Master's Degree in Language Development and Communication

In accordance with Royal Decree 43/2015 and Royal Decree 861/2010, which modifies Royal Decree 1393/2007, of October 29, which establishes the organization of official university education, as well as the Royal Decree 1027/2011, which establishes the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (MECES), Master's degrees must guarantee the acquisition of the following basic competences:

• BC6 Possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and/or application of ideas, often in a research context.
• BC7 Students know how to apply the knowledge acquired and their ability to solve problems in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study.
• BC8 Students are able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of formulating judgments based on information that, even if incomplete or limited, includes reflections on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments.
• BC9 Students know how to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and ultimate reasons that support them to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way.
• BC10 Students possess the learning skills that allow them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.

On the other hand, students will have to obtain the following general competences:

• GC1 Analyze and synthesize scientific texts that allow an advanced understanding of new contributions in the field of development, difficulties and language disorders.
• GC2 Solve speech, language and communication learning problems, and their difficulties, from a multidisciplinary perspective.
• GC3 Advise, according to academic and scientific knowledge, on intervention models in language difficulties or disorders.
• GC4 Design and implement research based on the latest advances in the area of language development and communication difficulties from a multidimensional perspective.
• GC5 Communicate in a clear and specialized way, using language appropriate to the area of language and communication.

At the end of their studies, students must have acquired the following Specific Competences:

MODULE 1: Language Development and Communication Disorders.

Topic 1. Justification.

• SC1 Interpret the anatomical-functional bases of language and its relationship with the development, difficulties and disorders of communication and language.
• SC2 Discern the latest scientific advances in relation to Cognitive Neuroscience for the study of language and communication.
• SC3 Analyze the process of language and communication acquisition, and integrate the latest scientific advances in the interpretation of the incidence of cognitive, affective, motivational and social processes in said process.

Topic 2. Advanced knowledge of language difficulties and disorders.

• SC4 Distinguish and categorize, based on the latest research in the area, the factors that influence difficulties in learning to read.
• SC5 Assess and identify the characteristics of alterations in voice, articulation and fluency, based on scientific knowledge.
• SC6 Analyze critically, according to the scientific method, the factors that affect alterations in written language.
• SC7 Categorize and distinguish at an advanced level the difficulties in language development and its alterations, taking into account the latest scientific findings in the area.
• SC8 Link and analyze the relationship between language difficulties and learning disorders, based on the analysis of scientific publications.
• SC9 Identify and evaluate the development of language and communication, as well as its difficulties or disorders, through standardized or specifically-designed tests.
• SC10 Design effective plans for the development of language and communication based on scientific knowledge.
• SC11 Evaluate and propose intervention proposals adapted to the needs of minors with difficulties in speech, language and communication, according to the latest scientific research.
• SC12 Critically evaluate different methodologies and didactic resources for the development of language and communication, as well as for the attention to their difficulties and alterations, taking into account the latest research in the area of language and communication.

MODULE 2: Research..

Topic 3. Research in Social Sciences and Humanities.

• SC13 Autonomously compile and review information in relation to language development and communication difficulties or disorders.
• SC14 Incorporate the knowledge obtained in the design and analysis of research in the area of study of language development and communication difficulties.
• SC15 Effectively communicate data and conclusions from scientific investigations.
• SC17 Distinguish at an advanced level between the different research methods and select the most appropriate to achieve the objectives of different research in the field of language development and communication disorders.

MODULE 4: Final Research Project.

• SC16 Apply the knowledge acquired in the Master's degree to elaborate, present and defend a project in the area of language development and communication disorders.

MODULE 5: Internship.

• SC18 Observe and apply the knowledge acquired in the master's degree in real contexts, participating in teams of research or attention to the development of language and communication disorders.

As established in Article 16 of RD 1393/2007, modified by RD 861/2010, students who meet any of the following conditions may access these Master's studies:

• Have an official Spanish university degree or other degree issued by an institution of higher education of the European Higher Education Area that grants access to Master's studies in the country issuing said degree
• Graduates of educational systems outside the European Higher Education Area may access without the need for validation of their degrees, after verification by the University that they can accredit a level of studies equivalent to the corresponding official Spanish university degrees and that these grant access to postgraduate education in the country issuing said degree. Access through this route will not imply, in any case, the homologation of the previous degree of the interested party, nor its recognition for other purposes than that of taking the Master's degree. In the cases in which the validation of any degree, diploma or study obtained abroad is necessary to access the University, the Antonio de Nebrija University may conditionally admit students who accredit having submitted the corresponding application for validation while the approval procedure is resolved.
• In the case of students with special educational needs derived from disabilities, the need for possible curricular adaptations, itineraries or alternative studies will be assessed.

