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COURSE SYLLABUS

  • SCOPE OF COURSE SYLLABUS


    Intended for students enrolling in Master's Dissertation in T.E.S.O.L. and Applied Linguistics, this syllabus contains information specific to the course. It is a definitive record of the course's primary characteristics and the learning outcomes that a typical student can reasonably be expected to achieve if they take full advantage of the available learning opportunities. This document also serves as a reference for academic and support staff, internal and external examiners, and for future course monitoring and review.


    COURSE AT A GLANCE


    Course Title

    Master's Dissertation in T.E.S.O.L. and Applied Linguistics


    Subject Area

    Linguistics


    Course Code

    LING 89091


    Course Level

    Graduate


    Credits

    8.0


    Prerequisites

    None


    Methods of Delivery

    Face-to-face

    Hybrid

    Online


    Expected Length

    10.0 Weeks


    Class Meetings

    Dependent on the choice made during enrollment


    Faculty

    Jean Bradberry

    Jean.Bradberry@TheAUS.us


    INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY


    Computer Software: Any computer software that aids learning.


    TEXT(S)


    Text 1: DMDTAL

    Title: Doing a Master's Dissertation in TESOL and Applied Linguistics

    Author(s): Lindy Woodrow

    Year Published: 2020

    ISBN: 9781138587298

  • SYNOPSIS


    To earn a Master of Science in Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Applied Linguistics (M.S.Ed. T.E.S.O.L. & Applied Linguistics) degree, students must complete this course and its prerequisite, RESM 50031. These courses are designed to guide students in conducting a research project in T.E.S.O.L. & Applied Linguistics, which will culminate their experiences in the M.S.Ed. T.E.S.O.L. & Applied Linguistics program and validate them as expert researchers and practitioners. Upon completing the thesis proposal and work in RESM 51011, students must receive approval from the Linguistics faculty and be ready to complete the thesis writing. The master's thesis, upon completion, should answer a fundamental research question in the subject matter of choice. It should be an academic paper based on data that can be acquired, cleaned, and analyzed within a semester, emphasizing clarity and policy relevance.


    LEARNING OUTCOMES


    Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:


    • Design and execute a meaningful research project that demonstrates linguistic thinking and uses the knowledge and skills learned in the M.S.Ed. T.E.S.O.L. & Applied Linguistics.

    • Undertake the research process and be aware of research obligations and pitfalls.

    • Articulate research or project objectives clearly, situate research within an academic or scholarly context, state claims and evidence clearly, and assess the validity of claims, evidence, outcomes, and results.

    • Utilize the Microsoft Office software suite and a bibliographic reference manager competently and efficiently to produce documents that meet M.S.Ed. TESOL & Applied Linguistics requirements and show the work to advantage.

    • Narrate the research process clearly in the form of a formal multi-chapter master’s research manuscript, structured according to the approved M.S.Ed. TESOL & Applied Linguistics research style.

    • Describe the master’s research clearly and succinctly, in written form, to faculty, mentors, and potential sponsors.

  • WEEK 1


    Module 1

    Supervisors, Supervision, and Choosing a Topic

    Reference(s): DMDTAL Ch1-2 and Ch6


    Module 2

    Reviewing the Literature

    Reference(s): DMDTAL Ch3


    Module 3

    Methodological approach

    Reference(s): DMDTAL Ch4


    WEEK 2


    Module 4

    The Dissertation Proposal

    Reference(s): DMDTAL Ch5


    Module 5

    Data Collection

    Reference(s): DMDTAL Ch7


    Module 6

    Data Analysis

    Reference(s): DMDTAL Ch8


    WEEK 6-10


    Research Project

    Reference(s): DMDTAL Ch7-16

  • PROFESSIONALISM


    WEIGHT: 10.0%
    DEADLINE: 23:59 (GMT+0) on Sunday of Week 10

    All students are expected to participate actively in discussions, class exercises, activities, simulations and group work. Regular attendance, preparation and participation in class discussions (online and in discussion forums) are required. Good attendance results in more opportunities to engage in quality participation and earn a higher participation grade.


    Class participation and discussion indicate that students have read the assigned readings. Grades will not be based on the number of posts submitted or comments made in a class, but rather the overall contribution to the discussion. Students are encouraged to exchange contact information and provide support to one another if a class is missed. They must contact the course instructor if concerned about attendance or in need of additional information on any assignment. If a student is unable to attend 3 or more classes, then they may be asked to complete additional assignments in order to complete a course.


