Note: Prospective students are strongly encouraged to submit their applications early in advance from September to December of the year. Applications received after December will only be considered when quotas are still available.
Introduction
The Master of Arts Programme in Linguistics features an interdisciplinary approach to language study. It is designed to introduce students to current theories in linguistics and their various applications to language typology, language acquisition, language and modality, language teaching as well as culture and society, which are presented in a comparative framework. The programme consists of three streams, namely, (i) the General Linguistics Stream, (ii) the Language Acquisition and Bilingualism Stream, and (iii) the Sign Linguistics Stream.
Objectives
The programme aims to:
Learning Outcomes
Programme Mode
The programme is offered in both full-time and part-time study modes. The full-time mode covers a normal period of one academic year while the part-time mode covers a normal period of two academic years. Students are required to complete a total of 27 units of courses. The numbers of required courses and elective courses differ from stream to stream.
A. Applicable to students admitted in 2022-23 and thereafter.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 27 units of courses for graduation.
1. General Linguistics Stream
| Units | ||
| (i) | Required courses: LING5101 and 5102 | 6 |
| (ii) | Elective courses: Any 21 units of courses to be chosen from the following: LING5103, 5104, 5201, 5202, 5301, 5302, 5602, 5604, 5606, 5607, 5608, 5701, 5702 and 5802. Subject to prior approval from the Graduate Division, students are allowed to take a 3-unit course at 4000-level or above listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics to fulfill the elective requirements. Students must obtain a grade of not lower than B- for the course in order to fulfill the graduation requirement. | 21 |
Total: | 27 |
| Units | ||
| (i) | Required courses: (a) LING5101, 5102 and 5103 | 9 6 |
| (ii) | Elective courses: Any 12 units of courses to be chosen from the following: LING5104, 5301, 5302, 5403, 5404, 5602, 5604, 5606, 5607, 5608, 5701, 5702 and 5802. Subject to prior approval from the Graduate Division, students are allowed to take a 3-unit course at 4000-level or above listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics to fulfill the elective requirements. Students must obtain a grade of not lower than B- for the course in order to fulfill the graduration requirements. | 12 |
Total: | 27 |
1 Students may also choose to take all three courses in (i)(b), in which case one of them will be counted towards fulfillment of the elective requirements.
3. Sign Linguistics Stream
| Units | ||
| (i) | Required courses: LING5101, 5102, 5104, 5403 and 5404 | 15 |
| (ii) | Elective courses: Any 12 units of courses to be chosen from the following: LING5103, 5201, 5202, 5301, 5302, 5602, 5604, 5606, 5607, 5608, 5701, 5702 and 5802. Subject to prior approval from the Graduate Division, students are allowed to take a 3-unit course at 4000-level or above listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics to fulfill the elective requirements. Students must obtain a grade of not lower than B- for the course in order to fulfill the graduation requirements. | 12 |
Total: | 27 |
2. Other requirements
(a) Student must fulfill the Term Assessment Requirement of the Graduate School. For details, please refer the section 13.0 “Unsatisfactory Performance and Discontinuation of Studies” of the General Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies. (http://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/)
(b) Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
A. Applicable to students admitted in 2025-26 and thereafter.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 27 units of courses for graduation.
1. General Linguistics Stream
| Units | ||
| (i) | Required courses: LING5101 and 5102 | 6 |
| (ii) | Elective courses: Any 21 units of courses to be chosen from the following: LING5103, 5104, 5201, 5202, 5301, 5302, 5602, 5604, 5606, 5607, 5608, 5701, 5702 and 5802. Subject to prior approval from the Graduate Division, students are allowed to take a 3-unit course at 4000-level or above listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics to fulfill the elective requirements. A student must achieve a minimum grade of B- in the course taken listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics in order to fulfill the graduation requirements, unless special approval is granted by the Faculty Board. | 21 |
Total: | 27 |
2. Language Acquisition and Bilingualism Stream
| Units | ||
| (i) | Required courses: (a) LING5101, 5102 and 5103 | 9 |
| (ii) | Elective courses: Any 12 units of courses to be chosen from the following: LING5104, 5301, 5302, 5403, 5404, 5501, 5502, 5602, 5604, 5606, 5607, 5608, 5701, 5702 and 5802. Subject to prior approval from the Graduate Division, students are allowed to take a 3-unit course at 4000-level or above listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics to fulfill the elective requirements. A student must achieve a minimum grade of B- in the course taken listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics in order to fulfill the graduation requirements, unless special approval is granted by the Faculty Board. | 12 |
Total: | 27 |
1 Students may also choose to take all three courses in (i) (b), in which case one of them will be counted towards fulfillment of elective requirements.
