Modules and Courses

Modular Structure

The programme is highly modular, that is studies are organized in the form of modules, each of which comprises several classes. Assignments and exams take place in particular modules, i.e., they encompass the whole respective modules. They may also include special forms of assignments or projects which are based on the knowledge acquired in particular modules. In “empirical” modules students plan, design and analyse experiments which are grounded in theoretical knowledge provided in “theoretical” modules. The programme is unrivalled in its combination of theoretical and empirical linguistics, which will provide students with cutting-edge skills and competences and enhance their career options in the world of education and training as well as in the world of work.

This is a two-year programme (four semesters), comprising 800 hours, 120 ECTS credit points (whereby the majority of credit points, 78 ECTS, concern elective classes). The programme consists of core and specialized modules. Core modules aim at establishing a firm and uniform foundation for all students attending the programme, independently of their previous background. These modules are compulsory and cover a set of core topics in Linguistics. Specialised modules, on the other hand, may be subject to change. This flexibility is crucial, since the programme needs to respond successfully and effectively to the fast pace of evolution that characterises the study of language, and also wants to maintain its ability to react and adapt quickly to changes on the job market for our graduates.

In the first semester students must attend the following core classes: Module 1 “Basics: Theoretical Linguistics” (courses: Syntax, Morphology, Phonetics and Phonology, Semantics and Pragmatics), Module 2 “Basics: Psycho- and Neurolinguistics” (courses: Psycholinguistics, Neurolinguistics, Language Acquisition), Module 3 “Empirical Basics” (courses: Statistics, Lab course I: Methods in Corpus Linguistics, Lab class II: Methods in Psycholinguistics).

In the second semester students attend classes whose aim is to broaden the knowledge acquired during the first semester: Module 4 “Language Description and Comparison” (courses: Typology, Historical Linguistics, Structure of a language I, Structure of a language II), Module 5 “Linguistic levels I: Syntax and its interfaces” (courses: Generative Syntax, Seminar), Module 6 “Linguistic levels II: Semantics and its interfaces” (courses: Formal Semantics, Seminar).

In the third semester there are classes aiming at deepening students’ individual interests, thus leading to specialization (which will be later the areas/topics of the M.A. theses), as well as at developing general academic skills, through, for example, the attendance of scientific talks (including own presentations), establishing contacts with other scholars, practical trainings in psycholinguistics labs (EEG lab and eye-tracking lab) (hence preparing students for the pursuit of the ‘lab technical assistant/lab technician’ profession) and practical trainings in the publishing house, Center for General and Comparative Linguistics, (thus teaching students editorial and organizational skills).

Finally, the fourth semester, is entirely devoted to the work on M.A. theses (30 ECTS credit points). Such a model of studies is successfully adapted in Western European universities.

Click here for a more detailed overview of the modules and courses, including the number of study hours, ECTS credits, and assessment measures.

Course Descriptions

Click here to view the timetable of courses for the winter semester.

Syntax

The class investigates various syntactic phenomena, important from a theoretical perspective, in particular recent development in generative syntax. We will discuss the changes in the generative syntax theory since 1990, especially the Minimalist Syntax theory. The questions we will try to answer include: To what extent have the goals of minimalism been successfully achieved? What advantages does a minimalist model have (in comparison with the older models of syntax)? What aspects of the minimalist model of syntax are problematic?

Semantics and Pragmatics

In this class we will learn basic aspects of semantics and pragmatics of natural languages, in particular formal semantics. We will focus on those aspects that are especially relevant to issues related to the syntax-semantics interface. The main focus will be on practicing argumentation skills as well as formal analysis methods.

Phonetics and Phonology

This class introduces students to two areas of linguistic research: phonetics and phonology. We begin by discussing basic concepts of articulatory phonetics and the ways of describing and classifying consonants and vowels. Then, we introduce basic concepts of phonology: the phoneme, phonological representation, phonological structure, phonological rule, etc.. In the last section of the course, we discuss major trends in the development of phonological theory from the phonemic theory to the Optimality Theory.

Morphology

This class will introduce the fundamental aspects of morphological research, such as: inflection, derivation, morphosyntactic typology and familiarize students with interdisciplinary relations between morphology and other branches of linguistics (e.g., neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics).

Psycholinguistics

The course aims at familiarizing students with the history and development of psycholinguistics, as well as with the main theories and terms associated with this field. Also, the course aims at presenting language as the subject of psycholinguistics research and it focuses on explaining the basic ideas and techniques of such research.

Neurolinguistics

The course acquaints students with the knowledge necessary to understand the results of recent neurocognitive research on language processing, in order to actively participate in academic debates and to design their own research projects.

