Sociolinguistics and Multilingualism (Joint degree programme)
Description
Sociolinguistics and Multilingualism (SoMu) is an international joint-degree study programme offered by Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), Kaunas, Lithuania, Johannes-Gutenberg University (JGU), Mainz, Germany, Stockholm University (SU), Stockholm, Sweden, and the University of Tartu (UT), Tartu, Estonia. SoMu trains a new generation of sociolinguists who will possess a broad scholarly and practical understanding of the parallel use of multiple languages in Europe and a professional awareness of multilingualism’s social dynamics and its cultural, political and socioeconomic impact in varying European contexts.
Sociolinguistics and Multilingualism offers students a possibility for professional networking and perspectives for their future job mobility within the European labour market. Its successful completion opens an access to further academic studies in thematically related third cycle (doctoral) programs with a subsequent career within the academia and/or a wide array of employment possibilities in the private and the public sectors.
The market and job trends signal the demand for versatile specialists in multilingualism issues, and the graduates of this program can expect to find employment in the following fields:
1. Academic sphere, e.g., research tasks and/or doctoral studies in sociolinguistics, cross-cultural communication, identity, multilingualism, regionalism, etc.
2. Counseling on multilingualism issues at political and cultural institutions, including the EU institutions.
3. Counseling and analytical teaching on multilingualism issues in educational institutions of all levels.
4. Counseling business and finance organizations in issues involving multilingualism and regional and economic cooperation.
5. Various international, national and regional public and private sector institutions and projects concerned with multilingualism, language planning and policy.
6. Mass media (with additional qualifications), e.g., in fields such as political journalism.
Keywords
#sociolinguistics #multilingualism #languagepolicy #crossculturalcommunication #internationalism
This international joint-degree master study program is unique in its design, geographical spectrum of students and lecturers, and interdisciplinary nature. Students visit and live in at least three countries during their studies which they always mention as the best way to apply theoretical knowledge they gain in practice.
SoMu was a great experience I wouldn’t want to miss because I learnt a lot: not only about language policies, the history of the Baltic states, linguistic minorities, Lithuanian as a foreign language, and lots of other academic things, but also many things for life.
Partners
Curriculum
| Course | Lecturer | ECTS Credits |
| Mediatization of Language, Culture and Everyday Life | Auksė Balčytienė | 6 |
| Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods in Sociolinguistics | Angelica Peccini | 6 |
| Plurilingual Approach in Language Education | Vilma Bijeikienė | 6 |
| Optional courses I | ||
| English Academic Writing | Jurgita Vaičenonienė | 6 |
| Cross-cultural Communication | Nemira Mačianskienė | 6 |
| Optional courses II | ||
| Lithuanian as a Foreign Language A1 | Regina Sabonytė | 6 |
| Danish A1 | Guy Geffen | 6 |
| Norwegian A1 | Jolita Ančlauskaitė | 6 |
| Swedish A1 | Sigutė Radzevičienė | 6 |
| Finnish A1 | Žieda Tamašauskaitė | 6 |
| Latvian A1 | Daiva Puškoriutė-Ridulienė | 6 |
| Polish A1 | Irena Miklaševič | 6 |
| German Language A1 | Jūratė Andriuškevičienė | 6 |
| Course | Lecturer | ECTS Credits |
| Qualitative Data Analysis | 4 | |
| Professional Project Planning | 6 | |
| Regional and Minority Languages | 4 | |
| Current Trends in Sociolinguistics | 6 | |
| Research Reporting | 6 |
| Optional courses I | ||
| German A1 | 4 | |
| Course | Lecturer | ECTS Credits |
| Optional courses I | ||
| Language Situation and Language Policy in the Baltic Countries | 7.5 | |
| Baltic Languages in Contact | 7.5 | |
| Lithuanian Language Knowledge and Language Proficiency 2 | 7.5 | |
| Swedish for International Students and Researchers, Course 1 | 4.5 | |
| Swedish for International Students and Researchers, Course 2 | 4.5 | |
| Optional courses II | ||
| Estonian in Multilingual Baltic-Sea Europe: Language Contacts and Linguistic Landscapes | 6 | |
| Estonian for Beginners I, Level 0>A1.1 | 6 | |
| Estonian Intensive Course I. Pronunciation and Listening | 3 | |
| Readings in Estonian History | 6 | |
| Insights to Estonian Culture, Film and Museum Course on the Basis of English | 3 | |
| Course | Lecturer | ECTS Credits |
| Master Graduation Thesis | 30 |
