Swedish as a second language

The specialist expertise that the third-cycle programme in Swedish as a second language provides is in demand in more and more areas of our multilingual society. A doctoral degree also provides teachers of Swedish as a second language with subject-theoretical qualification to work as a senior lecturer in gymnasium schools, and is also of relevance for language consultants, head teachers and others with responsibility for educational provision. Other areas where research education is of value could include, for example, work in libraries, publishers and mass media.

Specialisation areas in third-cycle programmes in Swedish as a second language

Swedish from a second-language perspective

Specialisation in this area focuses the research on comparative analyses of Swedish with regard to the various descriptive levels of language: phonology, morphology, syntax, vocabulary, semantics, discourse and pragmatics. Typological perspectives and comparative analyses between Swedish and source languages are integral elements of this kind of research.

Swedish as a second language and the learning of second languages

Within this specialisation, the focus is on psycholinguistic aspects of Swedish as a second language in accordance with different theories concerning the learning of second languages. Attention is paid to biological, psychological, cognitive, social and cultural aspects that are of significance to learning in both informal and formal contexts. Analyses of the development of the language being learned from different perspectives provide an important basis, where there is a focus on issues concerning general development patterns, variability and bilingual influence.

Multilingualism and use of a second language

Specialisation in this area focuses on the sociolinguistic aspects of multilingualism and use of a second language, where attention is paid to both individual and societal aspects. Research concerning linguistic socialisation, contact language phenomena such as pidgin and creole languages, and the exchanging of code are of particular relevance, as are studies of linguistic variation viewed from different dimensions. Studies of cross-cultural communication are also included. Language policy and planning are other key subjects in this context.

Swedish as a second language – educational and teaching perspective

This area of specialisation includes studies in Swedish as a second language from (for example) didactic, pedagogical and education-sociological perspectives. Here, the focus is on the formal learning of second languages and on aspects of multilingual and multicultural education. Studies will include the development of reading and writing, and the teaching of second languages. Critical perspectives on education and teaching of a second language from the perspective of power and dominance are integral in this context.

A PhD is a prerequisite for a lectureship at a higher education institution.