Program and structure

The Advanced Master’s in Language Sciences comprises 60 credits divided up as follows:

• Common core:

Compulsory subjects: 15 credits

Dissertation: 15 credits

• Optional module: 15 credits
• Elective module: 15 credits

• Scientific Option: Critical analysis of Discourse

Subject head: Prof. A. Staquet

This course focuses on discourse as an object of analysis. It aims to contribute to the development of students’ critical thinking and communication skills. With topics such as ‘manipulation strategy’, ‘argumentation and common errors in reasoning’ and ‘the language between the lines’, it clearly demonstrates its intention to decode discourse. The field of media discourse provides an important basis for the reflections offered to students; however, the course is not confined to this field, as, at the suggestion of students, other types of discourse may also be the subject of specific developments. The teaching provided has a strong practical dimension, with discourse analysis exercises and practices given pride of place.

• Scientific Option: Intercultural and Interlinguistic Communication

Subject head: Prof. S. Safar

A post-graduate course designed for people who already have Master’s-level knowledge and skills in a variety of sectors, this Advanced Master’s degree aims to equip students with scientific knowledge that will enable them to tackle various areas of communication in international relations with greater expertise. It develops the study of interactions between communication, as well as themes such as human rights, diplomacy and consular relations, trade relations, etc. Each specialist field includes a work placement in a professional context. International institutions, diplomatic and consular institutions, multinationals and SMEs are at the top of the list of the main areas in which graduates of this course can find employment.

• Scientific Option: Philosophical Discourse

Subject head: Prof. A. Staquet

This course promotes an approach to philosophy through language. It focuses both on philosophical writings and other styles of text, which it approaches through language. The approach is intended to be concrete, insofar as it examines the way in which philosophy is rooted in practical life. The ‘philosophical discourse’ option is an effective way to prepare for a PhD in a related field. It also aims to benefit those who wish to enrich their personal cultural knowledge and/or work in a field related to philosophical issues (teachers in the context of recent measures adopted by the French Community, for example). The programme is open to students who have never studied philosophy, as well as those with prior knowledge who wish to revisit the subject from a discursive perspective.

• Scientific Option: Gender, Language and Communication

Subject head: Prof. C. Gravet

This course aims to provide students with theoretical, critical and technical skills needed to understand gender issues. The study of gender is approached through the medium of language, in its broadest sense, from the oral exchanges of everyday life to the production of literary writings. In a resolutely multidisciplinary setting, the programme will enable students to observe processes (both synchronically and historically), acquire knowledge (theories and methods of analysis), develop critical thinking and autonomy (through research work), and become proficient in carrying out personal work and present it to a variety of audiences (specialised or not). The programme can serve as a stepping stone to a PhD; it is also designed to be beneficial for those who are (or will be) working in a field where gender issues are particularly prominent (corporate communications, mass communications, media, etc.).

• Scientific Option: Language Immersion and Language Teaching and Learning Methods

Subject head: Profs. M. Piccaluga and A. Braun

Current concerns about the need to master multilingualism in many areas of society have led to the emergence of new or updated teaching and learning methods, some of which are regulated by legislation and others by various scientific approaches. The various forms of so-called ‘immersive’ teaching in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation provide many examples of this. The aim of this course is to provide current and future users of these methods with a clear theoretical framework, an overview of the various paradigms that can serve as a starting point for analysis, and concrete and critical examples of how these paradigms are translated into classroom practice. The professional targets vary according to the contexts in which these programmes are developed (companies, public institutions, schools, etc.) and the roles to be fulfilled (language training manager, independent trainer, educational advisor, teacher in higher education for the training of language teachers, head teacher or teacher in an immersion school, etc.).

• Scientific Option: Communication and Co-Existence in Scandinavia

Subject head: Prof. H. Reuter

This resolutely multidisciplinary course focuses on questions of communication, social representations and the anthropological and cultural aspects that characterise Scandinavia. It draws on the various disciplines of language sciences. The courses – which are largely individualised – are taught by linguists, communication specialists (mass media and political communication), philologists and researchers of literature and oral traditions. As part of a comparative dynamic, the course examines the Scandinavian way of approaching social issues through cross-disciplinary themes (for example, post-colonial discourse in Scandinavian countries, Scandinavian attitudes to the treatment of linguistic minorities, the specific features of Scandinavian literature, etc.). In addition to research institutions, the professional circles targeted are embassies, cultural institutions, companies, international organisations, etc.

