Postgraduate study

Postgraduate taught 

Applied Linguistics MSc

Systemic Functional Linguistics and its Applications ENGLANG5121

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: School of Critical Studies
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course presents a Masters-level overview of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) as a theory of language in use. It will provide students with analytical skills for text-based research across a variety of professional, political and social contexts. The course covers lexicogrammatical and textual analysis and the relationship between text and context.

Timetable

10 x 1hr lectures, 10 x 1hr practical workshops over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus. 

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

N/A

Assessment

Two technical exercises (1250 words each) - 25% each

One written assignment (2500 words) - 50%.

Course Aims

This course will aim to provide the opportunity to:

 

 Acquire a core understanding of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and its applications to social and professional issues

 Carry out a variety of lexicogrammatical and semantic analyses on different types of data

 Critically contrast alternative approaches to text analysis within SFL

Analyse independently-collected data and design an applied research project

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

 

 Identify and categorise functional elements of clause and group structure within the framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics

Present complex analyses in graphic and/or tabular form to illustrate patterns in linguistic data

Interpret patterns in linguistic data 

 Relate text types to social function

 Determine the appropriate data sets and methods of analysis for applying SFL in an independent research

  project

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.