English Linguistics and Language Acquisition - Master's Programme

Applicants should hold a B.A. or an equivalent degree in English or Linguistics with a sufficient background in topics related to English language or linguistics. Only candidates with a minimum of 20 ECTS in English language/linguistics courses will be considered for acceptance. International applicants are evaluated based on their background, including their grades and the suitability of previous studies, including their background in theoretical linguistics.

Successful applicants to the Master's programme must meet the minimum average grade requirement for admission, which is the grade C by the Norwegian grading scale, or equivalent approved minimum grade.

Officially certified copies of all educational certificates, including transcripts and diplomas from secondary school and university education, must be submitted. An English proficiency test must be included. Applicants must pass either the TOEFL with a minimum score of 600/90 points on the paper based/internet based test, or the IELTS with a minimum band score of 6.5. Citizens of Ireland, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not have to submit TOEFL/IELTS test results. This is also the case for applicants who have spent at least one year in any of these countries, attending higher secondary school or university. Applicants from African countries with a B.A./B.Sc./B.Eng. degree where the language of instruction has been English and those who have passed English as a subject at GCE A-level with grade C or better are also exempted. Applicants with a university degree in English language (B.A. in English) are also exempted from the English language proficiency test requirement. Please be aware that applicants from Asian countries (for example Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam) with a B.A./ B.Sc./ B.Eng. degree where the language of instruction has been English are not exempted from the English language requirements, except for candidates holding a B.A. degree in English.

Examination forms include:

• regular school exams (4 hour written examination without aids),
• home exams (5-7 days examination with access to all course materials),
• term papers,
• a supervised thesis of 30,000 words on a self-chosen topic,
• a 30-minute oral examination of the thesis.

English Linguistics and Language Acquisition is an international master's (M.Phil.) programme which provides successful applicants with the opportunity to specialise within the fields of, language acquisition, language processing and cognition and English language and linguistics. The programme is linked to one of the priority research areas at the Department of Modern Foreign Languages: Language and Cognition.

The programme of study consists of two academic years of full-time study, divided in four semesters, awarding a total of 120 ECTS Credits. The first year of study consists of courses/modules, whereas the second year is devoted to work with the master's thesis. Courses within the programme cover topics such as First and Second Language Acquisition, Theories and Methods in Linguistics, Cognitive and Theoretical Aspects of Language and Translation as well as other topics within English linguistics.

The candidates

• are able, using English, to apply an array of precise theoretical linguistic concepts in approaching and analysing a variety of different questions,
• are able to communicate in English, both orally and in writing, in formal and academic contexts using forms appropriate to the subject area,
• are able to identify relevant topics and questions within the subject area,
• know how to identify and locate source materials within the subject area, and are able to make critical use of these.

The candidates

• are familiar with theoretical concepts and frameworks, and methods involved in the study of language acquisition, language and cognition, language processing and English linguistics,
• are acquainted with central questions and past and current debates in the subject area, and can compare, contrast and evaluate different approaches,
• have acquired in-depth specialist knowledge from the writing of their master's thesis on a self-chosen topic within the fields of language acquisition, language processing, language and cognition and/or English language and linguistics.

Overlapping courses

SPRÅK3001 Research Methods in Linguistics (7.5 ECTS credits) and SPRÅK3002 Theories in Linguistics (7.5 ECTS credits) overlap with SPRÅK3000 Theories and Methods in Linguistics (15 ECTS credits). Students who have previously passed the exam in SPRÅK3000, will not receive credit for passing the exams in SPRÅK3001 and/or SPRÅK3002. SPRÅK3200 Semantics and Pragmatics (7.5 ECTS credits) overlaps with ENG3510 Topics in Semantics. Students who have previously passed the exam in ENG3510, will therefore not receive credit for passing the exam in SPRÅK3200.

SPRÅK3210 Linguistic Theory and Comparative Grammar (7.5 ECTS credits) and SPRÅK3300 Language and Cognition (7.5 ECTS credits) each overlap with ENG3122 Cognitive and Theoretical Aspects of Language (15 ECTS credits). Students who have previously passed the exam in ENG3122 will therefore not receive credit for passing the exams in SPRÅK3210 and SPRÅK3300.

Students who have previously passed the exam in ENG3123 Translation (7.5 ECTS credits) may include this course in their M.Phil degree instead of SPRÅL3800 Unspecified Topic/Independent Study.