3. Sign Linguistics Stream
| Units | ||
| (i) | Required courses: LING5101, 5102, 5104, 5403 and 5404 | 15 |
| (ii) | Elective courses: Any 12 units of courses to be chosen from the following: Subject to prior approval from the Graduate Division, students are allowed to take a 3-unit course at 4000-level or above listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics to fulfill the elective requirements. A student must achieve a minimum grade of B- in the course taken listed in the undergraduate BA programme in Linguistics in order to fulfill the graduation requirements, unless special approval is granted by the Faculty Board. | 12 |
Total: | 27 |
2. Other requirements
(a) Students must fulfill the Term Assessment Requirement of the Graduate School. For details, please refer to Clause 13.0 “Unsatisfactory Performance and Discontinuation of Studies” of the General Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies which can be accessed from the Graduate School Homepage:(http://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/)
(b) Students are required to achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in order to fulfill the graduation units and requirements, unless special approval is granted by the Faculty Board.
A. Applicable to students admitted in 2018-19 and thereafter.
* Remarks: Not all semi-required courses or elective courses are offered every academic year.
I. General Linguistics Stream
| Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (6 units) | ||
| LING5101 | Foundations I: Phonetics and Phonology | 3 |
| LING5102 | Foundations II: Syntax and Semantics | 3 |
| * Elective Courses (21 units) | ||
| LING5103 | Foundations in Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LING5104 | Foundations in Sign Language Research | 3 |
| LING5201 | Topics in Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LING5202 | Topics in Bilingualism | 3 |
| LING5301 | Linguistics and Language Teaching | 3 |
| LING5302 | Approaches to English Grammar | 3 |
| LING5602 | Special Topics in Linguistics | 3 |
| LING5604 | Topics in Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| LING5606 | Special Topics in Applied Linguistics | 3 |
| LING5607 | Topics in Psycholinguistics | 3 |
| LING5608 | Language Disorders | 3 |
| LING5701 | Linguistics Research | 3 |
| LING5702 | Research Project | 6 |
| LING5802 | Research Practicum | 1 |
II. Language Acquisition and Bilingualism Stream
| Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (6 units) | ||
| LING5101 | Foundations I: Phonetics and Phonology | 3 |
| LING5102 | Foundations II: Syntax and Semantics | 3 |
| LING5103 | Foundations in Language Acquisition | 3 |
| (Take at least 2 out of the following 3 courses) | ||
| * LING5201 | Topics in Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| * LING5202 | Topics in Bilingualism | 3 |
| * LING5503 | Topics in Chinese Language Acquisition | 3 |
| * Elective Courses (12 units) | ||
| LING5104 | Foundations in Sign Language Research | 3 |
| LING5301 | Linguistics and Language Teaching | 3 |
| LING5302 | Approaches to English Grammar | 3 |
| LING5403 | Topics in Language Acquisition of Deaf Children | 3 |
| LING5404 | Sign Linguistics | 3 |
| LING5501 | Topics in Chinese Phonetics and Phonology | 3 |
| LING5502 | Topics in Chinese Syntax and Semantics | 3 |
| LING5602 | Special Topics in Linguistics | 3 |
| LING5604 | Topics in Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| LING5606 | Special Topics in Applied Linguistics | 3 |
| LING5607 | Topics in Psycholinguistics | 3 |
| LING5608 | Language Disorders | 3 |
| LING5701 | Linguistics Research | 3 |
| LING5702 | Research Project | 6 |
| LING5802 | Research Practicum | 1 |
III. Sign Linguistics Stream
| Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (15 units) | ||
| LING5101 | Foundations I: Phonetics and Phonology | 3 |
| LING5102 | Foundations II: Syntax and Semantics | 3 |
| LING5104 | Foundations in Sign Language Research | 3 |
| LING5403 | Topics in Language Acquisition of Deaf Children | 3 |
| LING5404 | Sign Linguistics | 3 |
| * Elective Courses (12 units) | ||
| LING5103 | Foundations in Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LING5201 | Topics in Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LING5202 | Topics in Bilingualism | 3 |
| *LING5301 | Linguistics and Language Teaching | 3 |
| LING5302 | Approaches to English Grammar | 3 |
| LING5501 | Topics in Chinese Phonetics and Phonology | 3 |
| LING5502 | Topics in Chinese Syntax and Semantics | 3 |
| LING5503 | Topics in Chinese Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LING5602 | Special Topics in Linguistics | 3 |
| LING5604 | Topics in Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| *LING5606 | Special Topics in Applied Linguistics | 3 |
| LING5607 | Topics in Psycholinguistics | 3 |
| *LING5608 | Language Disorders | 3 |
| LING5701 | Linguistics Research | 3 |
| LING5702 | Research Project | 6 |
| LING5802 | Research Practicum | 1 |
* Not all courses listed below are offered every academic year.
