Bridging language diversity: a place for Catalan

The first virtual session will offer an overview of what multilingualism is and of how language policies can manage it. Furthermore, students will be provided with a theoretical introduction to the fields of sociolinguistics and applied linguistics, as well as a foundation on intercomprehension and on multilingual communication. In addition to this, participants will be able to find a list of recommended readings on Moodle (or on the available digital platform), of which a selected number will be compulsory during the course. The remaining seven sessions will be conducted by a different professor, each one. They will first lecture on a topic related to the course (about which the students will have read in advance), and, second, they will moderate a debate in which all students will participate. The main purpose of these sessions is to give students theoretical tools - which will also be used in the physical mobility part -, as well as to develop their critical thinking skills. Discover whereas there is a place for Catalan and other minority languages in today's Europe, and which role do they play in it.

Application Deadline

Virtual Part starting date 2024-05-06

Virtual Part closing date 2024-06-09

Total student workload 75

Specific field of studies Sociolinguistics

Pre-requisite for selection CV Motivation Letter

Academic pre-requisites for applicants The course targets students of all academic levels (undergraduate, master’s and PhD students) who are interested in multilingualism and minoritised languages in European higher education. There is no specific prerequisite on the field but, considering the general topic of the course, extra readings will be given to those who are not familiarised with concepts like "minoritised language", "diglossia", "language policies", etc. In addition, applications coming from undergraduate students with a profile in translation, linguistics, or communication will be particularly taken into account. Course languages are English and Catalan, but no minimum level of Catalan is required. The sessions in Catalan will be the above-developed intercomprehension workshops.

Physical Part starting date 2024-06-10

Physical Part Description Face-to-face sessions will be mainly held in the Sierra Norte de Madrid, at the Residencia la Cristalera that the University owns. This place is equipped with classrooms and also offers facilities for leisure and convivial activities. Thanks to the support of the Ramon Lull Institute - a public body set up with the aim of encouraging the academic study of Catalan language and culture abroad - the course also includes a short immersion stay in Barcelona.

Physical Part closing date 2024-06-13

Language level required Not-applicable

Field of studies related to the course Social Science and Humanities

Course location Madrid, Spain

Course language English