The topics normally offered in the programme include advanced topics in modern English syntax, semantics and pragmatics, studies of the lexicon, first language acquisition and second language acquisition studies, language processing and neurolinguistic approaches.​

M.Phil students should take the following courses:

First Year

First semester (autumn)

• SPRÅK3001 Research Methods in Linguistics (7.5 ECTS)
• SPRÅK3002 Theories in Linguistics (7.5 ECTS)
• SPRÅK3200 Semantics and Pragmatics (7.5 ECTS)
• ENG2153 First and Second Language Acquisition (7.5 ECTS)

Second semester (spring)

• SPRÅK3210 Linguistic Theory and Comparative Grammar (7.5 ECTS)
• SPRÅK3300 Language and Cognition (7.5 ECTS)
• ENG3110 Special Subject in English Language (7.5 ECTS)
• Experts in Teamwork (7.5 ECTS)

Second Year

​Third semester (autumn) og fourth semester (spring)

• ​ENG3920 Master's Thesis in English Linguistics and Language Acquisition (60 ECTS)

Students who wish to include other courses offered by the department should contact the department for further information regarding the possibilities for an individual curriculum.

More information about Experts in Teamwork

Experts in Teamwork (EiT) is a master’s degree course in which students develop their interdisciplinary teamwork skills. The course is compulsory for all students in master’s programmes and programmes of professional study at NTNU. The course is offered in the second semester (spring semester) of the first year.

Students are divided into "villages" (classes of 25-30 students) in which each student team works together on a self-defined project, within the overall theme of the village. Several villages use English as their working language. The timetable provides for work with EiT from 08:00 to 16:00 each village day, and students must be present (compulsory attendance).

There are four types of villages: intensive, semester-based, virtual intensive and virtual semester-based. Teaching in intensive villages takes place from Monday to Friday for three weeks in January. This also applies to the virtual intensive villages.

Teaching in semester-based villages are held every Wednesday during the semester.

In virtual semester-based villages the working hours are more flexible and there is mandatory online attendance for the students equivalent to 8 hours a week. This includes:

• The village meetings every Wednesday
• Weekly group meetings. Each team has a certain flexibility to schedule their meeting time every week
• Individual work between village meetings and group meetings

For more information, see the website of Experts in Team: https://www.ntnu.edu/eit

More information about the Master's thesis

In their second semester in the programme, students should choose a topic for their Master's thesis. A supervisor will be appointed for each student based on his or her choice of topic. By the end of the second semester, students have to submit a project proposal for their Master's thesis. The project proposal must be approved by the department.

The department offers supervision in a range of areas including the syntax/semantics of modern English, first and second language acquisition, language processing and neurolinguistic topics.​

Non-EU/non-EEA students: 1 December

EU/EEA students: 1 March

Norwegian/Nordic students: 15 April

Overlapping courses

SPRÅK3001 Research Methods in Linguistics (7.5 ECTS credits) and SPRÅK3002 Theories in Linguistics (7.5 ECTS credits) overlap with SPRÅK3000 Theories and Methods in Linguistics (15 ECTS credits). Students who have previously passed the exam in SPRÅK3000, will not receive credit for passing the exams in SPRÅK3001 and/or SPRÅK3002. SPRÅK3200 Semantics and Pragmatics (7.5 ECTS credits) overlaps with ENG3510 Topics in Semantics. Students who have previously passed the exam in ENG3510, will therefore not receive credit for passing the exam in SPRÅK3200.

SPRÅK3210 Linguistic Theory and Comparative Grammar (7.5 ECTS credits) and SPRÅK3300 Language and Cognition (7.5 ECTS credits) each overlap with ENG3122 Cognitive and Theoretical Aspects of Language (15 ECTS credits). Students who have previously passed the exam in ENG3122 will therefore not receive credit for passing the exams in SPRÅK3210 and SPRÅK3300.

Students who have previously passed the exam in ENG3123 Translation (7.5 ECTS credits) may include this course in their M.Phil degree instead of SPRÅL3800 Unspecified Topic/Independent Study.

This programme provides the basis for a career in public and private sector organisations where there is a demand for a high level of competence in the fields of English language and linguistics, language acquisition, or language and cognition, for example, expertise in how humans comprehend and use language in speech and writing.

The programme also provides the basis for further postgraduate education / doctoral research with a specialisation in language acquisition, language processing and/or English linguistics; or any career where analysis, development, text production and communication play an essential role.