Applied English Linguistics

Programme overview

Applied English Linguistics programme responds to the changing labour market, where there is a strong demand for skills in intercultural communication, translation/ interpretation skills, skills in information technologies, multilingual proficiency and application of linguistic knowledge in English language teaching.

The aim of the programme:

• To educate highly qualified specialists who possess comparative knowledge and assessment skills of two cultures and languages — English and Lithuanian — and are able to independently apply their acquired knowledge in work in academic and cultural institutions, business companies, and various international institutions and projects, especially those institutions and organizations that cooperate with European Union states.
• To educate highly qualified translators who possess knowledge of various principles of English and Lithuanian text production and editing and are able to use modern term-search and automated translation memory systems.
• To train students for doctoral studies by expanding the range of academic and research topics so that these would include comparative linguistics, translation theory and cross-cultural analysis.

Objectives acquired

You will be able to:

• Apply current concepts from translation theory and practice in analyzing and translating English texts of different functional styles and genres.
• Develop the skills needed to work with specialized texts (business, legal, academic, etc.), to choose appropriate translation strategies for dealing with such texts.
• Use automated translation programs and corpus lexicography.
• Apply the current theories related to issues in literary translation.
• Use your knowledge and understanding of intercultural research; develop the skills needed to analyze data for intercultural communication, especially as this is relevant in the context of European or transnational projects implemented for a specific company or institution.
• Work as partners in common projects with various educational and other institutions, especially those which cooperate with the other European Union states.
• Apply their acquired research skills in the spheres of translation, English philology and cultural studies.

Student Testimonials

“I will never forget…“

I will never forget the people I met in the university – so friendly, sincere and always ready to help. I found my best friends here.

I will never forget my course friends and teachers that gave me some of my best years in my life – things are not the same without you.

I will never forget the atmosphere of being a member of a very sincere and close family during my study years.

Therefore, your mission is accomplished – I am in love with languages and translation, all that magic play of words and meanings.
A letter from Dominika. Lithuania. Graduate and an employee at an EU institution in Luxembourg.

The programme has provided me with invaluable experience and knowledge that I have been applying in my professional life to this day. The curriculum components were extremely useful while I was teaching in the Lithuanian Language and Culture Summer Academy. They still are in my present employment at the Institute of the Lithuanian Language, where I primarily deal with English-Lithuanian terminology issues, which requires IT and translation skills. Moreover, being a doctoral student in the Philology programme at VMU, I am now pursuing one more venue opened up by the Applied English Linguistics programme.
Sandra. Lithuania. Graduate and a junior researcher at the Institute of the Lithuanian Language

Competencies acquired

• The developed skills needed to work with specialized texts (business, legal, academic, etc.) and different functional styles and genres.
• Practical skills in using automated translation programs and corpus lexicography.
• Ability to use the acquired knowledge of intercultural research and intercultural communication.
• Ability to apply the acquired research skills in the spheres of translation, English and Lithuanian philology, and cultural studies.

Career opportunities

Graduates of the Applied English Linguistics Programme may work in educational and cultural institutions, translation agencies, publishing companies and tourist agencies, banks and various international and Lithuanian companies which need staff members who are able to deal with intercultural differences and provide high quality translation services; continue their academic career by entering doctoral studies in the field of humanities.

Programme structure

Every semester you will have 4 compulsory courses and 1 elective course to take. From the second semester one of the courses will be Research paper preparation (2 in total). Research papers may lead to your Final Master Thesis (research paper) which you need to prepare and present during your last (4^th) study semester.

Curriculum

Admission Requirements

• • Bachelor degree diploma or equivalent degree in English Philology or a corresponding study field. The Bachelor Degree shall contain at least 30 ECTS in an English Philology study program.
  • Proof of English Language: applicant has to present document proving B2 level (TOEFL 87-109 iBT/534-633 PBT, IELTS 5-6,5, Cambridge English First (FCE) 161-180, BEC Vantage 161-180, Michigan ECCE (min. 650), PTE General Level 3, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785, TOEIC Speaking & Writing 310, Duolingo 100-125, EnglishScore 400-499) if the applicant is not native speaker and/or had not received education in English.
  • Admission score is counted based on: Motivation letter* 0.2 + Arithmetic average of bachelor degree diploma supplement all subjects * 0.3 + Arithmetic average of bachelor degree diploma subjects in English philology * 0.3 + Evaluation of bachelor thesis or final examination* 0.2.

  In case there is no evaluation of bachelor thesis or final examination, arithmetic average of bachelor degree diploma supplement all subjects plus subjects in English philology * 0.8.