Master of Arts (M.A.) in Linguistics

The M.A. in Linguistics (TESOL Concentration) is offered only in a cohort (blended delivery) model to international students in a joint partnership with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

College: College of Liberal Arts
Department: Languages and Literature
Student Type: Graduate Semester
Degree: Master of Arts (M.A.)

Introduction

Linguistics, the scientific study of language, is a highly diverse field with many specializations relevant to today’s increasingly globalized educational and business environments. Benedictine’s Master of Arts (M.A.) in Linguistics enables students to develop an in-depth understanding of the nature of human language, and how it is used to communicate for different purposes in a variety of social, cultural and professional contexts. The M.A. in Linguistics program provides a thorough grounding in the basics of linguistics as a discipline with a TESOL concentration that provides students with skills in the application of linguistic theory.

Description

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Linguistics program will allow candidates to earn the M.A. in Linguistics with TESOL. The M.A. in Linguistics with TESOL concentration provides degree candidates with both practical and theoretical instruction in applied linguistics, including preparation for teaching English to speakers of other languages in a range of contexts.

Please note the following requirements:

Completed application form and application fee.
Official and sealed transcripts from ALL colleges in which you previously enrolled (foreign credit must be evaluated by Benedictine’s approved credential evaluators).
A one-page essay discussing your education and career goals.
An in-person or telephone interview with a representative of the department.
Two letters of recommendation: one that addresses your academic potential, and one that addresses your interpersonal skills and work ethic.
International students must fulfill the University’s TOEFL or IELTS requirements.
Note: a GRE is not required.

For further information on requirements and procedures for admission to this program, please email the program director at sday@ben.edu.

M.A. with TESOL Concentration (Vietnam Cohort)

Curriculum and Typical Course Sequence

32 credit hours: 7 content courses plus 4 scaffolded thesis preparation seminars (one per semester)

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
Semester 1 (each new cohort typically begins in July)
LING 5501	Introduction to Linguistics	4
LING 5597	Thesis Seminar 1: Introduction to Thesis Writing	1
LING 5520	Research Methods: TESOL	4
Semester 2
LING 5503	Methods and Materials for Teaching ESL ¹	4
LING 5598	Thesis Seminar 2: Thesis Proposal	1
Semester 3
LING 5502	Second Language Acquisition ¹	4
LING 5504	Assessment of ESL and Bilingual Students ¹	4
Semester 4
LING 5522	Issues in Second Language Writing ¹	4
LING 5523	English for Specific Purposes	4
LING 5599	Thesis Seminar 3: Thesis Research	1
Semesters 5-6
LING 6000	Thesis Seminar 4: Thesis Completion	1
LING 6001	MA Thesis Continuation	0
Total Hours		32

¹: Available only in Vietnam in partnership with USSH. Taught by USSH.

Program Delivery

Coursework and thesis completed within two years.
Offered in a cohort model.
Blended delivery.

LING 5501 Introduction to Linguistics. Provides an overview of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and discourse analysis, as well as an introduction to the history of linguistics, and psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic theory. For TESOL students,the course also addresses research in linguistics as it relates to educational theory and practice, specific to teaching and learning of English as a second language. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5502 Second Language Acquisition. (Formerly 302/502) Provides an introduction to second language learning and acquisition theories that can be applied in various language learning contexts, including ESL, EFL, and bilingualism. Explores the relationship between language development and the social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of children, and issues in second language learning in adults. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5503 Methods and Materials for Teaching ESL. (Formerly 503) Provides an overview of the historical development of language learning materials and methodology. Explores a range of current methods and materials which can facilitate second language learning for general or specific purposes, at beginning, intermediate and advanced levels and in different contexts. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5504 Assessment of ESL and Bilingual Students. (Formerly 504) Provides a general background in language and academic content assessment issues, opportunities to examine assessment instruments, and practical experience developing and using formal and informal assessment measures. Students critically select and analyze evaluation tools and techniques for measuring ESL students’ performance in academic settings. Addresses the relationship between TESOL and state-mandated standards and methods for assessing English Language Learners (ELLs). 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5505 Sociocultural Studies in ESL. (Formerly 305/505) Considers the impact of social, cultural, and political factors on second language learning and teaching in linguistically diverse communities. Examines ways in which the political and social context support language differences and affect literacy practices. Examines how factors such as ethnicity, gender, and social class affect language and literacy learning. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5506 World Englishes. (Formerly 506) Examines the uses of English in a variety of global and local contexts (colonialism and its legacy, English-medium education around the world, business, science, popular culture and social media). Addresses research that problematizes the notions of “native speaker” and “mother tongue” and explores their changing meaning in an increasingly globalized world. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5508 Style. (Formerly 508) Examines why some textual artifacts are valued over others, why some texts are perceived as more effective than others and how writers and speakers achieve particular rhetorical effects on their audiences. The course explores these questions through the lenses of a number of related sociolinguistic approaches including genre theory, semiotics and pragmatics. Students investigate how the words we choose to use, and the way we put them together in sentences and larger units of text combine to produce stylistic effects. Tools of stylistic analysis such as corpus analysis and systemic functional analysis will be introduced and used in the course. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5509 Literatures and Issues in Translation. (Formerly 509) Examines primary texts in both translated and native versions, and provides theoretical readings in translation, global studies, and social contexts. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5520 Research Methods: TESOL. (Formerly 520) Introduces and provides practice in a range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies applicable to TESOL. Approaches will include case study, ethnography, action research, discourse analysis, corpus-based research, as well as experimental and quasi-experimental and mixed method research design. Students will be introduced to some basic methods of statistical analysis. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5521 TESOL and the Adult Learner. (Formerly 521) Considers the impact of biological, psychological and socio-cultural factors on second language learning in adults. Addresses research on adult TESOL contexts in the US and abroad. Provides an overview of current teaching materials and methods for working with adult ESL learners. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5522 Issues in Second Language Writing. (Formerly 522) Provides an introduction to a dynamic and growing field of second language writing research. Addresses issues such as the teaching of writing to ESL students and using students’ writing to assess their mastery of course material. Explores cultural differences in how “good writing” is defined, which often cause problems for language-minority, immigrant and international students in English-speaking educational settings. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5523 English for Specific Purposes. (Formerly 523) Explores the different purposes to which the teaching of English may be put. Topics include the teaching of English for vocational, professional, or academic purposes, needs analysis and the development of curricula and materials for specific purposes. The course also considers how to address the needs of different stakeholders in designing and delivering courses. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5530 Research Methods Context Studies. (Formerly 530) Introduces and provides practice in a range of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies applicable to Linguistics/Context Studies. Students will be introduced to some basic methods of statistical analysis. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5535 Critical/Global Literary Theory. (Formerly 535) Examines the impact of globalization on literary and critical theory. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5537 Advanced Literary Studies in a Language Other than English. (Formerly 537) Advanced readings and critical analysis of texts in their linguistic and cultural context. (Cross-listed with a course in an appropriate language program, i.e. Spanish, Arabic, Chinese). 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5549 Language TA Lab. (Formerly 549) This lab provides students the opportunity to apply principles learned in the MA Linguistics to supervised classroom teaching. 1 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5596 MA Fieldwork. (Formerly 596) This course is designed for students who wish to carry out fieldwork associated with the preparation of the MA thesis. Students will negotiate research milestones and regular meetings with their supervisor. Department consent required. 1-4 semester credit hour/s. Course Repeatable. Maximum number of units allowed: 4.

