This interdisciplinary programme offers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of areas of their undergraduate degree in Language and Communication as well as to specialise in areas of interest to them and their future profession. Students will complete three coursework modules and a research essay (Linguistics 701). The range of modules offered each year is subject to student interest and staff availability.
Entrance requirements: BA degree with either Linguistics, a language or Language and Communication Studies as a major. Normally, students should have attained an average of 68% in their third year.
The Honours modules include the following offerings. Students have to choose three:
Entrance requirements: BA degree with either Linguistics, a language or Language and Communication Studies as a major. Normally, students should have attained an average of 68% in their third year.
The Honours modules include the following offerings. Students have to choose three:
| CODE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| LIN 731 | Business and Organisational Communication (1st semester) Participants will develop practical skills and knowledge of concepts and principles of effective business and organisational communication. They will gain an understanding of attitudes, policies, strategies, and processes required in an increasingly business-minded world, as well as the multimodal/multisemiotic design features of business documentation, promotional material, and advertisements. Topics covered will include:
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| LIN 732 | Inter- and Cross-cultural Communication (2nd semester) This module examines issues involved in communicating in contexts of cultural diversity. It includes an investigation of the nature of the communicative process, the competencies required to communicate, and a detailed analysis of the nature of communicating across cultures in a multicultural society. Topics investigated include:
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| LIN 735 | Multilingualism (Cognitive, Societal and Educational Aspects) (1st semester) This module aims to foster an understanding of multilingualism in contexts of the individual, society, the built-environment as well as in education. It examines the cognitive and other effects of multilingualism on the individual as well as the main theoretical issues relevant to multilingual societies. In addition, the module analyses typologies, policy frameworks and practices, as well as technologies associated with multilingual education – all of these against the backdrop of new meanings of multilingualism and evolving conceptions of the nexus of language and education in multilingual environments. Topics covered include:
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| LIN 737 | Formal Language Studies (1st semester) On completion of this module, students should be able to:
Topics covered in this module include: The basic tenets of Generative Grammar:
The key elements of the P&P Theory:
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| LIN 741 | Critical Media Studies (2nd semester) This module introduces students to ways in which critical media communication is structured, produced, and interpreted. It looks at how information is transferred in newspapers, journals and magazines, radio and television, as well as new media platforms such as the internet and social media. The devices and methods of persuasion used by journalists will be critically analysed. News texts from current publications will be chosen for specialised, in-depth analysis. Topics covered in this module include:
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| LIN 744 | Discourse Analysis (2nd semester) On completion of this module, students should be able to:
Topics covered in this module include:
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Students may choose to do either a full master’s dissertation or a structured master’s programme which includes three coursework modules (first year) and a research component or mini-dissertation (second year). The master’s students sit in on the Honours modules offered in the Department (for which they may complete additional assessment tasks).
Students write a full research thesis on a topic within any field of study for which there is expertise within the Department. Students wishing to register for these postgraduate programmes should apply to the Faculty of Arts, UWC, as well as contact the Linguistics Department’s Chairperson.
