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MA British Sign Language and Applied Language Studies

Key information

UCAS code
Q1AL
Level
Undergraduate
Delivery type
Full Time
Degree qualification
MA
Mode of delivery
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Location
edinburgh
Start date
September

The MA (Hons) British Sign Language and Applied Language Studies programme will prepare you to become professionals working with deaf communities who use British Sign Language. 

This degree is designed to lead you from a beginners level of British Sign Language (BSL), to achieving professional competence in signed interactions. You will learn from a series of intensive courses which will provide you with the necessary cultural, social, political, and linguistic knowledge which will form your ability to become reflective practitioners and will prepare you for postgraduate study. By the end of this degree, you will be trained to a high professional standard to work in applied settings with BSL.  

In your third year, you’ll take part in a work-based placement within BSL-focused, Deaf-led organisations or interpreting providers, which will allow you to develop your BSL skills and apply your knowledge of working with members of the Deaf community.  

You’ll benefit from the industry relevance of the programme, which will set you up for life after graduation. Upon completion, you’ll be equipped with the professional skills and qualities necessary to work in applied settings with BSL.  

Your student experience

Our MA British Sign Language and Applied Languages degree is taught by experienced, leading academics who, in many cases, have published the research which shapes their disciplines and written the books which will guide your learning. Many academics balance teaching time with continued professional practice as translators, interpreters, practitioner psychologists, tax and finance specialists and management consultants. They bring real-world experience to the classroom. 

Go Global

There are currently no Go Global opportunities for this particular programme. However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact goglobal@hw.ac.uk for more information.

Course content

September Intake - Edinburgh

Mandatory September

  • BSL Intensive Beginners 1
  • Introduction to Language and Intercultural Studies

Mandatory January

  • BSL Intensive Beginners 2
  • Introduction to Deaf History and Culture

Fees and funding

StatusFee
ScotlandPaid by SAAS
England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland£9,250
International£18,704
  • Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
  • International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).

Scholarships and bursaries

Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales

In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible undergraduate students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:

  • Heriot-Watt University Bursary (up to £3,100 per year)
View details

Entry requirements

We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.

  • Highers: AABB
  • A-Level: BBC
  • BTEC: DMM
  • IB Diploma: 30 points
  • HNC: Pass with B in Graded Unit
  • HND: Pass with BB in Graded Units
  • SWAP: BBB

Why Heriot-Watt

We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.

We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.

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