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Objectives
Program Requirements
Admission Requirements
Graduation Requirements
Curriculum
Applied Linguistics Concentrations

Objectives

Although language teaching is a prominent area within the field of applied linguistics, there are many other areas of importance which address language-related human problems both in the United States and abroad. Among these are bilingual and multilingual education, language planning, lexicography, literacy, second language acquisition, translation, and the development or modification of writing systems.

The M.A. in Applied Linguistics goes beyond the certificate courses by providing Christian professionals with advanced training in various areas of language analysis and by developing a multidisciplinary approach within which to seek appropriate solutions to real-world problems. Students may pursue either a generalist track or a specialized one by concentrating their electives in language surveys, linguistics, literacy, TESOL or translation. Students satisfactorily completing the TESOL concentration will receive the graduate Certificate in TESOL.

Program Requirements

The M.A. Applied Linguistics program consists of 33 units of graduate work beyond the foundational units. Students entering the M.A. Applied Linguistics program without the stated foundational work will be required to take three units each of Introduction to Linguistics, Phonetics, Syntax or Phonology, and Bible, or their equivalents, in addition to the regular program. The M.A. in Applied Linguistics degree requires intermediate proficiency in a second language. The student must demonstrate this proficiency by means of either an oral or written exam. A score of 2+ on the FSI scale (or Advanced Plus on the ACTFL scale) is considered adequate. A comprehensive exam is required. Students, in consultation with their advisor, may apply to write a thesis instead of taking comprehensive exams. For specific details, refer to the TAL Handbook.

The TESOL concentration in the M.A. in Applied Linguistics program requires practice teaching.

The M.A. program requirements may be reduced for students with a background in TESOL, linguistics, or English, but the minimum number of graduate units required is either 32 or 33, depending on the program, of which 24 must be taken through Biola. A minimum of 12 graduate units must be taken on campus.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the qualifications specified in the Admission to the School of Intercultural Studies section, including a profession of Christian faith. In addition to these, foreign applicants who are non-native English speakers must demonstrate both spoken and written proficiency in English through an oral interview and by submitting their TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) results. The TOEFL must have been taken within the past five years. A score of 600 paper / 250 computer with a TWE score of 5 is normally required for admission to the graduate programs in the department. Non-native speakers are also expected to demonstrate oral English proficiency by means of an interview with a faculty member.

Because teachers and applied linguists are expected to have a high degree of competence in written English, all new graduate students, both native and non-native English speakers, are required to take the department’s Writing Proficiency Exam. If the results of the exam indicate that additional work in written grammar and composition is needed to enable a student to perform at the level expected for this field, he or she will be expected to do independent supplementary work on writing or to take and pass one or more writing courses available on campus, including special studies courses, SS 500 or SS 501, described below.

All graduate programs in the department require as a prerequisite a minimum of three semester units of acceptable Bible or theology coursework at the upper division or graduate level in addition to the specified foundational units. The M.A. in Applied Linguistics also has a foreign language requirement in addition to the foundational units. Foundational units may be taken concurrently with regular program courses but should normally be completed by the end of the first year.

Students normally begin their program in the fall.

Graduation Requirements

Students in the M.A. Applied Linguistics program must successfully complete all required coursework with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 to qualify for graduation. No TAL course with a grade less than a B (3.0) will be counted for the Certificate or M.A.

The M.A. degrees are usually completed within two years by full-time students, but part-time students may have up to seven years.

Curriculum

Foundational Units

(May be taken concurrently with program courses.)

	Bible / Theology	3
	Introduction to Linguistics	3
	Phonetics	3
	Syntax or Phonology	3
	Total	12

Regular Program

ISAL 511	Applied Linguistics	3
ISAL 668	Seminar in Applied Linguistics	3
ISAL 679	Planning, Evaluation & Research in Applied Linguistics	3
ISAL 652	Field Methods in Second Language & Culture Learning
OR ISAL 654	Field Methods in Linguistics	3
	ISAL or ISTE Electives	18
	Bible or World Perspective Elective	3
ISAL 697	Comprehensive Exam	0
	Total	33

Applied Linguistics Concentrations

Concentrations of 18 units each are possible in the areas of language surveys, linguistics, literacy, TESOL, and translation.

Concentration in Language Surveys

ISAL 641	Language Surveys	3
ISAL 646	Sociolinguistics	3
ISAL 654	Field Methods in Linguistics	3
ISAL 683	Topics in Linguistics	1–3
ISAL 684	Topics in Linguistics	1–3
	Elective	6
	Total	18

Concentration in Linguistics

ISAL 529	Introduction to Semantics & Pragmatics	3
ISAL 622	Phonological Theory	3
ISAL 624	Syntactic Theory	3
ISAL 646	Sociolinguistics	3
ISAL 654	Field Methods in Linguistics	3
	Elective	3
	Total	18

Cconcentration in Literacy

ISAL 523	Introduction to Phonology
OR ISAL 622	Phonological Theory	3
ISAL 543	Literacy in Social Contexts	3
ISAL 544	Literacy Methods & Materials	3
ISAL 546	Reading & Literacy Theory	3
ISAL 652	Field Methods in Second Language& Culture Learning	3
	Elective	3
	Total	18

Concentration in TESOL

ISTE 509	Structure of English	3
ISTE 525	Introduction to TESOL — Adult	3
ISTE 527	Materials Evaluation & Preparation	3
ISTE 541	Intercultural Communication for Teachers	3
ISTE 560	Communicating Values Through TESOL	1
ISTE 614	Second Language Acquisition	3
ISTE 692	Practicum in TESOL II	3
	Total	19

Concentration in Translation

ISAL 529	Introduction to Semantics & Pragmatics	3
ISAL 535	Introduction to Bible Translation	3
ISAL 624	Syntactic Theory	3
ISAL 626	Approaches to Translation	3
ISAL 648	Discourse & Text Analysis	3
	Elective	3
	Total	18