The MA in Languages and Cultures may be taken full-time over 12 months or part-time over 24 months from the date of first registration for the programme.

Applicants should normally have at least an honours primary degree or equivalent at a second class honours grade one in French, German, Italian or Hispanic Studies/Spanish. Candidates with language or linguistics degrees at second class honours grade one completed through the medium of French, German, Italian or Spanish may also be considered following a review of their individual qualifications by the course committee. Candidates who hold a second class honours grade two may also be considered, based on the information provided in a supplementary statement and/or interview acceptable to the programme selection committee. Applicants may be required to present themselves for interview or further assessment before a final decision is made. Graduates who do not meet the above entry requirements may also be considered if they are deemed to have reached equivalent experiential learning (including proficiency in language and intercultural skills from other sources). Such applications will be considered subject to approval by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Science.

Note: While there will be one point of entry for all students, the award title on the student transcript will be determined by the chosen language of the dissertation module. The award title for students choosing to do the Language and Cultures Dissertation in either French, German, Italian or Spanish will be: MA in Languages and Cultures (French or German or Italian or Spanish). Students opting to do the non-language specific dissertation module will be awarded the MA in Languages and Cultures.

Students take 90 credits as follows:

Part 1
LL6007 Research Journal and Presentation Skills (5 credits)
LL6008 Mobility, Plurilingualism and Intercultural Communication in a Globalized World (10 credits)
LL6901 Research Methods (5 credits)

Plus 40 credits from the following groups of modules:

Languages and Cultures
AS6000 Transcultural Asia: Past, Present and Future (10 credits)
LL6016 Mediterranean Cultures: Encounters (10 credits)
LL6018 Contemporary Translation Theory and Practice (10 credits)
LL6024 Conflict, memory and nation building in the Francophone world (10 credits)
LL6037 Migration and Culture (10 credits)
LL6038 Metropolis, Mobility and Minorities (10 credits)

Language Skills and Employability (students may take on a new language, but may not take more than 10 credits of a language at Beginner Level)

AS1501 Japanese language Level 1 (10 credits)
AS1601 Korean Language Level 1 (10 credits)
CH1001 Chinese Language (Mandarin) I (10 credits)
DH6004 Conceptual Introduction to Digital Arts and Humanities (5 credits)
DH6010 Humanities and New Technologies: Tools and Methodologies (5 credits)
FR1101 Foundation Course in Written and Oral French (10 credits)
FR2101 Advanced French Language (10 credits)
FR4101 Advanced Use of French (10 credits)
FR6501 Translation Theory, Methodology and Practice: Advanced Professional Translation Project Management (15 credits)
FR6502 Interpreting (Simultaneous and Consecutive): Theory, Methodology and Practice of Simultaneous and Consecutive Interpreting and of Terminology (10 credits)
FR6701 French for Reading Purposes: Proficiency Level (5 credits)
FR6702 Advanced French Intercultural Communications (5 credits)
GE1101 German Integrated Written and Oral Language Course (10 credits)
GE1103 German Integrated Written and Oral Language Course for Beginners (10 credits)
GE2101 German Integrated Language Course (10 credits)
GE3101 German Advanced Integrated Language Course (10 credits)
GE6005 Translation Project (German) (5 credits)
GE6009 Intercultural Communication: Theory and Practice (10 credits)
HS1102 First Year Spanish Language for Non-Beginners (10 credits)
HS1103 Spanish Language (Beginner Level) (10 credits)
HS2101 Second Year Spanish Language (ex-beginners) (10 credits)
HS2102 Second Year Spanish Language (ex-non beginners) (10 credits)
HS3001 Final Year Spanish Language (10 credits)
HS6003 Advanced Translation Skills (10 credits)
HS6006 Advanced Spanish Language for Professional Purposes (10 credits)
HS6014 Gramática para ELE: Teaching Spanish Grammar in the Second Language Classroom (10 credits)
HS6017 Intensive Catalan Language and Culture (10 credits)
HS6018 Intensive Galician Language and Culture (10 credits)
HS6019 Intensive Portuguese Language and Culture (10 credits)
IT1101 Introduction to Written and Spoken Italian (10 credits)
IT1102 Non-Beginners' Written and Spoken Italian (10 credits)
IT1109 Introduction to Written and Spoken Italian (10 credits)
IT1110 Italian Language (Beginner Level) (5 credits, P1 only)
IT1120 Italian Language (Beginner Level) (5 credits, P2 only)
IT2101 Intermediate Italian Language (10 credits)
IT2103 Lower-Intermediate Italian Language (B1) (5 credits, P1 only)
IT2104 Upper-Intermediate Italian Language (B2) (5 credits, P2 only)
IT3101 Advanced Italian Language (10 credits)
IT6101 Translation: Methods and Practice (10 credits)
IT6104 Teaching of Italian as a second language 1 (10 credits)
IT6110 Advanced Italian Language Practice (5 credits)
IT6120 Contextualised Language Use in Italian (10 credits)
IT6301 Italian Cultural Awareness (5 credits)
LL6012 Research Project (5 credits)
LL6017 Work Placement and Portfolio (10 credits)
LL6023 What Gets Lost: Poetry and Translation (10 credits)

Part II
LL6006 Dissertation in Languages and Cultures (30 credits)

Part-time
Students registered on the MA in Languages and Cultures part-time take as follows:
A minimum of 45 credits of taught modules (which must include LL6008 and LL6901) in year 1 and 45 credits in year 2 including LL6006 Languages and Cultures Dissertation (30 credits) and 15 credits from the list of optional modules.

Postgraduate Diploma in Languages and Cultures (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
Students who pass taught modules to the value of at least 60 credits may opt to exit the programme and be conferred with a Postgraduate Diploma in Languages and Cultures.

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2020/2021 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2020/2021.

Programme Learning Outcomes for MA in Languages and Cultures (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Evaluate a broad range of primary and secondary sources related to contemporary languages practice in the widest context;
• Apply a range of interdisciplinary appropriate methodologies required for undertaking research in the respective language area;
• Demonstrate critical understanding of a range of topics and academic approaches in the areas of language policy/education, cultural theory;
• Contribute to existing critical, theoretical and methodological debates within a specified field of study;
• Plan and conduct research at the appropriate level for a masters qualification;
• Present their research in a dissertation supported by relevant secondary materials;
• Demonstrate through the dissertation advanced understanding of a selected topic in the field;
• Utilise advanced critical, theoretical, and methodological concepts in the presentation of their research;
• Work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multi-disciplinary settings together with the capacity to undertake lifelong learning.
  

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Languages and Cultures (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate critical understanding of a range of topics and academic approaches in the areas of language policy/education, cultural theory;
• Evaluate a broad range of primary and secondary sources related to contemporary languages practice in the widest context;
• Write short critical essays to a professional standard;
• Deploy relevant transferable skills including communication skills, presentation skills;
• Interact and communicate with other students in an inter-disciplinary setting.