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Doctor of Applied Language Sciences

The Doctor of Applied Language Sciences (DALS) programme aims to help nurture and develop future leaders in language-related professions.

Students will investigate developments in language sciences and develop an advanced understanding of the inextricable link between theory and practice. They will be able to integrate linguistic knowledge and research skills with reflective practice in coping with the demands and development of their careers as language professionals in this age of globalisation and digitalisation.

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DALS_Focus Areas

Doctor of Applied Language Sciences – a professional doctorate programme by the Faculty of Humanities (FH)
A professional academic team combining experts from the Departments of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, Computing, English and Communication and the English Language Centre, DALS offers students an opportunity to broaden and deepen their knowledge by pursuing a qualification of direct relevance to their chosen profession, with advanced programme of study and research in areas of professional working in practices.

The flexible study mode of 4-year full-time or 5-year part-time provides students with different options to complete the programme according to their preferred pace.

Combining taught subjects and research component, students are required to complete 48 credits for graduation. Among them, 24 credits are designated to a thesis which reflects the student’s knowledge and understanding of the related literature and of the research methodology appropriate to the investigation. The thesis is also a viable demonstration of the student’s ability to provide innovative insights to the practice of the profession and to apply theoretical knowledge to the solution of a significant applied problem. An oral examination of the thesis will be held. Aside from the compulsory subjects within the 24-credit taught subjects, students can choose subjects in the following 4 focus areas, which our academic staff members from the teaching departments are all specialised in:

Language Education

This area focuses on the frameworks of knowledge and skills that underpin language education theories of linguistics and language learning, discourse and corpus analysis, and the role of language in society and on language education itself, particularly trends in teaching, learning, curriculum development and assessment. Another important focus is on the processes involved in first and second language acquisition.

Intercultural and Professional Communication

The emphasis here is on the key concepts, issues and practices in intercultural, organizational and professional communication, and on analysing spoken, written and multimodal discourses in a range of intercultural and professional contexts. The area addresses the need for individual professionals to acquire expertise in relevant fields of knowledge, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, methodologies, applications and frameworks of evaluation to comprehend the complexities of professional communication in intercultural and media-based settings. The subjects associated with this area also aim to enhance both professional and personal communicative competence.

Translating and Interpreting

This area focuses on providing professional training to university teachers and those who are currently working in the fields of translation and interpreting but do not hold formal academic credentials. The area encompasses the understanding of general linguistic theories, rhetorical studies in cross-cultural contexts, contemporary theories of translation and interpreting, and recent discoveries in typological divergencies amongst languages.

Speech Sciences, Language Processing, and Cognition
This focus area is built on the knowledge of how language is processed, with the intention to apply this knowledge to areas such as communication disorders, digital humanities, language and speech sciences, language technology and neuro-cognitive approaches to language use and language learning. Language technology, including computational and neuro-cognitive technologies, permeates many aspects of life and has an indispensable role to play in the delivery of language policies, language education and language related health care, as well as in a wide range of content industries and the knowledge economy. A critical understanding of how language is processed in the mind as well as language processing technologies is an essential part of a professional’s competence. The focus area is suited for professionals whose work is related to one or more of the following academic fields: Communication Disorder and Speech Therapy, Digital Humanities, Health Informatics, Natural Language Processing and Neuro-cognitive Linguistics.

 

Remarks: Starting from the 2022/23 intake cohort, students enrolled on taught postgraduate programmes are required to complete a 3-hour online module plus 3 hours of self-study on “Understanding China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, P.R.C” and pass the assessment (multiple attempts allowed) in the form of multiple-choice questions online, normally within their first year of studies, as a graduation requirement.
For more information about application and to apply through our online admission system, please visit Study@PolyU.

Programme Code/Duration
03002-DFF (for 4-year full-time) OR
03002-DPT (for 5-year part-time)
Students who wish to extend their studies beyond normal duration can submit such request to the Faculty of Humanities for consideration, as appropriate (applicable as from the 2020/21 intake cohorts).  
Entrance Requirements

In addition to meeting the academic entrance requirements, applicants are required to have substantial and relevant work experience, i.e.,
A Master’s degree or equivalent in a related field PLUS five years post-undergraduate work experience;
OR
A Master’s degree or equivalent in a related field PLUS two years post-Master's work experience.

