Master's Degree in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics

The University Master's Degree in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics (MALTA) is a joint master's degree from the Faculty of Letters that offers the necessary training for future researchers in various fields of theoretical and applied linguistics, as well as a high specialization for those who want a higher degree of academic training and updating in the professional applications of language and linguistics, with its more than 100 lines of research and through a flexible teaching offer structure taught by specialists of recognized national and international prestige.

The Master's Degree in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics has the following objectives:

• It provides a solid quality research training specialized in some of the most consolidated areas of theoretical and applied linguistic research.
• It enables the incorporation to research groups of public and private Universities, or to Research Centers.
• It provides the necessary training in scientific research methodology applied to the chosen field of Linguistics.
• It offers advanced training in knowledge of human language that may be of interest in different professional fields.
• It provides possibilities of consolidation and improvement of specific linguistic knowledge to all those professionals especially linked to the public use of language, such as communicators, intercultural mediators, negotiators, linguistic advisers, etc., in addition to educators.

Master's file

Justification

The Master's Degree in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics (MALTA) is a joint postgraduate degree from the Faculty of Letters that:

• It offers the graduate student the necessary initiation to train as future researchers in various fields of theoretical and applied linguistics, as well as a high specialization for those who want a higher degree of academic training and updating in professional applications of language and linguistics.
• It brings together the offer of Linguistics of the different Philologies of the Faculty of Letters at the postgraduate level, bringing together its main specialists with a proven track record and consolidated professional experience.
• It has more than 100 lines of research among its specialists from the perspective of 8 areas of knowledge and 14 research groups at the UMU.
• It presents a flexible structure that allows a personalized curricular design through its 84 optional credits offered, 9 compulsory and 12 of Master's Thesis.

The academic interest of the master's degree (MALTA) is especially evident in that it represents a continuity of linguistic studies at our University, given that the offer of Bachelor's Degrees does not contain any specific degree that covers this type of study. Only some Bachelor's degrees in the Humanities field offer subjects with linguistic content, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the case, and always referring to particular languages; subjects that must share degrees with specifically literary studies of different languages and cultures, without the possibility of exclusive projection of linguistic studies. In this sense, the offer of this master's degree would come to occupy an evident void, making it possible for students in whom a special interest in linguistic studies had begun to continue them at a level of specialization such as that proposed by MALTA.

The fact that the University Master's Degree in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics has been conceived as a research training master's degree, opens the possibility for PhD studies, opening a way for the training of research staff in the linguistic domain.

Competencies

The general objective of the Master is embodied in a series of degree competencies that students must achieve during their master's studies and that are required to grant the corresponding degree. These objectives therefore require specific basic, general and specific competences.

Basic skills

At least those listed in RD 1393/2007 (modified by 861/2010), which establishes the order of official university education on competencies to be achieved in master's studies, and those that appear will be guaranteed. in the Spanish Framework of Qualifications for Higher Education (MECES). The basic competencies of this study plan allow and guarantee that students:

• Possess and understand language and linguistic knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and / or application of ideas, often in a research context.
• That they know how to apply the acquired knowledge and their capacity to solve problems in new or little-known environments both in language and linguistics and within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
• That they be able to integrate linguistic knowledge and face the complexity of formulating judgments based on information that, being incomplete or limited, includes reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
• That they know how to communicate their conclusions - and the ultimate knowledge and reasons that support them - to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
• That they possess the learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a way that will have to be largely self-directed or autonomous.

General Competences

• Know the traditional and recent epistemological and methodological developments in theoretical and applied linguistics. Related to the basic competences CB1, CB3 and CB5.
• Know how to apply recent methodological knowledge to solving specific problems in the field of theoretical or applied linguistic research. Related to the basic competences CB1, CB2 and CB3.
• Demonstrate mastery in the use of documentary sources specific to linguistics.
• Know the basic procedures for the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. Related to the basic skills CB2 and CB3.
• Know the most advanced and recent techniques of linguistic analysis in the theoretical and applied field. Related to the basic competences CB2, CB3 and CB5.
• Understand the ethical dimension of language in its social use. Related to the basic skills CB2 and CB4.
• Critically appraise theories and empirical contributions in the different fields of linguistic knowledge. Related to basic CB5 proficiency
• Being able to isolate and critically evaluate the essential elements in research work in the field of linguistics. Related to the basic skills CB2 and CB3.

Relationship between basic skills and general skills of the degree

Specific Competences

• Adequately identify the research questions of synchronous and diachronic descriptive linguistics. CB3 core competency related
• Interdisciplinary relationship between linguistic knowledge and the progress of the different theoretical and applied sciences related to linguistics. Related to the basic competences CB1, CB2 and CB3.
• Apply the relevant analysis technique for the specific linguistic field studied. Related to the basic competences CB2, CB3 and CB5.
• Identify the correlations between social factors and linguistic factors through the Sociolinguistics methodology.
• Know the nature and functioning of the lexicon of natural languages. Related to basic CB3 competence.

Relationship between basic skills and specific skills of the degree

Graduation profile

The Study Plan of this Master's Degree takes into account that any professional activity must be carried out:

• From the respect to the fundamental rights and equality between men and women, should be included, in the curricula where appropriate, teachings related to said rights.
• From the respect and promotion of Human Rights and the principles of universal accessibility and design for all in accordance with the provisions of the tenth final provision of Law 51/2003, of December 2, on Equal opportunities, non-discrimination and accessibility universal of people with disabilities, and should include, in the curricula where appropriate, teachings related to these rights and principles.
• In accordance with the values of a culture of peace and democratic values, and should include, in the curricula where appropriate, teachings related to these values.

Based on the above, the Master's Degree in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics has the following objectives:

• Enable graduates of Bachelor's degrees in the field of Humanities to train as researchers in some of the most consolidated areas of linguistic research.
• Train researchers in the field of Linguistics to join existing research groups in the Faculty of Arts of the Universidad de Murcia , in the Faculties of Arts and / or Humanities of other public or private universities, or in Research Centers.
• Provide students with the appropriate specialization through solid knowledge, from a scientific perspective, that deepens and broadens previous linguistic knowledge, allowing them to carry out quality research
• Enable graduates of the Humanities Degrees, different degrees and different Study Plans, advanced training in knowledge of human language that may be of interest in different professional fields.
• Train students in research methodology applied to the chosen field of Linguistics
• To offer possibilities of consolidation and improvement of linguistic knowledge to all those professionals especially linked to the public use of language, such as communicators, intercultural mediators, negotiators, etc.

These objectives therefore require specific basic, general and specific competences. At least those listed in RD 1393/2007 (modified by 861/2010), which establishes the order of official university education on competencies to be achieved in master's studies, and those that appear will be guaranteed. in the Spanish Framework of Qualifications for Higher Education (MECES). The basic competencies of this study plan allow and guarantee that students:

• Possess and understand language and linguistic knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and / or application of ideas, often in a research context.
• That they know how to apply the acquired knowledge and their capacity to solve problems in new or little-known environments both in language and linguistics and within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
• That they be able to integrate linguistic knowledge and face the complexity of formulating judgments based on information that, being incomplete or limited, includes reflections on the social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
• That they know how to communicate their conclusions - and the ultimate knowledge and reasons that support them - to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
• That they possess the learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a way that will have to be largely self-directed or autonomous.