The staged MA in Literacy Programme Development is for you if are planning and developing literacy and education programmes for both adults and children, particularly in ethnolinguistic minority contexts. You will:
- grow in your understanding of the ways in which language and culture contribute to sustainable human development and an understanding of the role of education in poverty alleviation
- discover how, through well-designed education and literacy programmes, communities can contribute to improve their economic situation, embrace their culture and understand the Bible in a way that speaks to their hearts
The MA is taught in partnership with Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL International, as part of Redcliffe's Centre for Linguistics, Translation and Literacy (formerly ETP UK).
The course leader is Catherine Young.
The MA in Literacy Programme Development is validated by the University of Gloucestershire.
The taught component of the MA takes place at Redcliffe College in Gloucester.
The 18-week Postgraduate Certificate stage is normally followed by a supervised field internship of up to two years*. To gain the MA, the Postgraduate Diploma and Dissertation stages are then completed.
Assignments draw strongly on practical examples and provide an opportunity for reflection on previous experience in multilingual cross-cultural settings.
The MA will cover the following issues relevant to literacy work in minority language contexts including:
- Introduction to language and communication
- Practical phonetics and exploration of culture and language acquisition
- Contemporary understandings of the nature of literacy and literacy work within international development
- Principles of working with adults and communities to develop their capacity for language and literacy development
- Theories of learning, reading and strategies of literacy and curriculum development, particularly in a minority language context
- Instructional approaches for teaching reading and writing
- Areas of anthropology and sociolinguistics relevant to cross-cultural communication
- Developing writing systems for previously unwritten languages, taking into account linguistic and other factors
- Production of instructional and other literacy materials at local level
- Planning and implementation of language development projects in minority language projects
- Principles and practice of multilingual education informal schooling in minority language contexts
Individual modules are outlined below - please follow the links for more detailed information about each component.
Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)
Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)
Dissertation if doing full MA
Your dissertation is expected to be on an aspect of literacy programme work relevant to your work situation. You will be supervised jointly by staff from Redcliffe’s Centre for Linguistics, Translation and Literacy and SIL International, or other appropriately-qualified staff.
Please note: The usual entry requirements for a Redcliffe College postgraduate course apply. In addition, we require assurance that you expect to have a suitable internship assignment with SIL or equivalent in another setting.
Detailed programme specifications are available for download here.
* Please note: The two-year gap between the PGCert stage and the PGDip stage is to enable students to put into practice what they have learned in the PGCert stage modules and to gain experience and data that can be used in the PGDip stage modules. Students with previous field experience and access to relevant data can take the PGDip stage immediately after completing the PGCert stage. Non-Wycliffe students who are members of another mission agency may undertake an appropriate field assignment with their mission agency. In addition, other possible ways of completing the MA are open to negotiation – please contact the Course Leader, Catherine Young or the Director of CLTL.
Course dates
Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert): 23 July - 30 November 2018.
There will be no lectures during 22 to 26 October 2018.
Application deadline: 11 June 2018
Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip): 7 January - 7 June 2019
There will be no lectures during 14 to 22 February, or 8 to 6 April 2019.
Application deadline: Monday 26th November 2018
For full course dates, please click here: 2019
Tuition Fees
The tuition fees for 2019 are as follows: PGDip: £2,500, Dissertation: £900.
For information about accommodation, please see our living in Gloucester page. For more details about course fee breakdown, see our course fees page.