This took a long time coming, but it was worth the wait!
The University of Pretoria has taken the lead to tackle South Africa’s many language problems head on, by offering a new MA qualification in Applied Linguistics.
South Africa is in dire need of professionals who can design responsible interventions to solve our many language problems. In fact, as Albert Weideman, chairperson of the Inter-institutional Centre for Language Development and Assessment (ICELDA) points out:
“We have more language problems crying out for designed solutions than can be solved in a lifetime.”
ICELDA is supporting this to the hilt. Our hope is that this may be the start of the formation of a large corps of experts that can bring solutions to the vexing language problems that beset us. The consortium has generously made funds available to ensure the success of this new programme. It has made scholarships available for prospective students, and it hopes that its request to SAALT to match these will also be successful. Their network of professional expertise is available to fill in where the University of Pretoria needs it. We may also look forward to seeing other institutions following suit: there is a good chance of it being offered in Afrikaans at Akademia in good time.
The course will be a taught course, with compulsory modules and electives. For the mini dissertation, a wide panel of supervisory professionals is standing ready.
Thanks very much to Dr Avasha Rambiritch for all the time and effort she and her department have put into this. It has now come to fruition, and will kick off in 2025.
Interested in gaining a qualification of undoubted quality? Get in touch with Dr Avasha Rambiritch (avasha.rambiritch@up.ac.za).
Details of the coursework in the attached brochure: