Master of Language and Culture
Study the AUT Master of Language and Culture and further your understanding of multilingualism, cultural competency, discourse, language education, translation and interpreting.
Unique in New Zealand, this new master’s degree provides a fresh and flexible approach to applied and sociolinguistics. You conduct in-depth research and develop high-level reflective, critical, analytical and research tools in your chosen field of language and culture.
The Master of Language and Culture is suitable for professionals and graduates with a background in languages, applied and sociolinguistics, education, translation and interpreting.
Start date: 2023
- Download our Prospectus [PDF, 9.9 MB]
Minimum entry requirements
- A relevant bachelor’s degree with a B grade average or higher in courses at level 7 or equivalent
An applicant’s course of study must be approved by the programme leader prior to enrolment.
In exceptional circumstances an applicant who doesn’t meet the requirements above but who has an appropriate combination of academic and professional experience, may be considered for admission. Contact the programme administrator: cynthia.dsouza@aut.ac.nz
International student entry requirements
English language requirements
- IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with all bands 6.0 or higher
You can choose courses related to your area of interest:
- Language teaching and learning (including TESOL)
- Multilingualism, translanguaging and diversity
- Intercultural communication and competence
- Research methodology
- Language and culture analysis
- Language policy and planning
- Translation
- Interpreting
- Discourse studies
- Sociolinguistics
- Language and literacy education
- Digital literacies
- The languages you have proficiency in (your home language or those learned at school or university)
A feature of the degree is the opportunity to draw on students’ own linguistic backgrounds in a specific project course designed to be assessed multilingually, including (but not exclusive to) Samoan, Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, English and New Zealand Sign Language.
Classes are led by applied and sociolinguists who are national and international leaders in their areas of expertise. You should discuss your course choice and study sequence with the programme leader before enrolling in courses.
Complete the following courses
- CLSY801 Language and Culture Research Methods (15 points)
- CLSY802 Multilingualism, Diversity and Intercultural Communication (15 points)
Optional courses
- CLSY800 Reading Paper (15 points)
- CLSY803 Project: Language and Culture (30 points)
- LING810 Language Analysis (15 points)
- LING812 Discourse Analysis (15 points)
- LNGT801 The Language Learner (15 points) (language teaching experience required)
- LNGT802 Curriculum Design and Assessment (15 points) (language teaching experience required)
- LNGT900 Contemporary Approaches and Issues in Language Teaching (30 points) (language teaching experience required)
- TRIN801 Interpreting: A Critical Approach (30 points) (interpreting/translation experience required)
- TRIN802 Translation: A Critical Approach (30 points) (interpreting/translation experience required)
Complete a thesis or dissertation
- CLSY987 Master of Language and Culture Dissertation (60 points)
- CLSY989 Master of Language and Culture Thesis (120 points)
You need to complete 60 points from courses before you start your thesis (or 120 points if you choose the 60-point dissertation).
With the growth of linguistic and cultural diversity, there’s an urgent demand for graduates who can analyse and apply their advanced professional practice and research to our changed societal conditions.
An advanced understanding of multilingualism and intercultural communication is required in many fields, including:
- Language teaching and education
- Language and cultural policy analysis
- Interpreting (including NZ Sign Language Interpreting)
- Translation
- Research
- Management
- Industry training
- Human resources
- Diplomacy
- NGO positions
17 Jul 2023
($8,957 tuition fees + $1074 student services levy)
($35,100 tuition fees + $1074 student services levy)
- Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
- Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
- There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
- International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.
- The international fees above are for study in 2023. The domestic fees above are the 2022 fees; the 2023 fees will be shown as soon as they’re available.
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.