[lihao198808]

Does anyone currently do MA Discourse Studies?

Can you tell me sth about this course?

[FrozenCharlotte]

I got an offer for the MA Language Studies. What I know is that the MA Discourse Studies is a pretty new degree, I think it opened last year. But you shouldn't worry at all about the quality of the course; Lancaster professors are almost without exception leading figures in discourse analysis (especially critical discourse analysis -Ruth Wodak being its leading figure).

[hgp.helena]

Hi!
I have also applied for this degree, and I'm hoping to be accepted.
As I've never studied in the UK, I'd just like to ask if anyone know more or less what age the students taking this degree tend to be.
Thanks

[FrozenCharlotte]

Well, I don't know anyone that's going to study that degree other than the people here. But I'm going to study for the MA Language Studies in the same department and I'm 23

[hgp.helena]

Thanks for the reply

[lihao198808]

(Original post by FrozenCharlotte)
I got an offer for the MA Language Studies. What I know is that the MA Discourse Studies is a pretty new degree, I think it opened last year. But you shouldn't worry at all about the quality of the course; Lancaster professors are almost without exception leading figures in discourse analysis (especially critical discourse analysis -Ruth Wodak being its leading figure).

Are you studying in Lancaster now?

[FrozenCharlotte]

Nope. I am close to moving there, though. I'll start the MA in October.

[hgp.helena]

Same here, I might be starting in October, but I'm still waiting to get to see if my admission is confirmed. I should know it in a couple of weeks...

[FrozenCharlotte]

(Original post by hgp.helena)
Same here, I might be starting in October, but I'm still waiting to get to see if my admission is confirmed. I should know it in a couple of weeks...

Good luck! Let us know how it goes

[lilacs]

Hey,

I hope I'll see both of you around, I am doing an MA in Gender and Women Studies

[FrozenCharlotte]

(Original post by lilacs)
Hey,

I hope I'll see both of you around, I am doing an MA in Gender and Women Studies

Great When are you travelling there?

[lilacs]

September 29th

[FrozenCharlotte]

Just in time for the opening week :P Oks, good luck with your preparations. See you there!

[redwood_phoenix]

Hey,

I'm currently doing the MA Language Studies - there's lots of overlap between us and Discourse students and we often have classes together.

I haven't done any particularly discoursey modules but most people who do seem to enjoy them. And they get a bit starstruck

Someone asked about age - some of us have come straight from uni so are 22/23 or thereabouts, a few are older - late twenties and a couple around 30ish I think. But we all get on fine We're also a very international bunch (as I guess a lot of Grad is here) - some of us are from the UK, but we've got a real mix of nationalities doing discourse/language studies. There are some classes you may take with TEFL/TESOL students too - TEFL students tend to be younger (early twenties) and there are a lot from China this year. TESOL students are slightly older and there's more of a mixture of nationalities.

I did my undergrad in the department too and there are some great staff. Marj, who deals with all the (post-grad) admin is brilliant!

[FrozenCharlotte]

(Original post by redwood_phoenix)
I did my undergrad in the department too and there are some great staff. Marj, who deals with all the (post-grad) admin is brilliant!

I've seriously pestered her with questions and she has answered all of them very politely and promptly =O I was impressed

And thanks for all that information It's a really big change for me going to live to the UK (I'm all the way down in South America :P) and it really helps to know those things. I've talked to other people in Lancs and they have all been really cool. Looks like the environment is quite friendly, which is always a plus.

[redwood_phoenix]

Yeah she's wonderful - we've all just had to fill in some questionnaires about how we found the course and it included adminy stuff so me and my friends have all said how wonderful she is. She's brill - if you're ever doubting yourself she'll cheer you up again. Always has a smile for us! And she gave us chocolate when we got our first set of essays back as it was a pretty scary experience, lol.

We have a few South Americans on the course at that moment - at least one is sticking around to do a PhD too.

I've met some great people during my MA this year as class sizes are much smaller (than undergrad) it's a lot easier to get to know people. Just be prepared for the cold and the rain But Lancaster is quite nice and very easy to get to other places if you want to travel - Manchester's an hour away (and there's an airport) and Edinburgh/Glasgow and London are only about 2-3 hours by train.

[lihao198808]

(Original post by redwood_phoenix)
Hey,

I'm currently doing the MA Language Studies - there's lots of overlap between us and Discourse students and we often have classes together.

I haven't done any particularly discoursey modules but most people who do seem to enjoy them. And they get a bit starstruck

Someone asked about age - some of us have come straight from uni so are 22/23 or thereabouts, a few are older - late twenties and a couple around 30ish I think. But we all get on fine We're also a very international bunch (as I guess a lot of Grad is here) - some of us are from the UK, but we've got a real mix of nationalities doing discourse/language studies. There are some classes you may take with TEFL/TESOL students too - TEFL students tend to be younger (early twenties) and there are a lot from China this year. TESOL students are slightly older and there's more of a mixture of nationalities.

I did my undergrad in the department too and there are some great staff. Marj, who deals with all the (post-grad) admin is brilliant!

Thanks a lot for your information!! Actually I went to visit Lancaster from Portsmouth in Feburary and I found university to be a fantastiv place for postgraduate study. Hope to see you very soon in October!!

[lihao198808]

(Original post by redwood_phoenix)
Yeah she's wonderful - we've all just had to fill in some questionnaires about how we found the course and it included adminy stuff so me and my friends have all said how wonderful she is. She's brill - if you're ever doubting yourself she'll cheer you up again. Always has a smile for us! And she gave us chocolate when we got our first set of essays back as it was a pretty scary experience, lol.

We have a few South Americans on the course at that moment - at least one is sticking around to do a PhD too.

I've met some great people during my MA this year as class sizes are much smaller (than undergrad) it's a lot easier to get to know people. Just be prepared for the cold and the rain But Lancaster is quite nice and very easy to get to other places if you want to travel - Manchester's an hour away (and there's an airport) and Edinburgh/Glasgow and London are only about 2-3 hours by train.

I can't agree with you more. She replied every piece of my email promptly and always politely.

[FrozenCharlotte]

(Original post by redwood_phoenix)
Just be prepared for the cold and the rain

Ha! I have just arrived and have been welcome by the wind and rain today But I'm sure this is nothing compared to winter :P I better get used to the constant drizzle, it seems

[redwood_phoenix]

Oh no - not a good day to arrive!

We had our external examiner's meeting today (basically a chat with someone from outside Lancs to see how we found the course) and it was wet, windy and a bit cold - must have turned up looking rather windswept. I actually forgot it was summer.

I promise there was some sun this week! Even had my sunglasses out.

That said, we do joke that we only get a few weeks of summer here - we had one in March and one in May. Hopefully July and August will be nicer!

But yes, winter is not as nice. It gets colder and windier (today was only a bit windy really).

Hope the weather talk isn't putting everyone off. I don't think it's that bad, we just like to exaggerate. But seriously, bring a waterproof and some layers!