Candidates interested in studying and obtaining the diploma of Master's Degree in Language Development and Communication Difficulties from the Antonio de Nebrija University must comply with the requirements imposed by current legislation, in which the admission profile is that of a university graduate or equivalent (bachelor's, associate's or master's degrees) in the educational field: Early Childhood or Primary Education, or Pedagogy, or Psychopedagogy. Likewise, given the multidisciplinary nature of the program, students who have completed the Master's Degree in Teacher Training for Compulsory Secondary Education and Baccalaureate, Vocational Training and Language Teaching or the Teaching Aptitude Certificate (CAP) will be able to access the Master's studies.

Admission Criteria

Submitting the necessary documentation for admission

In general, the admission documentation will be submitted to the Admissions Department.

The student must provide the originals or certified copies of the submitted documentation, within a period established by the University, in order to formalize his/her enrollment. Any inaccuracy, falsity or omission of information, statement or document provided by the student in the admission period will entail the impossibility of continuing to exercise the right from the moment the University has proof of these events, and proceed to cancel the application for admission submitted and the place awarded, notwithstanding any criminal, civil or administrative responsibilities that may arise.

In order to access the official master's degrees, it is necessary to submit the following documentation:

• Completed Admission application.
• Identification document (D.N.I) or valid passport.
• 1 passport-size photograph-
• Academic transcript with the grades that grant access to the Master's degree.
• Certified photocopy of official Spanish university diploma or receipt of having requested it.

Foreign students:

• Certified photocopy of official diploma issued by a foreign higher education institution belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) that grants access, in the issuing country, to official master's degree studies.
• Certified photocopy of official diploma issued in a foreign educational system not belonging to the EHEA. In this case, access will be conditioned by the verification that the studies completed correspond to a level of studies equivalent to that of the official Spanish university degrees and that they grant access to the official master's degrees in the country in which the diploma was issued. This procedure does not imply, in any case, the homologation of the previous degree, nor its recognition for any purpose other than to access the master's studies.
• If necessary, a letter issued by the University in which the student has completed the degree that grants access to Master's studies in the country issuing the diploma.

In the event that the studies with which the pre-registration for the Master's degree is accessed are completed in a Foreign Higher Education institution, both the diploma and the academic record (grades) must be official and issued by the competent authorities, in accordance with the legal system of the country of origin.

If the number of applicants exceeds the number of places offered, the student's academic record will be taken as an admission criterion (grade average).

Therefore, anyone interested in accessing the studies of Master's Degree in Language Development and Communication Difficulties must submit, without exception, their academic record, as it will be the grade average therein that will decide their admission to the Master's degree if the number of applications exceeds the number of places offered.

Once all places are full, if there are more people interested in being admitted, they will be put on the waiting list for possible vacancies that may arise before the start of the academic year, and the same admission and selection criteria detailed in point 4 for the rest of applicants will be applied.

In addition to the evaluation of the academic merits provided by the candidate (10%), students must hold an interview (90%) as part of the admission process.

The interview will be carried out by the Director of the Program, or others to whom he/she delegates, or by University advisers, this interview is aimed at verifying the suitability of the candidate and his/her profile in accordance with the degree. It is about determining if the candidate has sufficient motivation, training and knowledge, abilities, aptitudes, communication skills, extracurricular activities and future interests necessary to be admitted as a student in the Nebrija University postgraduate programs.

Once the student has been admitted, they will proceed to enroll, which consists of the following phases:

Place reservation

Candidates must reserve their place. This economic pre-enrollment guarantees the candidate's place at the University. These annual enrollment fees will not be returned except for students who are conditionally admitted, or do not fulfill the legal requirements for admission, or with a justifiable medical situation.

Enrollment

Pre-enrolled candidates who wish to formalize their academic enrollment at the University must follow these steps:

• Submit documentation: certify that he/she meets the requirements established by Spanish university legislation for admission to the Master's degree.
• Formalize the enrollment process online: The self-enrollment service on the Nebrija website allows admitted students to carry out all academic, financial and administrative procedures within the established deadlines. To do this, they will receive, along with their admission letter, the access code and personal password necessary to be able to carry out their self-enrollment. Once the self-enrollment is formalized, the candidate acquires the status of a student at Nebrija University.
• Make the payment for annual enrollment, according to the modality chosen by the student.