Postgraduate Programmes and Admissions

Admissions to the M.Phil. Programme in English (Applied English Linguistics)

Goals and Objectives

The M.Phil. in Applied English Linguistics offers training in applied linguistics research. The required course in theoretical linguistics includes a survey of phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic analyses, as well as historical linguistics with specific reference to English. The required courses in applied linguistics cover the major interdisciplinary branches of language studies that address practical language-related problems: psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, and second language learning/acquisition. Students are also required to take a course in research methods in which they develop their research proposal. In addition, the programme provides electives on current applied linguistics in such areas as curriculum design and materials preparation, discourse and pragmatics, second language pedagogy, evaluation and testing, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), second language classroom research, intercultural communication, and second language writing. Students are expected to seek an understanding of language?related problems in their research, which should lead to original contributions to the field of applied linguistics. This programme is intended for those who have a good undergraduate degree in a language-related field and have a strong interest in applied linguistics research. M.Phil. students with an outstanding performance may, upon completion of their M.Phil. course work, be recommended for advancement to the Ph.D. in Applied English Linguistics programme, subject to the approval of the Graduate Panel and the Graduate School.

Requirements

Applicants must meet the general requirements as defined in the most recent Graduate School brochure published by The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Applicants for the M.A. and M.Phil. in English (Applied English Linguistics) programmes are required to attend an interview whenever feasible. M.A. applicants must submit a 500-word statement about their particular interests and goals related to postgraduate study in applied linguistics. M.Phil. applicants are required to submit a 800-word plan of study, describing their research interest and goals for postgraduate study. The interview aims to assess the applicants' intellectual and linguistic abilities as well as their understanding of basic concepts and issues in applied linguistics.

Preparatory Reading

Applicants are expected to be acquainted with the contents of the following titles:

• Brown, D. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall Regents.
• Carter, R. and Nunan, D. (2001). The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Celce-Murcia, M. and Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar Book: An ESL/EFL Teacher's Course. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.
• Clark, J. and Yallop, C. (1995). An Introduction to Phonetics and Phonology. (2nd ed.) Oxford: Blackwell.
• Dudley-Evans, T. and St. John, M. (1998). Developments in English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Ellis, R. (1994). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Fromkin, V. and Rodman, R. (1998). An Introduction to Language. 6th edition. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.
• Jacobs, R. A. (1995). English Syntax: A Grammar for English Language Professionals. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Lightbown, P. and Spada, N. (1998). How Languages are Learned. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• McCarthy, M. (2001). Issues in Applied Linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press