Master of Arts in Foreign Language Studies
Program Introduction
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Duration of Study
The normal duration of this program is 2 years,and the maximum duration is 3 years.
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Teaching Approach
Face-to-face Teaching
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Teaching Language
English/Spanish/Portuguese/Chinese
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Academic Field
Linguistics
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Course Introduction
Major: English, Spanish, Portuguese
Study Plan
Table 1: Core Courses for All Three Majors (6 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
Research Methods for Linguistics | 3 |
Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
Table 2.1: Core Courses for English Major (12 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
Introduction to English Linguistics | 3 |
British and American history and culture | 3 |
Theories and Practices of Translation（English and Chinese） | 3 |
History of British and American Literature | 3 |
Table 2.2: Core Courses for Spanish Major (12 credits)
Course Title | Credits |
Introduction to Spanish Linguistics | 3 |
History and Culture of Spanish Speaking Countries | 3 |
Theories and Practices of Translation（Spanish and Chinese） | 3 |
History of Spanish Literature | 3 |
Table 2.3: Core Courses for Portuguese Major (12 credits)
Course Title | Credits |
Introduction to Portuguese Linguistics | 3 |
History and Culture of Portuguese speaking countries | 3 |
Theories and Practices of Translation（Portuguese and Chinese） | 3 |
History of Portuguese Literature | 3 |
Table 3.1: Elective courses for English Major (12 credits)
Course Title | Credits |
English Phonetics | 3 |
Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
English Applied Linguistics | 3 |
Brief Introduction of Britain and America | 3 |
English for Media and Press | 3 |
English Semantics | 3 |
Language Testing and Assessment | 3 |
Teaching Chinese as a Second Language | 3 |
Table 3.2: Elective courses for Spanish Major (12 credits)
Course Title | Credits |
Spanish Phonetics | 3 |
Teaching Spanish as a Second Language | 3 |
Spanish Applied Linguistics | 3 |
Brief Introduction of Spanish Speaking Countries | 3 |
Spanish for Media and Press | 3 |
Spanish Semantics | 3 |
Language Testing and Assessment | 3 |
Teaching Chinese as a Second Language | 3 |
Table 3.3: Elective courses for Portuguese Major (12 credits)
Course Title | Credits |
Portuguese Phonetics | 3 |
Teaching Portuguese as a Second Language | 3 |
Portuguese Applied Linguistics | 3 |
Brief Introduction of Portuguese Speaking Countries | 3 |
Portuguese for Media and Press | 3 |
Portuguese Semantics | 3 |
Language Testing and Assessment | 3 |
Teaching Chinese as a Second Language | 3 |
Table 4: Others (6 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
Academic Activities | 6 |
Table 5: Thesis (10 Credits)
Course Title | Credits |
Thesis | 10 |
Course Description
Core Courses
Research Methods for Linguistics (3 credits)
This course introduces the methods of qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis in linguistic research, the methods of collecting and analysing language data and the statistical methods related to linguistics. Lecture is the major method of instruction, supplemented with after-class discussions and presentations.
Second Language Acquisition (3 credits)
This course introduces the theoretical framework of second language acquisition, the important research schools and achievements of second language acquisition, assesses the advantages and disadvantages of the theories, and introduces their influences and inspiration on teaching English as a second language. Lecture is the major method of instruction, supplemented with after-class discussions and presentations.
Academic Activities (6 credits)
This course is a practical course. Students are required to attend at least three academic conferences and deliver a presentation to summarise the learning progress and outcomes. Relevant academic fields may include language teaching and learning, linguistics, culture studies, translation studies and others.
English Major
Introduction to English Linguistics (3 credits)
This course introduces four parts. The first part introduces language and linguistics in general; the second part introduces the key branches of linguistics, including phonetics, phonemes, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics studies; the third part is interdisciplinary fields and applications, including discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, linguistic theory, and foreign language teaching.
