Preparing for your Master of Applied Linguistics (MAppLing): what you need to know regarding subject and specialisation choice 

Rena Gao

It’s always exciting to start a new degree. But you will also need to face one major challenge before commerce to your new degree study: choosing your coursework subjects. And I know, sometimes it can be confusing to choose four subjects among so many, especially if you have not studied linguistics previously. The choice may be earlier or later before you commence the course, depending on where you lived and the school system in which you were studying before commencing the master’s study, but at some point, you will have to decide on a direction for study in this exciting new degree. I hope this blog post can give you some insights into the choice of subject selection and guide you on how to plan your future studies at UniMelb. 

If you look through the UniMelb Handbook, it’s a great place for you to find a list of available subjects for you to choose from, according to your specialisation. 

Based on your interest, you can select your specialisation from the three options: TESOL, Language Testing, and English Language. If you are confused with these three directions, don’t panic, I’ve been here as well. With just a simple click of the handbook, you can get more information related to the descriptions of each specialisation. For example, you can have a quick overview of the English Language specialisation in the detailed descriptions below.  

So what’s the next step after you have selected your specialisation? Choosing your subjects! For the MAppLing degree, you are required to choose four subjects (and it’s compulsory for international students) in each semester to fulfil the requirements of your course. If you proceed to the subject selection stage, you will find out that there are several different options of subjects for you to decide on.  

The rest of this post will show you the difference among these subjects and how to choose based on your interest and requirements of the course. 

Compulsory Subjects (25 credit points)

These two subjects worth 25 credit points in total (12.5 points each) are mandatory in order to complete the degree. Just relax, these subjects are usually introductory subjects for you to have a general glimpse of the different fields in linguistics. If you wish to pursue further study (like a PhD or Master by research), these two subjects are good starting points for you. 

Foundation Core Subjects (12.5 credit points)

Usually, you need to choose ONE subject from the two listed subjects: LING10001 (Secret Life of Language) and LING10002 (Intercultural Communication) LING10001 focuses more on different subsections of linguistics, including syntax, semantics, phonology and pragmatics. For LING10002, it emphasises on how to better communicate through an intercultural and linguistics perspective. Both subjects are fun and interesting. 

Capstone Subject (25 credit points)

There are two capstone subjects that you can choose from, and they are: LING90010 (Minor Thesis) and LING90041 (Projects in Applied Linguistics).

To enrol in LING90010, your overall WAM for your coursework subjects needs to be above 80. In addition, for the topic you want to work on, a supervisor is required, which means that your direction must fit into your potential supervisor’s research interests or expertise.

For LING90041, it’s an interesting subject for you to apply what you have learnt from the degree to real-world issues. For example, you may have to design a semester of English class for a university in Indonesia. If you haven’t figured out what you want to do in your future career, this is a good opportunity for you to try and test your preference in future career choices.  

Elective Subjects – Foundation Electives (maximum 37.5 credit points) + Elective Subjects (minimum 100 credit points)

Graduate Electives

For foundation electives, graduate-level students can only choose three subjects among all the available subjects since these subjects are mostly for undergraduate students who major in linguistics or languages. But I assure you that all these subjects are fun to learn, especially for someone who has little background in linguistics. A number of students probably have the feeling that when they enrol in the MAppLing degree in the first place, they have no clue at all with different fields in linguistics. However, in this case, these foundation subjects provide a chance for you to gradually know more related to the amazing world of linguistics.

For graduate electives, you need to choose at least 8 subjects from the listed subjects. These subjects are a little bit different from the foundation-level subjects because these subjects focus more on specific topics, such as LING90028. This subject focuses on how to analyse the features in human conversations. After taking this subject, I got a better understanding regarding the different features in human conversations, from professional settings to our daily chit-chats with my friends. The subject helped me realise that my friends get DO get sick of me consistently talking about a topic all the time!

ESLA Elective List (maximum 25 credit points) for Students with ESL Background

This ESLA elective subjects are highly recommended (by me to students whose first language is not English and without much experience studying in English-speaking countries. These subjects will help you to familiarise yourself with the speaking, writing, and presentation skills in the Australian academic environment. These subjects aim to prepare you well for your academic writing, and this is especially crucial if you hope to apply for graduate research degrees after which.

I hope this has helped you to navigate through the pathway in fulfilment of your Master of Applied Linguistics degree! All the best!