Language Acquisition

This course will acquaint students with the knowledge necessary to understand the results of research on language acquisition presented in the literature, and to actively participate in academic debates and to design their own research projects.

Statistics

This lab-based course is structured to: familiarize the students with the methodology of quantitative research in linguistics; describe the methods of analysing linguistic data with the application of statistical apparatus; develop awareness of the usage and application of the covered statistical analyses; develop students’ skills in formulating adequate conclusions based on the quantitative analyses; develop skills in formulating formal descriptions and presentations of the structure of language with the usage of meta-language specific to the areas of linguistics and statistics; and develop strategies for approaching language from a formal perspective.

Methods in Corpus Linguistics

This course aims to provide students with the knowledge of the methodology of linguistic research that are based on corpora-obtained data. Moreover, students are familiarized with the use of modern available electronic corpora the applicability and limitations of those with respect to data retrieval and theory driven linguistic research.

Methods in Psycholinguistics

This class offers a practical presentation of different empirical methods in linguistics and, in particular, experimental techniques, as well as a hands-on experience in designing psycholinguistic experiments using programming software (e.g. PsychoPy, Presentation). The methods presented include: ERP, eye-tracking and reaction time measuring (e.g., self-paced reading, Stroop-task based methods).

Typology

The aim of this course is to acquaint students with basic knowledge about language typology, the typological approach to language and research on language universals, possible explanations of specific tendencies or patterns observed in the languages of the world as well as patterns or properties that are less common. (Click here for one of our favourite language families infographic.)

Historical Linguistics

The objectives of this course are to familiarize students with the methods of the study of language from an historical perspective; to acquaint students with the basic terms of diachronic linguistics; to show the differences and similarities between languages in the world with emphasis on the importance of the heritage of English; and to instruct students how to use linguistic corpora.

Structure of a Language I

These classes are designed to acquaint students with basic knowledge about different language families, their general semantic, morphological, and syntactic properties, as well as the similarities and differences between individual languages and language families. See the 'Linguistic Journey: Special Seminar Series" below.

Structure of a Language II

These classes are designed to acquaint students with basic knowledge about creole languages, their emergence and development, their general structural properties, as well as similarities and differences between individual creole languages. See the 'Linguistic Journey: Special Seminar Series" below.

Course Syntax

This aim of this class is to acquaint students with expanded knowledge necessary to understand the problems and results of modern research in the areas of generative syntax; to introduce and discuss the model of phase syntax and, in particular, those aspects that are needed for a better understanding of issues from the syntax-semantics interface as well as the morphology/phonology-syntax interface.

Lab course in ‘Generative Syntax’

This course will acquaint students with expanded knowledge about generative syntax, in particular regarding sentential structures, different kinds of movements and extractions, the role of locality, and minimal domains.

Lab course in ‘Formal Semantics’

The aim of this course is to acquaint students with formal semantics models (e.g., event semantics, temporal logic, modal logic) and, in particular, to those aspects of formal semantics that are needed for a better understanding of issues from the syntax-semantics interface.

Language Acquisition, Processing, and Production

The course will approach child language comprehension from empirical and theoretic viewpoints. Students will gain insights into recent empirical findings and experimental methodologies regarding the role of social and visual contextual information for language acquisition and comprehension.

Speech Production

The class aims at acquainting students with basic knowledge about the speech production process necessary to understand the results presented in the literature, to actively participate in academic debates and to design their own research projects.

Language Acquisition and Information Structure: Production and Comprehension

Information structure concerns the way how information is “transmitted” in communication and concerns the prosodic (de/accentuation), lexical (referential choice) and syntactic realization (word order) of utterances. Essential for the successful transfer of information is the consideration of the common ground, i.e. the knowledge that speaker and hearer share. In this course, we discuss language acquisition studies that examined from which age and under which situations are children sensitive to the relationship between information structure categories and the linguistic realization of the utterance in the production and comprehension, and to what extent they consider the perspective of the listener.

The Psycholinguistics of Figurative Language

In figurative expressions meaning is not understood through grammar but is, rather, inferred by reasoning about the speaker’s intentions given a specific context. Studying how figurative language is processed is, therefore, an exciting topic in as much as it can greatly inform our understanding of the interaction between language and thought. In this course, we will approach the phenomenon of non-literal language by looking into the cognitive processes that are (potentially) behind the comprehension of metaphors and irony, as well as critically examining the empirical evidence on the matter. One of the sessions will be a stand-alone lecture on pragmatics and the language of advertisement.

Linguistic Journey - Special Seminar Series

Each year, the ETHEL programme organizes a seminar series featuring renowned linguistics from around the world. Though the series is open to all students and faculty at the university, ETHEL students will attend the classes in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Structure of a Modern Language I and II courses (Module 4).