British and American History and Culture (3 credits)
This course introduces the geography, history, social culture, and politics of English-speaking countries, and explains the foundation and development process of the traditional and core values of English-speaking countries.
Theories and Practices of Translation (English and Chinese) (3 credits)
This course introduces translation theory. Topics include lexical semantics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, meaning structure in texts, translators as cross-cultural intermediaries, translation quality, fidelity and creativity, and the key concepts and tools involved in academic reading and writing for graduate students.
History of British and American Literature (3 credits)
This course combines literature with social history, analyses the significance of the interaction between works and the times, and then highlights the style and humanistic value of each writer. It has a comprehensive understanding of the overall English literature, and it is helpful for future studies of the entire literature. In addition to emphasising the development of literary history, it focuses on the introduction of works. This course provides explanations of cultural and social history development, leads students to study works, and provides insights from various critics to deepen the understanding of works and authors.
Spanish Major
Introduction to Spanish Linguistics (3 credits)
This course introduces four parts. The first part introduces language and linguistics in general; the second part introduces the key branches of linguistics, including phonetics, phonemes, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics studies; the third part is interdisciplinary fields and applications, including discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, linguistic theory, and foreign language teaching.
History and Culture of Spanish Speaking Countries (3 credits)
This course introduces the geography, history, social culture, and politics of Spanish-speaking countries, and explains the foundation and development process of the traditional and core values of Spanish-speaking countries.
Theories and Practices of Translation (Spanish and Chinese) (3 credits)
This course introduces translation theory. Topics include lexical semantics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, meaning structure in texts, translators as cross-cultural intermediaries, translation quality, fidelity and creativity, and the key concepts and tools involved in academic reading and writing for graduate students.
History of Spanish Literature (3 credits)
This course combines literature with social history, analyses the significance of the interaction between works and the times, and then highlights the style and humanistic value of each writer. It has a comprehensive understanding of the overall Spanish literature, and it is helpful for future studies of the entire literature. In addition to emphasising the development of literary history, it focuses on the introduction of works. This course provides explanations of cultural and social history development, leads students to study works, and provides insights from various critics to deepen the understanding of works and authors.
Portuguese Major
Introduction to Portuguese Linguistics (3 credits)
This course introduces four parts. The first part introduces language and linguistics in general; the second part introduces the key branches of linguistics, including phonetics, phonemes, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics studies; the third part is interdisciplinary fields and applications, including discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, linguistic theory, and foreign language teaching.
History and Culture of Portuguese Speaking Countries (3 credits)
This course introduces the geography, history, social culture, and politics of Portuguese-speaking countries, and explains the foundation and development process of the traditional and core values of Portuguese-speaking countries.
Theories and Practices of Translation（Portuguese and Chinese）(3 credits)
This course introduces translation theory. Topics include lexical semantics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, meaning structure in texts, translators as cross-cultural intermediaries, translation quality, fidelity and creativity, and the key concepts and tools involved in academic reading and writing for graduate students.
History of Portuguese Literature (3 credits)
This course combines literature with social history, analyses the significance of the interaction between works and the times, and then highlights the style and humanistic value of each writer. It has a comprehensive understanding of the overall Portuguese literature, and it is helpful for future studies of the entire literature. In addition to emphasising the development of literary history, it focuses on the introduction of works. This course provides explanations of cultural and social history development, leads students to study works, and provides insights from various critics to deepen the understanding of works and authors.
Elective Courses
Language Testing and Assessment (3 credits)
This course introduces the key principles and their application on language testing and assessment. It helps students to understand the constructive alignment between assessment and curriculum and the concept of validity and reliability. It also describes and discusses with students the appropriate techniques for the evaluation of language tests.
Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (3 credits)
This course introduces the key topics of teaching Chinese as a foreign language. It includes theoretical viewpoints of second language teaching, schools of teaching methods and their origins, the leading textbook and its analysis, and the theory and application of Chinese as a second language testing. It helps students to understand the overall situation of teaching Chinese as a foreign language and the research progress of various aspects of the subject. This course is mainly conducted in lectures, supplemented by classroom observation, and multiple student exercises.
English Major
English Phonetics (3 credits)
This course introduces the research and practical results of the research on speech sound, such as how to pronounce, how the sound is transmitted, how to perceive the sound, and all the phenomena related to phonetics are within the scope of research.
Teaching English as a Second Language (3 credits)
The course introduces the teaching methods often used by language teaching experts, such as grammar translation method, direct teaching method, listening and speaking teaching method, tacit method, body response method, communicative method, content-oriented, task-oriented and participatory teaching concept, learning strategy training, and cooperative learning, etc. It also analyses the theoretical development background and employs classroom examples to illustrate the principles and teaching techniques of each method.
English Applied Linguistics (3 credits)
This course helps students to have a deep understanding of topics related to applied linguistics and language teaching, as well as a solid knowledge of research methods in the fields of social sciences, linguistics and language teaching. Students will be able to combine theoretical and empirical research, as well as design, complete and present their own research in oral and written form.
Brief Introduction of Britain and America (3 credits)
This course introduces the knowledge of English literature and social culture history and provides students with training in research methods. Key topics include race, gender and identity, civil liberties, cities, landscape and environment, popular culture, and comparison of cultural differences between various English-speaking countries.
English for Media and Press (3 credits)
This course is designed to guide students to understand the various characteristics of news in English, including the structural features of news headlines, the metaphorical usage of headlines in news reports, the usage of idioms, and the abbreviated expressions of words. In the course, the reports of newspapers and magazines are quoted repeatedly, in order to improve students’ ability to read newspapers in English and journals on their own. At the same time, this course is also held in the language classroom to train students’ ability to understand news reports.
English Semantics (3 credits)
The course is aims to introduce the key contemporary semantics and pragmatics theories, including linguistics, sociology, and psychology related to the study on semantics and pragmatics, and other related theories as word meanings, themes of sentence meanings, and metaphor, etc.
Spanish Major
Spanish Phonetics (3 credits)
This course introduces the research and practical results of the research on speech sound, such as how to pronounce, how the sound is transmitted, how to perceive the sound, and all the phenomena related to phonetics are within the scope of research.
Methodologies of Teaching Spanish as a Second Language (3 credits)
The course introduces the teaching methods often used by language teaching experts, such as grammar translation method, direct teaching method, listening and speaking teaching method, tacit method, body response method, communicative method, content-oriented, task-oriented and participatory teaching concept, learning strategy training, cooperative learning, etc. It also involves the analysis of the theoretical development background and employs classroom examples to illustrate the principles and teaching techniques of each method.
Spanish Applied Linguistics (3 credits)
This course helps students to have a deep understanding of topics related to applied linguistics and language teaching, as well as a solid knowledge of research methods in the fields of social sciences, linguistics and language teaching. Students will be able to combine theoretical and empirical research, as well as design, complete and present their own research in oral and written form.
Brief Introduction of Spanish Speaking Countries (3 credits)
This course introduces the knowledge of Spanish national literature and social culture history and provides students with training in research methods. Key topics include race, gender and identity, civil liberties, cities, landscape and environment, popular culture and comparison of cultural differences among various Spanish-speaking countries.
Spanish for Media and Press (3 credits)
This course aims to guide the students to understand the various characteristics of news in Spanish, including the structural features of news headlines, the metaphorical usage of headlines in news reports, the usage of idioms, and the abbreviated expressions of words. The reports of newspapers and magazines are quoted repeatedly to improve the students’ independent ability to read newspapers in Spanish and journals. At the same time, this course is also held in the language classroom to develop the students’ listening and speaking ability to understand news reports.
