M.A. IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS

(Teaching English as a Foreign Language)

 

 

This second revision has added a vision and a mission to the program. It has aligned the number of credit hours with the requirements of the College of Arts and has also given more weight to exposure to English and contact with instructors.    

 

VISION

 

TO CONTRIBUTE TO ESTABLISHING LOCALIZED STANDARDS AND APPLICATIONS OF VARIOUS AREAS IN THE FIELD OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS (TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE).

 

MISSION

 

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE WILL DEVOTE ITS RESOURCES AND EXPERIENCE TO PREPARE EXPERTS IN VARIOUS AREAS OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS INCLUDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING/ LEARNING, SYLLYBUS DESIGN, MATERIAL PRODUCTION, LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT, AND LANGUAGE PLANNING IN THE CONTEXT OF SAUDI CONTEXT.

 

OBJECTIVES:

The program aims to offer appropriate training in Applied Linguistics with a focus on teaching English as a foreign language. The program will provide the student with the following:

·         A sound basis in Applied Linguistics (TEFL).

·         An understanding of the social and cultural aspects of foreign language teaching, particularly in an Arabic-speaking environment.

·         Knowledge of the theory and techniques of foreign language learning.

·         The ability to:

1. Teach EFL classes and supervise teaching EFL programs

2.      Design a course of study appropriate to local conditions.

3.      Evaluate, select, and adapt materials to local needs.

4.      Use sources and references and conduct research.

The teaching of various courses in the program is geared to equip students to teach and work in the local context. This is evident in aspects of application found in some courses and in the dissertations prepared by the students.

 

STAFF/ FACILITIES:

1.      Availability of expertise: the department staff includes one professor three associate professors and eight assistant professors.

2.      Interdepartmental cooperation: The College of Arts provides a favorable context for cooperation with the college departments and departments of other colleges.

3.      There are four language labs in Al-Hofuf.

4.      The University Library has holdings in this area and there is a need to develop them.

 

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

- The minimum requirement for admission is a Bachelor of Arts and Education (English major) from King Faisal University with at least a B in the major courses, an equivalent degree from another university with a B in major English courses.

- Candidates should obtain %70 in a proficiency test, and sit for a content examination based on courses related to EFL and Applied Linguistics (80% is required). For language proficiency applicants can take IELTS (6.6 general and at least 6 in writing) or Internet-based TOEFL (Total of 85 including a writing component - 65 out of 100 – for this component).

- Short-listed candidates will be interviewed by a departmental committee to demonstrate interest and some competence in research methodology.     

 

Students admitted to the M.A program must have completed the following undergraduate courses or their equivalents, subjects to the approval of the Department:

 

EDFL	0203254	Introduction to Language
EDFL	0203467	Language Testing
EDFL	0203364	Error and Contrastive Analysis
EDFL	0203363	Language Learning

 

As for students who have either not taken these courses or not received a grade of B or more in them, they will be required to complete them with a grade of B at least prior to the beginning of the M.A. course.

DURATION OF THE COURSE:

The M.A. course will last a minimum of two years a maximum of three years for full-time students, and a maximum of four years for part-time students.

 

Graduation requirements:

To graduate, the student will be required to maintain a grade point average of at least B (80%) and complete at least 30 credit hours.

·        14 credit hours (28 contact hours)for required (core) courses.

·         10 credit hours (30 contact hours) for elective (optional) courses.

·         06 credit hours for the thesis.

On the completion of all core courses, a comprehensive examination will be administered by three examiners representing different areas. The student will not be registered for the thesis before the successful completion of the comprehensive examination. Those who fail will be given one opportunity to resit the comprehensive examination.

 

METHODS OF EVALUATION:

The methods of evaluation will vary according to the nature of each course, e.g. final examination, research papers, demonstrations, oral presentations, and group projects, as shown at the end of each course description below.

 

COURSE  PLAN:

A table showing the distribution of courses according to semesters is given below.

 

1st Semester			Teaching hours
EDFL	0203600	Research Methods and Experimental Design	(2cred. 4 cont)
EDFL	0203601	Linguistics	(2cred. 4 cont)
EDFL	0203602	Applied Linguistics	(2cred. 4 cont)
			6 credit.

 

2nd  Semester			Teaching hours
EDFL	0203603	Methodology of TEFL	(2cred 4 cont )
EDFL	0203604	Curriculum Development and Syllabus Design	(2cred. 4 cont)
EDFL	6050305	Discourse and Classroom Interaction	(2cred. 4 cont)
EDFL	0203606	Theories of Language Learning	(2cred. 4 cont )
			8 cred.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION:

3rd  Semester			Teaching hours
EDFL	02036xx	Elective	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
EDFL	02036xx	Elective	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
EDFL	02036xx	Elective	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
			6 credits

 

4th Semester			Teaching hours
EDFL	02036xx	Elective	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
EDFL	02036xx	Elective	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
EDFL	0203800	Thesis	(6 crd.)
			10 credits

 

PREREQUISITES:

Course		Prerequisite
EDFL	0203603	(EDFL	0203602)
EDFL	0203604	(EDFL	0203602)
EDFL	0203605	(EDFL	0203602)
EDFL	0203606	(EDFL	0203601)
EDFL	0203607	(EDFL	0203603)
EDFL	0203608	(EDFL	0203603)
EDFL	0203609	(EDFL	0203601)
EDFL	0203610	(EDFL	0203602)
EDFL	0203611	(EDFL	0203604)
EDFL	0203612	(EDFL	0203604)
EDFL	0203613	(EDFL	0203602)
EDFL	0203614	(EDFL	0203603)
EDFL	0203615	(EDFL	0203604)
EDFL	0203616	(EDFL	0203604)
EDFL	0203617	(EDFL	0203606)

 

Core Courses

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
0203600	Research Methods and Experimental Design	(2cred. 4 cont)
0203601	Linguistics	(2cred. 4 cont)
0203602	Applied Linguistics	(2cred. 4 cont)
0203603	Methodology of TEFL	(2cred. 4 cont)
0203604	Curriculum Development and Syllabus Design	(2cred. 4 cont)
0203605	Discourse and Classroom Interaction	(2cred. 4 cont)
0203606	Theories of Language Learning	(2cred. 4 cont)

 

Elective – Group A

(At least three courses must be selected from this group)

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
0203607	Teaching Language Skills	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203608	Pedagogical Grammar	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203609	Translation Studies	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203610	Sociolinguistics	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203611	Textbooks and EFL Material Production	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203612	Multimedia in TEFL	(2 crd. 3 cont.)

Elective – Group B

(At least two courses must be selected from this group)

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
0203613	Language Evaluation and Measurement	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203614	Teaching Literature in the EFL Classroom	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203615	CALL,  and Internet Resources in TEFL	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203616	English for Specific Purposes	(2 crd. 3 cont.)
0203617	Topics in TEFL	(2 crd. 3 cont.)

Required

0203800

Thesis

(6 credits)