English Language Requirements
The English Language Requirements for those who do not have a degree from a recognised university at which the language of instruction is English are:

An overall score of at least 6.5 (all sub-scores should be at least 6.0) in International English Language Testing System (IELTS); OR
A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 90 for the internet-based test (with a writing score of at least 23).

 

Comparable scores obtained from other internationally recognized public examinations may be considered.
All English language test scores are considered valid for two years after the testing date.
Individual cases will be considered on their own merits. Applicants may be required to attend interviews and/or tests to demonstrate they possess the required level of language proficiency needed for carrying out research in their area of enquiry.

Total Credits  49 (24 credits for coursework, 24 credits for thesis and 1 credit for Academic Integrity and Ethics (AIE) requirement)
Intake Number  24
Tuition Fee  HK$7,600 per credit
Extension Fee  HK$19,000 per semester

We offer scholarships exclusively to outstanding students with excellent academic merits.

PolyU reserves the right to change or withdraw the scholarship at any time. In case of any dispute/disagreement, PolyU’s decision is final.

Important Notice: The Faculty of Humanities and DALS programme are not affiliated with any outside agencies or consultancies that claim to provide assistance in preparing applications, references, interviews, or vetting for recruitment procedures. The decision for selection and recruitment lies entirely with the faculty and university; any applications containing inauthentic documents will risk immediate disqualification.

The Faculty of Humanities collaborates with a number of internationally prestigious institutions as professional and academic partners to ensure that students can benefit from contributions overseas as well as local scholars, researchers and practitioners through formal and informal exchange initiatives.


Our research centres include:

Meet our Programme Team

Programme Committee Chairperson
DALS-ZHU Xinhua_2
Prof. ZHU Xinhua
Professor
Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies

Research Interests
Cognitive processes of reading in alignment with curriculum and assessment, Construct of integrated writing in Chinese as a first language, Oral interactional competence focusing on strategy use, Establishment of assessment standards to promote ability-oriented curriculum, and Assessment for learning (AfL) especially teaching students higher-order thinking skills.
More
Contact Information

Email:
ctxhzhu@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG505
Tel: 3400  3840
Programme Leader
DALSProf LI Shaofeng118x160
Prof. LI Shaofeng
Professor
Department of English and Communication

Research Interests
Second language acquisition, task-based language learning and teaching, individual difference factors (age, anxiety, enjoyment, language aptitude, motivation, working memory, etc.), corrective feedback, second language writing, research methods, technology and language learning, meta-analysis
More
Contact Information

Email:
shaofeng.li@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG429
Tel: 2766 7539
DALS-Chan_Shui_Duen
Prof. CHAN Shui-duen
Research Professor
Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies

Research Interests
Chinese language (including Putonghua) teaching and assessment; Language-in-education policy; Teaching Chinese as a second language; Chinese register study; Bilingual communication; Sociolinguistics
More
Contact Information

Email:
shui.duen.chan@polyu.edu.hk
Office: GH512 
Tel: 3400 3271
DALS-Andrew_Cheung
Dr CHEUNG Kay Fan Andrew
Associate Professor
Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies

Research Interests
Simultaneous interpreting, Consecutive interpreting
More
Contact Information

Email:
andrew.cheung@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG513 
Tel: 2766 7448
Prof Louise CUMMINGS118x160
Prof. Louise CUMMINGS
Professor
Department of English and Communication

Research Interests
Communication Disorders; Pragmatic Disorders; Speech and Language Therapy; Clinical Linguistics; Pragmatics; Public Health Reasoning
More
Contact Information

Email:
louise.cummings@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG407
Tel: 2766 7978
Dr Nate Ming Curran118x160
Dr Nate Ming CURRAN
Assistant Professor
Department of English and Communication

Research Interests
Intercultural Communication, Gig Economy, Cosmopolitanism, Motivations for Language Learning
More
Contact Information

Email:
nate-ming.curran@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG410 
Tel: 2766 6094
Dr William FENG118x161
Dr William Dezheng FENG
Associate Professor
Department of English and Communication

Research Interests
Multimodal Discourse Analysis, Systemic Functional Theory, Media and Communication, Multiliteracies and Language Teaching
More
Contact Information

Email:
will.feng@polyu.edu.hk 
Office: AG408
Tel: 2766 4383
Prof Eric Friginal118x160
Prof. Eric FRIGINAL
Head and Professor
Department of English and Communication