Applicable to students admitted in 2018-19 and thereafter.
LING5101 Foundations I: Phonetics and Phonology (A -Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26) (B – Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26)
This course introduces students to a unified approach to language as a complex structure represented in the minds of its speakers. Empirical linguistic data will be drawn across languages to enable students to understand the intimate relation between language and the human mind. On the basis of this understanding, students are led to explore the core areas of linguistics. The exploration starts with natural language sound systems and phonological components of grammar. These will be explained with basic concepts and recent theoretical advances in linguistic studies alongside new findings in language acquisition. Students will learn to apply these concepts and ideas to tackle linguistic problems.
LING5102 Foundations II: Syntax and Semantics (A – Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26) (B – Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26)
This course is taught concurrently with LING5101 Foundations I: Phonetics and Phonology, aiming at introducing students to the core areas of linguistics. Taking a modular approach to the language system, this course examines the morphological, semantic and syntactic components of the grammar, as well as the interaction among them. The lectures are intended to provide students with a solid grounding in basic linguistic concepts, which will enable them to tackle linguistic problems, and formulate their own analyses to prepare them for further studies in the discipline. A wide range of data will be discussed to develop students’ sensitivity toward linguistic phenomena with systematic properties in form, meaning and structure.
LING5103 Foundations in Language Acquisition (A -Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26) (B – Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26)
The acquisition of first language by children has been considered a remarkable feat. How do children accomplish this feat so rapidly and effortlessly? What are the stages they go through in mastering the different aspects of language? What does the development of language in children tell us about the human language faculty? These questions will be examined in light of modern linguistic theory, and nativist and interactionist accounts will be compared. Topics in second language acquisition will also be covered. Questions such as how interlanguage grammars develop in adults and the role of the mother tongue in the construction of interlanguage grammar will be addressed.
LING5104 Foundations in Sign Language Research (Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26)
This course provides an introduction to a relatively new area of linguistic exploration: sign language as a natural language system. We will lead students into a variety of disciplinary studies that adopt sign language as a focus of research. Examples of these disciplines are linguistics, language in education, language and the brain, language and cognition, language development, language and society, and language and culture. The course aims to tackle these issues in light of the current developments in sign language research and see how they shed light on our understanding of deaf issues.
LING5201 Topics in Second Language Acquisition (A – Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26) (B – Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
The course introduces major issues in the field of second language acquisition: how is a second language acquired by children and adults? In what ways is acquiring a second language different from acquiring a first language? Different theoretical perspectives on second language acquisition will be reviewed and methodologies will be surveyed. Data will be drawn mainly from English and Chinese as target languages.
LING5202 Topics in Bilingualism (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
This course discusses general issues in the study of bilingualism from the linguistic perspective. Basic questions such as how to define and measure bilingualism, degrees of bilingualism, and types of bilinguals will be examined. Psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic aspects of bilingualism at the individual and societal levels will be covered within the larger context of language contact. Issues in bilingualism such as code-mixing, medium of instruction, bilingual education and language policy for bilingual society will be treated with special relevance to the Hong Kong context.
LING5301 Linguistics and Language Teaching (Course Outline)
The course aims to highlight the relevance of linguistic studies to language teaching. Various pedagogical issues such as curriculum development, teaching methodology, language assessment, language development and professional teacher training will be discussed in light of theories of general and applied linguistics. Students are encouraged to reflect upon their language teaching experience and problems and seek an explanation from the perspective of theories and issues in general and applied linguistics.
LING5302 Approaches to English Grammar (For students of MA in Linguistics only) (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
This course introduces students to various approaches to the study of English grammatical constructions. The approaches adopted may include formal, functional or cognitive perspectives. Students are encouraged to analyze grammatical constructions in terms of form-function relationships, cognitive processing and information flow. This course is designed to enhance students’ sensitivity to the interactive aspects of grammatical analysis.
LING5403 Topics in Language Acquisition of Deaf Children (Not for students of the General Linguistics Stream of MA in Linguistics) (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
This course focuses on the language acquisition of deaf children, involving both sign language and spoken language. It starts with a general introduction on the acquisition of sign language as a first language by deaf children, covering the developmental milestones in phonology, morphology and syntax. The second part of the course will explore how deaf children acquire spoken language in the context of bilingual acquisition and spoken language literacy development. No prior knowledge of a sign language is required.
LING5404 Sign Linguistics (Not for students of the General Linguistics Stream of MA in Linguistics) (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
This course provides a general introduction to the linguistic analysis of phonology, morphology and syntax in sign languages. It aims to demonstrate that the system of organization in sign language grammar reflects natural language properties and that sign language grammar is as complex and rule-governed as spoken languages. Focus will be placed on how the visual modality, availability of paired manual articulators, non-manual features as well as the use of signing space affect the organization of grammar at various linguistic levels. No prior knowledge of a sign language is required.
