Dissertation in Linguistics (Translation Theory)

The dissertation is a core component of all Masters programmes at SOAS. The supervised dissertation research requires the ability to work independently on an original piece of research, to demonstrate familiarity with the relevant literature and present the resulting dissertation in a clear and organised format.

The research and writing of the Masters dissertation is a crucial component of Research-based Masters training.

The dissertation has a word limit of 10,000 words and it may take the form of a translation project (60%) with commentary (40%) or a theoretical discussion of translation grounded in an African or Asian language.

The dissertation counts for 33% of the overall degree. For details on presentation and submission dates, see the Postgraduate Taught Degree Dissertation Guidelines.

Objectives and learning outcomes of the module

At the end of the course, students should have:

• A solid foundational knowledge of the techniques, argumentation and theoretical issues in the core areas of formal linguistics (phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics)
• The ability to apply their subject knowledge and methodology to a specific research problem in translation theory
• The skills required to pursue independent research in an academic context
• The ability to present their work to different audiences in a clear professional form.

Workload

• Individual supervision of dissertation to a total of 3 hours during the year
• The exact assessment deadline dates are published on the relevant module Moodle/BLE page

Method of assessment

Dissertation Final Submission (worth 100%): 10,000 words, due September following final year of study (exact date determined by School).

Disclaimer

Important notice regarding changes to programmes and modules