Research Interests
Workplace Communication, Social Media Discourse, English for Global Aviation, Language, Discourse, and Policy (micro and macro contexts), Identity Construction, Migration, Diaspora
Discourse of Multimodal and Multicultural Workplaces, Global Call Centers, Maritime Communication
More
Contact Information

Email:
eric.friginal@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG401a
Tel: 2766 7352
DALS-Huang_Churen
Prof. HUANG Chu-ren
Chair Professor
Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies

Research Interests
Computational Linguistics, Lexical Semantics, Ontology, Corpus Linguistics, Language Archives
More
Contact Information

Email:
churen.huang@polyu.edu.hk
Office: GH513 
Tel: 2766 4832
Prof Li Dechao118x161
Prof. LI Dechao
Professor
Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies

Research Interests
Corpuses-based translation studies, Corpus-based interpreting studies, Empirical approaches to translation process research, Experimental approaches to translation quality assessment, History of translation in the late Qing and early Republican periods, Literary translation studies, PBL and translator/ interpreter training, Translation and critical discourse analysis, Translation and narratology, Translation in bilingual corporate communication context
More
Contact Information

Email:
dechao.li@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG518b 
Tel: 2766 7458
 
 Li Ping_118x160
Prof. LI Ping
Dean of FH, Sin Wai Kin Foundation Professor in Humanities and Technology and Chair Professor of Neurolinguistics and Bilingual Studies
Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies

Research Interests
Bilingualism, Reading Comprehension, Brain Basis of Language Learning, Cyber-enabled Technology and Cognitive Computing
More
 Contact Information

Email:
ping2.li@polyu.edu.hk
Office: GH801a
Tel: 3400 8210
DALS-Maggie_Li
Dr LI Wenjie Maggie
Associate Professor
Department of Computing

Research Interests
Natural Language Processing, Social Media Mining, Text Mining, Information Retrieval, Extraction and Summarizationt
More

Contact Information

Email:
cswjli@comp.polyu.edu.hk
Office: PQ707 
Tel: 2766 7297

Dr Linda LIN118x161
Dr Linda LIN
Senior Teaching Fellow
English Learning Centre

Research Interests
Lexical studies, Corpus analysis and application of concordancing in teaching and learning, Academic writing, Modern technology in assisting student writing
More

Contact Information

Email:
linda.lin@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG618
Tel: 2766 7501

 Dr LIU Kanglong118x160
Dr LIU Kanglong
Assistant Professor
Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies

Research Interests
Empirical Approaches to Translation; Corpus-based Translation Studies; Translation Teaching
More
Contact Information

Email:
kl.liu@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG518d
Tel: 2766 7451
Dr Ngai Sing Bik Cindy118x160
Dr NGAI Sing Bik Cindy
Associate Professor
Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies


Research Interests
Bilingual Communication in the Corporate Context; Crisis Communication; Leader Communication and Intercultural Communication in New Media; Chinese Theatre Study and Translation
More

Contact Information

Email:
cindy.sb.ngai@polyu.edu.hk
Office: AG520b
Tel: 2766 7465
Dr Jane Robbins118x161
Dr Jane ROBBINS
Interim Director
English Learning Centre

More
Contact Information

Email:
jane.robbins@polyu.edu.hk 
Office: A610a
Tel: 2766 7535

Prof Siok Wai Ting118x161
Prof. SIOK Wai Ting
Head and Professor
Department of Chinese & Bilingual Studies


Research Interests
Language Neuroscience, Language Development, Developmental Dyslexia, Reading Development

Contact Information

Email:
wai-ting.siok@polyu.edu.hk 
Office: AG503a
Tel: 2766 7440

All teaching staff at Adjunct Assistant Professor (who are retirees or serving PolyU staff members affiliated with FH department/unit) / Research Assistant Professor/ Principal Lecturer/Senior Teaching Fellow or above of FH may be appointed as supervisors for DALS students. The students are welcome to visit the websites of the following contributing departments for further information about our academic staff:

Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/cbs/people/academic-staff/
Department of English and Communication: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/engl/people/academic-staff/
English Language Centre: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/elc/people/academic/
Department of Computing: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/comp/people/academic-staff/
Enquiries
For further programme information, please contact the Faculty Office
Email: rachella.li@polyu.edu.hk / vanessa-np.tse@polyu.edu.hk
Tel: (852) 3400 8219/ 3400 8221

For information on academic matters, please contact Prof. LI Shaofeng (Programme Leader)
Email: shaofeng.li@polyu.edu.hk
Tel: (852) 2766 7539

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