• Scientific Option: Technological Mediation: Subtitling, Dubbing, Respeaking and Audio Description

Subject head: Prof. N. Hamaoui

This course enables students to specialise in advanced information and communication technologies. It focuses primarily on the issue of interlinguistic mediation and investigates technical solutions tailored to various specialist jobs in the field. The following interlinguistic mediation methods are considered: subtitling, dubbing, respeaking, audio-description, remote and video-interpretating, as well as translation and localisation. A work placement is to be carried out at one of our prestigious partner companies. Professional companies, media outlets, film festivals, symposiums, conferences and specialist seminars are among the top career opportunities for graduates of this programme.

• Scientific Option: Neuropsycholinguistics

Subject head: Prof. L. Lefebvre

The neuropsycholinguistics option aims to teach students about the various cognitive aspects of language function. More specifically, it considers language acquisition, development and disorders over the course of a lifetime. The training covers topics such as neuropsychological disorders, the development of cognitive remediation tools and various research questions concerning both individuals without pathologies and those with language disorders. It bridges the gap between cutting-edge scientific approaches in the field and everyday clinical practice. The neuropsycholinguistics option is mainly intended for neuropsychologists, speech therapists and, more generally, those working in the paramedical field. It aims to enable them to enhance their diagnostic and management skills in the field of cognitive and language disorders, with a view to professional development in various institutional settings or in private practice.

• Science option: Speech Sciences

Subject head: Profs. V. Delvaux, K. Huet, M. Piccaluga and B. Harmegnies

The programme aims to prepare students for careers in both basic and applied sciences related to spoken language. It covers topics such as experimentation in phonetics, phonology and psycholinguistics, and research and development in language teaching and engineering sciences. It is geared towards understanding how humans function by analysing how they process phonetic material (both in receptive and productive modes). Based on the latest scientific literature, the approach is practical: teaching is supported by demonstrations, laboratory tests and personal observational or experimental research work. The programme is intended for speech professionals (speech therapists, language psychologists, media specialists, performing arts experts, etc.) and (future) scientists interested in the spoken aspects of human communication.

Breakdown of Credits

• Compulsory subjects
• Dissertation
• Optional module: 15 credits
• Elective module: 15 credits

Access conditions

The following are eligible to study for Advanced Master's in Language Sciences:

• Students who meet the conditions for access to the Master's degree (listed in Article 111) - and either hold a second cycle qualification, awarded in or outside the French Community, or have acquired 300 credits - validated by the Board - in the field of neuropsychology or logopaedics.
• Under the general conditions set by the Academic Authorities, students who can prove at least 5 years of personal or professional experience related to the field (including a maximum of 2 years of postgraduate study) validated by the Board.

Teaching profile

The programme description defines the expected learning outcomes, i.e. what the student should know, understand and be able to achieve by the end of a learning activity, a teaching unit or a study cycle (Bachelor's, Master's, etc.). Learning outcomes are defined in terms of knowledge, expertise and soft skills.

At the end of the Master's, students will be able to:

• Use their acquired knowledge in order to understand; analyse any communicative situation (real or simulated) with reference to theoretical and methodological frameworks relevant to various scientific approaches to language.
• Communicate effectively; communicate and exchange information in a structured way that is appropriate to the purpose and audience concerned.
• Work collaboratively; work effectively with different people as part of a team or network of professionals.
• Continue learning; assess and pursue professional and personal development.
• Think like a scientist; demonstrate a thorough understanding of scientific methods used in language sciences.
• Apply their expertise in:
  • Speech Sciences: understand the concepts, techniques, methods and tools specific to speech sciences in order to use them effectively in a research context.
  • Technological Mediation (subtitling, dubbing, respeaking and audio description): understand the concepts, techniques, methods and tools specific to audiovisual translation and subtitling/dubbing.
  • Intercultural and Cross-Linguistic Communication: understand the knowledge and skills required for multilingual negotiation.
  • Communication and Co-Existence in Scandinavia: understand the linguistic, cultural and methodological knowledge required to undertake research in various fields in Scandinavia.
  • Gender Studies: understand the concepts, theoretical and methodological knowledge, including controversial issues, required to undertake research which takes gender into account.
  • Philosophical Discourse: understand the concepts and techniques specific to the analysis of philosophical discourse.
  • Critical Analysis of Discourse: understand the concepts, techniques and methods of critical discourse analysis.

For more information, consult the programme description for this study cycle below (in French).

PROF-ENS-MS-SCLANG