JYU and the Humanities and Social Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences at JYU

By Frederic and Tara

Today we are going to introduce to you JYU’s programs in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Although there is a broad variety of departments in this faculty and subjects to study, there are basically two Master Programs in English within the department of Language and Communication: Intercultural Communication and Applied Language Studies. So why should you consider studying in the humanities? – To quote one of my lecturers: “You can study e.g. business to become a better business man or woman. But you study humanities to become a better human being!”.

Why study here in Jyväskylä? – Well, there are many good reasons, and many you might have already have read about on this blog: It is a modern, international university with state of the art research, especially regarding the international Masters Degree Programs of ICC and APPLANG! On top of that, the campus and city provide you with a unique opportunity to build up a lasting social and professional network. The programs are also constructed in a way that they give enough room for students to utilize their individual strengths and an individual study paces. Thus, the programs enable a good work-life-balance, and in the rare case you get stressed, you still can enjoy Jyväskylä’s many free time activities, the astonishing nature, or just go to sauna.

In the following, we are trying to give you a brief insight into the international Master Degree programs of Intercultural Communication (ICC) and Applied Language Studies (APPLANG) from our point of view.

ICC - If you are interested in the intercultural dimension of communication and how communication is affected by culture, how to avoid frictions and/or optimize communication in an intercultural background, this is the right degree for you!

The program is very modular and highly individual, meaning that you should already have in mind what you would like to do with this Master’s Degree after finishing your studies. There are many opportunities and many fields within ICC to focus on. To give a few examples: You can focus on an academic career, pushing forward new theories and models for ICC or, if you would like to work in an international company, you can focus on the intercultural dimension of business communication to optimize the communication process. Conflict management is also one of the big topics within the studies of ICC you may focus on. All in all, you have a high self-responsibility within your studies.

However, the theoretical background is rounded up by a mandatory practical part, in which you can choose according your strengths and interests between a minor research article, a work project, or a 2-3-month internship.

In addition, you are rewarded with an international study group and highly skilled, motivated and friendly lectures which really care about you, your individual strengths, interests, and progress.

Read more about the great program of ICC on: https://opiskelu.jyu.fi/en/apply/programmes/icc

APPLANG - The APPLANG program concentrates on the area of Applied Linguistics. You might even be wondering what Applied Linguistics is. I definitely had this question when I was searching for programs! Based on my studies in APPLANG, the best definition of Applied Linguistics I can give is that it is the study of how language is used. I know that sounds super broad, but language is quite broad in itself. APPLANG doesn’t just concentrate on verbal or written language, but also concentrates on non-verbal language too such as images, sign language, and color. One of the key research areas in APPLANG is language and identity. We also do a fair amount of research in language and education, second language acquisition, and language and social media. Whatever your interests are, APPLANG can help you find a way to incorporate them into your studies. APPLANG will teach you some different theories you can use to analyze data so you can use those theories in your analysis.

APPLANG is highly individualistic and so your learning track will most certainly be different than your colleagues and that’s totally okay! Due to the high amount of individualization, the program is very self-study oriented and so you’ll need to be ready to work individually. Group work is an important aspect of the program too and the diversity of APPLANG is something we are incredibly proud of.

If you’re interested in pursuing doctoral studies in Applied Linguistics, APPLANG will most certainly get you ready for that. In some cases, it’s even possible to do the PhD at the same time as the Masters. Other options for APPLANG studies include careers in education, research, and business for example. APPLANG will make sure that you are the language expert and where there is language, there is a need for linguists! Finding your own career path is an integral part of the program and the professors will support you and guide you along the way.

If you love languages, then I guarantee this program is the right one for you! You can read more about the program here: https://opiskelu.jyu.fi/en/apply/programmes/applang

If you have still questions regarding humanities, student life at JYU, or the programs of ICC and APPLANG, you can meet us at the live Q&A on Tuesday 12.12.2017, 17:00-18:00 CET.

Of course, you can also always reach us via mail: frmueller@jyu.student.fi  (ICC) or tara.e.malay@student.jyu.fi (APPLANG).

Make sure to follow us on social media too! We’re highly active and always willing to answer any questions you may send us on our pages!

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