    FINAL RESEARCH WRITING


    WEIGHT: 90.0%
    DEADLINE: 23:59 (GMT+0) on Sunday of Week 10
  • PARTICIPATION POLICY


    Please be sure to review the following important information about the University Policies and Procedures.


    All students must participate in all classroom activities, attend classes regularly, and prepare before classes for classroom activities that require advance preparation. Students need to fully appreciate that good attendance results in more opportunities to engage in quality participation, which, in turn, results in a more thorough acquisition of subject knowledge and higher participation grades.

    Participation in classroom discussions indicates that students have read the assigned readings. Grades will not be based on the number of posts submitted or comments made in the classroom but on the overall quality of contributions to discussions.

    If a student is unable to attend 3 or more classes, he/she may be asked to complete additional assignments to complete the course.


    Mode of Attendance


    For the portion of the course that takes place over Microsoft Teams:


    Students are required to arrive on time and engage appropriately with their fellow students, their teacher(s) and course materials. They must attend with a functional web camera and microphone, have the latest version of Microsoft Teams installed on their computers, avoid attending via a mobile phone or web browser, and have all necessary materials to hand. Also, their cameras must be always switched on, except for occasions when privacy becomes a necessity. In addition, they must be appropriately attired, attend in an environment that will not distract them, their fellow students or their teacher(s), especially avoiding attending while in a vehicle, whether moving or stationary.


    For the on-campus portion of the course:


    The mandatory on-campus session meets as per the AUS Campus schedule. Good attendance is required to earn credits and pass the course. Students cannot arrive late or leave early. Students traveling from afar must plan accordingly, giving themselves plenty of time to arrive by the start of class. No exceptions can be granted.


    Classroom Expectations


    Classes start and end on time, with late entry or reentry allowed only under exceptional circumstances. All phones and electronic devices must be turned off.


    GRADING


    The expectation is that students read assigned materials prior to class. Class discussions are based on their reading of these materials and their reflections on what they have learned and how these relate to their experiences. Assignments are intended to encourage students’ exploration, reflection on and synthesis of assigned topics and course discussions.

    Assessments are listed in the course syllabus and are due by the stipulated deadlines.

    No assessment will be accepted after the day following the day it is due. If an assessment submission is one day late late, it will receive an automatic reduction in grade of one letter, for example, from an A to a B. After that, no late work will be accepted, and the student will receive an F grade for the assessment.

    Submission of late papers must be approved in advance. Late final papers will not be accepted.


    ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY


    Students are responsible for understanding the University Policies and how to use sources responsibly. Violations of academic integrity are taken very seriously. Students are asked to visit the course RESM 50011: Fundamentals of Graduate Research Reading and Writing to review important information on academic citation and referencing rules.


    ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES POLICY


    The University is committed to providing an accessible academic community. The Disability Services (DS) is responsible for providing accommodations to students with disabilities. Students must request accommodations or adjustments through the DS. Instructors cannot grant accommodation requests without prior DS approval. It is imperative to be in touch with the DSS as soon as possible to avoid delays in the provision of an accommodation.

    The University takes student privacy seriously. Any medical documentation should be provided directly to the DS if a substantial accommodation is required. If a student misses any classes due to a short-term illness, he/she should notify his/her instructor but to avoid the inclusion of a doctor's note. Course staff will not request, accept, or review doctor's notes or other medical documentation. For more information, email DS@TheAUS.us


    PUBLISHING OR DISTRIBUTING COURSE MATERIALS POLICY


    Students may not post, publish, sell, or otherwise publicly distribute course materials without the written permission of the course instructor. Such materials include, but are not limited to, the following: lecture notes, lecture slides, video, or audio recordings, assignments, problem sets, examinations, other students’ work, and answer keys. Students who sell, post, publish, or distribute course materials without written permission, whether for the purposes of soliciting answers or otherwise, may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including a requirement to withdraw. Furthermore, students may not make video or audio recordings of class sessions for their own use without written permission from the instructor.


    ETHICS AND USE OF PRIOR MATERIALS


    It is never appropriate to use materials prepared for previous courses by students or faculty. Students should not use previously completed case write-ups, or summaries of readings.


    WEEKLY CLASS MEETING SCHEDULE


    Additional information can be found on the course website.

    Please note: the syllabus may be modified prior to and during a course, including updates to assignments and additional material.

OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

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