Campus: LISLE

LING 5597 Thesis Seminar 1: Introduction to Thesis Writing. The first of a scaffolded series of seminars, introduces students to the purpose and structure of the thesis, and the nature of academic research and scholarly writing. Students must pass all four seminars to pass the Thesis. Recommended for international students. 1 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall Term)

LING 5598 Thesis Seminar 2: Thesis Proposal. The second of a scaffolded series of seminars, guides students through the process of developing a thesis proposal. Students must pass all four seminars to pass the Thesis. Recommended for international students. 1 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall Term)

LING 5599 Thesis Seminar 3: Thesis Research. The third of a scaffolded series of seminars, guides students through the process of conducting research for the thesis.Students must pass all four seminars to pass the Thesis. Recommended for international students. 1 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall Term)

LING 6000 Thesis Seminar 4: Thesis Completion. The fourth of a scaffolded series of seminars, guides students through the process of writing up research and editing the thesis. Students must pass all four seminars to pass the Thesis. Recommended for international students. 1 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Spring Term)

LING 6001 MA Thesis Continuation. (Formerly 598) Students who need additional hours to complete the Master’s Thesis may extend the time using this option (0 credits, registration fee). 0 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

LING 6599 MA Thesis. (Formerly 599) One-on-one work with a faculty supervisor, with the production of the Master’s Thesis as outcome. Where necessary: LING 6001 MA Thesis continuation may be taken. 4 semester credit hour/s.

Campus: LISLE

Faculty

Olga Lambert (2009), Ed.D.
Dean, College of Liberal Arts, Linguistics
Associate Professor, Languages and Literature
Ed.D. 2009, Harvard University
M.A. 2001, University of New Hampshire
B.A. 1999, Bates College

Scott Stillar (2024), Ph.D.
Languages and Literature; M.A. Linguistics
Assistant Professor, Languages and Literature
Ph.D. 2022, University of Wisconsin-Madison
M.A. TESOL, University of Nevada-Reno
B.A. Linguistics, University of Nevada-Reno

Students in the Master of Arts (M.A.) in Linguistics (TESOL Concentration) program will achieve the following student learning outcomes (SLO):

Student Learning Outcome 1: Demonstrate a coherent understanding of key theories and research findings in the discipline of linguistics and explain how they may be applied in the teaching and learning of English as a second or foreign language.
• University SLO: 1. Disciplinary Competence and Skills

Student Learning Outcome 2: Display a nuanced understanding of the cognitive and social nature of human language, its complexity, and its diversity.
• University SLO: 6. Global Awareness and Cultural Competence

Student Learning Outcome 3: Apply linguistic knowledge and skills to solve problems in teaching/learning language
• University SLO: 5. Analytical Skills

Student Learning Outcome 4: Demonstrate critical thinking through analysis of written and/or spoken language using the tools of applied linguistics
• University SLO: 2. Critical and Creative Thinking Skills

Student Learning Outcome 5: Demonstrate the ability to create new knowledge through research
• University SLO: 5. Analytical Skills

Student Learning Outcome 6: Present research findings in a coherent written, oral, or new media format
• University SLO: 3. Communication Skills

Academic Catalog

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Linguistics

Introduction

Description

M.A. with TESOL Concentration (Vietnam Cohort)

Curriculum and Typical Course Sequence

Program Delivery

Faculty

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