University of Malaya (UM)

Overview of Master of Arts (Linguistics) in University of Malaya (UM) Malaysia

This programme focuses on knowledge and research skills related to language structure and use through the variety of courses offered and the dissertation.

SUBJECTS

This Master’s programme consists of coursework and dissertation. The programme is offered in English and Bahasa Malaysia. Candidates need to complete three core courses (Research Methodology, Fundamentals of Linguistics & Approches to Linguistics), one programme elective course (Phonetics & Phonology, Lexis & Morphology, Syntax, Arabic Semantic Studies or Structure of Arabic Grammar) and one faculty elective course (e.g. Semiotics & Multimodality, Language for Specific Purposes, Translation Studies, Pragmatics, Language & Cognition, Critical Discourse Analysis, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Issues in Arabic Translations or Issues in Learning Arabic Language). The student will also have to submit a dissertation to be awarded the Master’s in Linguistics Degree.

CAREER PROSPECTS

Graduates from this programme can work, for example,

• in the media, advertising and publishing industry (e.g. script-writers, journalists, writers, editors, copywriters, proof-readers);
• in corporate communication;
• in the education industry (e.g. corporate trainers, language teachers, teacher educators, programme/curriculum developers, education managers/administrators at government and private schools and institutions, researchers and lecturers in higher education);
• as translators and interpreters;
• as language or linguistic consultants (e.g. linguistic and language-related fieldwork, researchers, analysing linguistic aspects of spoken and written texts).

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

1. A bachelor’s degree with a CGPA of not lower than 3.0 or equivalent in the field of English language or linguistics studies, or
2. A bachelor’s degree with a CGPA of not lower than 3.0 or equivalent in a non-language related field; and a minimum of one year’s work experience in a field related to studies in English language use or linguistics, or
3. A bachelor’s degree with a CGPA lower than 3.0 or equivalent; and a minimum of two years’ work experience in a field related to studies in English language use or linguistics, or
4. Other qualifications approved by the Senate from time to time

A non-Malaysian applicant whose degree is from a university or institution of higher learning where the medium of instruction for that degree is not the English Language and where the applicant wishes to follow a programme and/or write his dissertation in the English language shall be required :

• To obtain a score of 550 for a paper-based total, a score of 213 for a computer-based total or a score of 80 for an internet-based total for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); or
• To obtain a band of 6 for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)(ACADEMIC);