Course Essentials
A very warm welcome to all students enrolling on the MA Applied Linguistics course, starting in September. You will be part of a community of students from different parts of the world, all committed to developing and sharing their theoretical understanding as well as their practical skills, as part of their professional development as language professionals. Moreover, you will join the wider community of the Graduate College, where you will have plenty of opportunities to meet and socialise with other postgraduate students in a welcoming and supportive environment. We look forward to meeting you soon!
Diana Freeman
Course Director
Your Teaching Timetable
Teaching for your course will begin w.c 21 September 2026.
To help you plan your first few weeks, you can view an overview of the teaching activities for your course.
View your first trimester teaching timetable.
On a mobile device, click the arrow next to “Search” at the top right of the page to view your timetable.
If your course is taught in groups, the overview will show activities for all groups. You will only need to attend sessions for your allocated group.
Once teaching begins, your individual timetable and group allocation will be available in MyTimetable provided you have completed online registration and created your computing account.
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Your Trimester 1 Modules |
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From Rules to Real Uses: Analysing Language |
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Applying Linguistics in Different Contexts |
Key dates
Academic Calendar: Trimesters [15 Week]
View key dates for this Academic Calendar for 2026-27 including when teaching starts and finishes and when you break for holidays.
Welcome
The course aims to broaden your horizons and stimulate your intellectual curiosity through engaging learning content and discussions.
Some of you will be returning to study after a break and we appreciate that as well as being exciting, it may be somewhat daunting.
Therefore, we have designed an informative Welcome Week which will provide you with key information that you need to know about your studies, the University, including an introduction and tour of the library facilities, and further support available.
It is also when you will get to know your fellow students and the staff.
Your welcome and induction will be w/c 14 September 2026 - we look forward to meeting you then. You can view the timetable for your course welcome activities in the Welcome and Induction box at the top of this page.
Getting started
Your Course
Our team is dedicated to the development of knowledge and high-quality teaching of Applied Linguistics and lifelong learning.
You will be taught by a range of specialist lecturers who have experience across different disciplines which will enable you to develop your understanding of different perspectives of contemporary issues in Applied Linguistics.
The academic year is split into 3 Trimesters:
- Trimester 1 - September to January
- Trimester 2 - January to May
- Trimester 3 - May to September
In your first Trimester you will study the following modules:
- From Rules to Real Uses: Analysing Language - This module will ensure you have a foundational knowledge of English across grammar, lexis (vocabulary), phonetics & phonology. While the core reference model will be standard British English, we will also note social and regional variants, and the issue of variation more generally.
- Applying Linguistics in Different Contexts - In this module you will develop methods of applying language knowledge in analysing real-world discourse. You will learn theoretical and analytical frameworks from the disciplines of sociolinguistics, intercultural communication, semiotics and multimodality, critical discourse analysis, critical linguistics, and eco-linguistics.
Blackboard
You will use Blackboard, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, to access module information, teaching resources, announcements, assessment guidance and learning activities. You will be shown how to access and use Blackboard during Welcome Week and in your early teaching sessions.
You may also be introduced to other digital systems as part of your learning, including systems used to support placement preparation, portfolio development, online submission and communication. Please make sure you check your CCCU email and Blackboard regularly, as these will be key sources of course information.
Preparing for your course
Before you begin the course, it would be useful to explore CCCU’s Learning Skills Hub, which provides guidance on academic writing, researching, referencing and study skills.
Your Must Do Tasks
Once you have been invited to register for your course, there are some key tasks you'll need to complete to make sure you are ready to become a CCCU student.
Registration invitations are sent towards the end of August. We'll send yours to the email address you used when you applied, so please check this inbox regularly to make sure you don't miss any important information.
Pre-course reading
The months leading up to starting on your course are ideal in helping you get set for your studies by doing some background reading. Please find below some recommended readings, all available from the CCCU Library:
- Conrad, S., Hartig, A. and Santelmann, L. (2020) The Cambridge Introduction to Applied Linguistics. Cambridge University Press.
- Flowerdew, J. and Richardson, J. (eds.) (2018) The Routledge Handbook of Critical Discourse Studies. Routledge. (Also available as an e-book from the CCCU Library website)
- Friedrich, P. (2019) Applied Linguistics in the Real World. Routledge. (Also available as an e-book from the CCCU Library website)
- Simpson, J. (2011) The Routledge Handbook of Applied Linguistics. Routledge. (Also available as an e-book from the CCCU Library website)
Each module comes with its own reading list. The above should give you a good foundation for your first trimester.
Useful websites for students of Applied Linguistics are:
Discourse Cognition Society: University Bookshop offers 10% discount on most titles in print and have some price-beating book bundles. They also price match Amazon on core texts recommended in the module handbooks you will receive when you start in September.
International student success programme
International students: don't miss out! Make sure you register for our international student success programme which provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK.