The interdisciplinary combination of Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies is Carleton’s unique approach to the study of language, bringing together several research areas that have previously had separate academic traditions.

  • Applied Linguistics: in contrast to formal Linguistics with its focus on the structure of language, Applied Linguistics emphasizes language as a system of communication and a form of social action. Its areas of investigation include how languages are assessed, learned and taught.
  • Discourse Studies: this field also emphasizes language as a tool for communication and action in professional and social contexts. Discourse Studies takes a “multi-modal” approach, examining how written, spoken and visual modes of communication interact in workplace and academic settings, as well as in the media and social networking.

Graduates with degrees in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies are well-placed – not simply because of their degrees but because of their training – to take jobs in language education, in government and business, in NGOs, and emerging technologies, both in Canada and abroad.

See what these grads are doing with their degrees

Maria in front of a stop sign written in Inuktitut
Yoichi Mukai headshot
Taelor in front of trees filled with pink cherry blossoms
Jarret Geenen sitting
John with his arms outspread with Vancouver behind him
Christine Rachul with trees as a backdrop
Aman Khan in a suit and tie sitting at a desk
Tina Beynen wearing a scarf in front of a blackboard with types of coffee written on it
Amanda Juby in a parka with ice forming on her eyelids
Matt Falconer
Xuemei Li in a garden
Don looks at the camera
David Cooper
Lauren inside an oversized "Canada 150" picture frame
Ruth Kennedy headshot
Heekyeong in front of a rock wall

Alumni Profiles

Research Areas in Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies

Our faculty members are active in the research of the following areas:

Area of Research
 Faculty Member
Second and foreign language teaching (including TESL)
Curriculum and methodology in second and foreign language teaching		 Randall Gess, Eva Kartchava, Geoffrey G. Pinchbeck, Brian Strong, David Wood
Language testing and assessment Angel Arias
Languages for Academic/Specific Purposes Angel Arias, Guillaume Gentil, Geoffrey G. Pinchbeck, Michael Rodgers 
Second language acquisition Randall Gess, Eva Kartchava, Geoffrey G. Pinchbeck, Michael Rodgers, Brian Strong, David Wood
Second language pronunciation Randall Gess
Formulaic language and phraseology Brian Strong, David Wood
Writing in academic, professional, and community contexts Natasha Artemeva, Richard Darville, Guillaume Gentil, Geoffrey G. Pinchbeck, Jaffer Sheyholislami, Graham Smart, Rachelle Vessey
Second language writing and biliteracy Guillaume Gentil
Discourse analysis

  • Written, spoken and multimodal text
  • Cross-cultural/intercultural
  • Critical discourse analysis
  • Computer-assisted/corpus-based
  • Genre analysis
  • Digital media
 Natasha Artemeva, Chris Cox, Guillaume Gentil, Marie-Odile Junker, Jaffer Sheyholislami, Graham Smart, Rachelle Vessey
Language and identity Erik Anonby, Chris Cox, Guillaume Gentil, Jaffer Sheyholislami, Rachelle Vessey
Language policy and language preservation Erik Anonby, Chris Cox, Marie-Odile Junker, Jaffer Sheyholislami, Rachelle Vessey
Language documentation and language mapping Erik Anonby, Chris Cox, Marie-Odile Junker