LING5501 Topics in Chinese Phonetics and Phonology (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
(For students of MA in Chinese Linguistics & Language Acquistion only)
This course introduces general aspects of modern Chinese phonetics and phonology, including both segmental and prosodic characteristics. Students will be trained to compare and analyze sound patterns of standard Chinese and other Chinese dialects from different theoretical approaches. The final goal of the course is to provide students with a solid foundation for further phonological research.
LING5502 Topics in Chinese Syntax and Semantics (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
(For students of MA in Chinese Linguistics & Language Acquistion only)
This course aims to acquaint students with fundamental issues in the syntax and semantics of the Chinese language and the related theoretical implications. Through an investigation of a rich array of data, students will have the opportunity to appreciate the inner workings of the Chinese language with regard to its structural and semantic properties, to enrich and broaden their understanding of linguistic theories and methodologies, to develop skills in analyzing Chinese phrases and sentences, and to defend their analysis systematically.
LING5503 Topics in Chinese Language Acquisition
(For students of MA in Chinese Linguistics & Language Acquistion & Biligualism Stream of MA in Linguistics only) (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
This course aims to introduce the major tenets of generative and usage-based approaches to language acquisition, with a focus on the characteristics of the learner and the learning situation in first and second language. The course familiarizes students with the basic methodology and tools for analyzing acquisition data. It critically surveys the major findings on the acquisition of Chinese as a first language and as a second language.
LING5602 Special Topics in Linguistics (Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26)
From time to time, a course focusing on a specific area of linguistics that is not covered in the regular linguistic programme may be offered. Students are allowed to take this course more than once, and gain the units each time they pass the course. However, students cannot take the course under the same topic twice.
LING5604 Topics in Sociolinguistics (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
This course explores human language in the broader context of culture and society. How does language relate to culture and world-view? How does language interact with social structure, gender and individual identity? To what extent do men and women talk differently? How does language reflect relations of power and status between the speakers? The use of pronouns, politeness markers and other linguistic features will be examined. Exploration of these topics aims to enhance students’ awareness of language as a cultural phenomenon and sharpen their sensitivity toward the nuances of language use in relation to cultural complexities, with special reference to Hong Kong culture.
LING5606 Special Topics in Applied Linguistics (Course Outline)
This course introduces applied linguistics from interdisciplinary perspectives, including theoretical linguistics, psychology, sociology, and pedagogy. Issues discussed in this course focus on the interface between theory and practice, including translating theory into practice and using practice to build theory. Students are allowed to take this course more than once, and gain the units each time they pass the course. However, students cannot take the course under the same topic twice.
LING5607 Topics in Psycholinguistics (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2025-26)
This course studies language as a cognitive system which interfaces with other subsystems of mind. Emphasis will be placed on linguistic properties rather than psychological mechanisms or various techniques in psycholinguistic studies. The principles and mechanisms that underlie speech perception, sentence processing and discourse comprehension, as well as structural factors in language production form the focus of this course. This course first examines the unique features of human languages and the biological foundations of language. It then explores the perception of various linguistic aspects (speech sounds, words, sentences and discourse) before touching on issues in language production. Major models of language production and perception will be introduced. After examining different aspects of our language competence, this course concludes with a discussion of language and culture. However, issues related to the origin of language and language acquisition will not be covered in this course. Students are expected to be familiar with the basic concepts in phonetics, phonology, morphology and syntax.
LING5608 Language Disorders (Course Outline 2nd Term, 2022-23)
This survey course introduces non-clinical students to fundamental concepts of language disorders in pediatric and adult populations. Characteristics of primary language impairment, aphasia, dysarthria, and hearing impairments, as well as articulation, fluency, and voice and other related disorders affecting language are among the topics to be discussed. Diagnostic techniques and treatment strategies are also introduced. Research studies in language disorders will be reviewed.
LING5701 Linguistics Research (A -Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26) (B – Course Outline 1st Term, 2025-26)
The course aims to train students in conducting linguistic research. General research methodology will be introduced, with a focus on methods commonly used in linguistic research and analysis. Students may be required to take part in field trips and expeditions.
LING5702 Research Project
This is an independent, individual investigation on a topic of linguistic interest guided by a supervisor, the findings of which must be presented in a standard report format. Consent of the teacher on the topic is required. Students who wish to take the course should obtain prior approval from the Graduate Division for their research proposals. Prerequisite: LING5701 Linguistics Research.
LING 5802 Research Practicum
The course provides students with an experiential learning opportunity through participating in faculty’s research projects, as a way to prepare themselves for postgraduate study in Linguistics. Specific learning activities may include review of literature, preparation of experimental stimuli, data collection, data analysis and presentation of research findings