Spanish Semantics (3 credits)
This course aims to introduce the key contemporary semantics and pragmatics theories, including linguistics, sociology and psychology related to the study on semantics and pragmatics, and other related theories as word meanings, themes of sentence meanings, and metaphor, etc.
Portuguese Major
Portuguese Phonetics (3 credits)
This course introduces the research and practical results of the research on speech sound, such as how to pronounce, how the sound is transmitted, how to perceive the sound, and all the phenomena related to phonetics are within the scope of research.
Methodologies of Teaching Portuguese as a Second Language (3 credits)
The course introduces the teaching methods often used by language teaching experts, such as grammar translation method, direct teaching method, listening and speaking teaching method, tacit method, body response method, communicative method, content-oriented, task-oriented and participatory teaching concept, learning strategy training, cooperative learning, etc. It also involves the analysis of the theoretical development background and uses classroom examples to illustrate the principles and teaching techniques of each method.
Portuguese Applied Linguistics (3 credits)
This course helps students to have a deep understanding of topics related to applied linguistics about Portuguese language, as well as a solid knowledge of research methods in the fields of social sciences, linguistics and language teaching. Students will be able to combine theoretical and empirical research, as well as design, complete and present their own research in oral and written form.
Brief Introduction of Portuguese Speaking Countries (3 credits)
This course introduces the knowledge of Portuguese-speaking countries’ literature and social culture history and provides students with training in research methods. Key topics include race, gender and identity, civil liberties, cities, landscape and environment, popular culture, and comparison of cultural differences among various Portuguese-speaking countries.
Portuguese for Media and Press (3 credits)
This course aims to guide students to understand the various characteristics of news in Portuguese, including the structural features of news headlines, the metaphorical usage of headlines in news reports, the usage of idioms, and the abbreviated expressions of words. The reports of newspapers and magazines are quoted repeatedly to improve the students’ independent ability to read newspapers in Portuguese and journals. At the same time, this course is also held in the language classroom to develop the students’ listening and speaking ability to understand news reports.
Portuguese Semantics (3 credits)
This course aims to introduce the key contemporary semantics and pragmatics theories, including linguistics, sociology, and psychology related to the study on semantics and pragmatics, and other related theories as word meanings, themes of sentence meanings, and metaphor, etc.
Thesis
Thesis (10 credits)
A thesis of no less than 20,000 words in foreign language is required for the degree. The thesis should be finished within 6 months. Thesis topics can be related to theories on foreign language pedagogy, second language acquisition, foreign language teaching skills, comparison of Chinese and western cultures, cross-cultural communication, and language testing, etc. Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies should be applied; and the thesis should entail both academic and practical values.
Degree Requirements
1. Students are required to complete two core courses in Table 1, four core courses under specific major in Table 2, four elective courses under specific major in Table 3 during the first 3 semesters to gain 30 credits. 2. Students are required to complete three academic activities in Table 4 during the first 3 semesters to gain 6 credits. 3. Students are required to complete an original research master’s thesis and pass the thesis oral defense. 4. The thesis must be written in one of the three languages: English, Portuguese or Spanish.
Learning Time
The duration for taking all courses is 18 months and the duration for thesis writing is 6 months.
Qualifications of Graduation
Upon approval from the Senate of the University, a Master’s Degree will be conferred on a student when he or she has: 1. Completed and met the requirements prescribed in the study plan of his or her program within the specific study period, and achieved a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or above (excluding thesis) 2. Abided by the regulations of the University 3. Cleared all fees and charges and returned all University’s property and equipment borrowed If students pass all courses required in Table 1 to 4 above with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above, but fail to submit or pass the final thesis oral defense during the specified period, he/she can only get a completion certificate. *Students, admitted before the academic year 2018/2019, please refer to the regulations of their admission year. Note: All curriculums and study plans are based on the newest announcement of the Boletim Oficial da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau. Note: In case of any discrepancy, the Chinese version shall prevail.
