MULTI4100 – Theoretical Foundations of Multilingualism

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

This course gives a thorough introduction to theories of multilingualism, from both an historical and contemporary perspective. Starting with foundational studies on bilingual acquisition and early systematic approaches to multilingualism at the individual and societal levels, and language maintenance and shift, we will introduce both psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives in research on multilingualism. When Linguistics emerged as a field from the 1920s, the focus was primarily on monolingualism, though advances in Linguistic Anthropology, Sociolinguistics, and Language Acquisition brought about a stronger focus on, and more systematic study of, variation and diversity. The course will shed light on how Multilingualism emerged and gradually consolidated as a research field, and identify areas in which Sociolinguistics and Psycholinguistics share research interests, such as language acquisition, code-switching, and language and emotions.

Learning outcome

Students will be able to:

  • demonstrate knowledge of the historical development as well as the contemporary status of theories of multilingualism
  • explain and compare a range of theoretical approaches to multilingualism
  • critically discuss and assess key questions in multilingualism research

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

To be eligible for this course, you must be enrolled in one of the following master's programs:

Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Formal prerequisite knowledge

This course is obligatory in the first semester of the MA in Multilingualism. No required background studies, but it is recommended that students hold a BA in which they have studied some aspect of linguistic or cultural diversity.

Teaching

Classes are given throughout the semester, 14 double seminars in total.

Each student has to complete a compulsory assignment given by the teacher during the course of the seminar. The assignment must be approved by the teacher before the student can take the final exam.

Examination

Oral exam at the end of the semester.

Language of examination

The exam will be held and answered in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 10:04:39 AM

Facts about this course

Level
Master
Credits
10
Teaching
Autumn
Examination
Autumn
Teaching language
English

Contact

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