

LING.561 Historical linguistics

3

Paper I

LING.566 Applied linguistics I

3

Paper II

LING.562 Nepalese linguistics

3

Paper II

LING.567

Applied linguistics II

3

Paper III

LING.563 Modern linguistic theories

3

Paper III

LING.568 Project in linguistics

3

Paper IV

LING.564 Specialization I

3

Paper IV

LING.569 Dissertation

6

 

Paper V

LING.565 Specialization II

3

 

   

 

   

15

 

 

15