Admission and Unit Information - Master of Arts
Admission
Applicants must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree or postgraduate qualification in any discipline.
Applications from Australian citizens and holders of permanent resident visas must be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).
Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local and International applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to UWS should also use the information provided on the UAC website.
International applicants must apply directly to the University of Western Sydney via the UWS International office.
International students applying to UWS through UWS International can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UWS International website.
http://www.uws.edu.au/international
Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and UWS.
Course Structure
Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 80 credit points which include the units listed below. Students may exit with a Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate on completion of the relevant units.
This unit provides students with a linguistics background, including English grammar, necessary to excel in English language teaching and assessment. Encompassing the areas of syntax, semantics, morphology, phonology and phonetics, the unit equips students with the technical vocabulary of linguistics and pedagogical grammar as well as the analytical skills necessary to identify and describe both the English language and patterns of performance by second and bilingual language learners. These foundational skills prepare students for success in language teaching, assessment and second language research.
Second Language Assessment and Testing
This unit introduces students to fields of language assessment and testing in TESOL. It provides students with some insight into the key language components for assessment, assessment design and development. It also equips students with updated knowledge about different assessment approaches which impact on the teaching and learning of English as a second or other language in local and global contexts.
TESOL Methodology and Curricula
Focusing on the process of teaching English as a second or other language, the unit provides students with knowledge about approaches to teaching necessary to plan, design and evaluate curricula most appropriate to the needs of different learners. Students will develop skills in action research to facilitate critical evaluation of their teaching practices as independent professionals.
This is a professional practice unit which consists of an internship in an English language teaching organisation for students of TESOL. It involves participation in the various aspects of the work of the teaching organisation, including a supervised English language teaching practice component for local students. Assessment items facilitate students' self-reflection on their teaching practice and critical evaluation of teaching methods and needs assessment in practice.
Language and Linguistics Research Methods
This unit aims to help postgraduate students acquire the knowledge and skills to design and carry out a research project in the field of Languages and Linguistics (I.e. Contrastive Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Language-in-Education Planning, First and Second Language Acquisition, Interpreting and Translation, Discourse Analysis and Descriptive Linguistics). It includes theoretical and practical work in specific areas of research in Languages and Linguistics.
Investigating Second Language Acquisition
This is unit is intended for Linguistics Honours students as well as TESOL and Interpreting and Translation Postgraduate students aiming to provide a focused theoretical and research framework in the area of second language acquisition (SLA) from a psycholinguistic viewpoint. This unit widens the theoretical and methodological basis of students intending to undertake further studies and/or research in the Linguistics and SLA area and also serves the TESOL and languages teachers interested in applying SLA-based knowledge to language learning, pedagogy and classroom research.
Exit Awards
Click here for information about the exit awards
