Linguistics (MA)
Career prospects
As a Linguistics graduate, you will have developed unique skills relevant to a career in academia, teaching, writing and communications as well as a range of employment opportunities where a critical, curious, and academically-trained mind is essential.
Acquired skills and competence
A Linguistics master's degree from Leiden University is an excellent preparation for a wide variety of jobs. Our students graduate with valuable practical and theoretical skills, including strong skills in the interpretation of texts and the analysis and solution of conceptual problems, and the ability to independently conduct high-quality scientific research.
Career
Our graduates go on to pursue successful careers in a range of professions. Examples include:
- Editor at a publishing company
- Translator
- Author of educational materials
- Project manager at a translation agency
- Teacher
- Consular officer at a ministry of foreign affairs
- PhD candidate
- Content manager/editor
- Advisor at an institute focusing on linguistic research and language teaching
Teacher qualification
If you are interested in a career in teaching, you can apply for the Dutch-taught teacher-training MA at the ICLON Graduate School of Education after graduating from the master’s programme. To be admitted, you need to have a master’s degree in the relevant discipline. Fluency in Dutch is mandatory, and additional entry requirements may apply. Please visit the ICLON website to learn more about the different teacher training programmes at ICLON.
Academic career
If you are interested in pursuing an academic and research career, you can consider applying for the two-year Research Master's in Linguistics. Please keep in mind that this programme has additional admission requirements. You can explore the possibilities with the programme coordinator.
A Leiden University degree
Leiden University Master's graduates are sought-after employees at (inter)national organisations. Our graduates are known for their combination of robust academic training, in-depth and relevant knowledge, and critical, multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving.
Karola Woll
Graduated in Language and Communication (MA Linguistics)
"Language and Communication at Leiden University was the perfect fusion of my bachelor’s studies in Media and Communication Studies as well as English and American Studies. That’s why I had chosen this specialisation of linguistics in communication."
An international environment
"Leiden University offered a very international environment. All languages were welcome for being subject of research. Classes consisted of people from all over Europe and even overseas, and this made studying very enriching and colourful. Especially because groups were small, and a personal supervision could be provided by the academic staff."
Work in different fields
"This programme suited me as being rather more of a generalist than an expert. I’m more than one, and my studies have smoothed the way to work in different fields. Currently, I am preparing my freelance work as being a business coach in communication, a copywriter and a writer."
Margaret den Besten
Graduated in Language Diversity of Africa, Asia and Native America (MA Linguistics)
"I was always interested in investigating languages. I was looking for a master’s that not only provided theoretical knowledge, but also practical knowledge. And that is exactly what the master’s in Language Diversity of Africa, Asia and Native America does. This master’s programme offers a wide range of courses. Not only courses that focus on the descriptive side of linguistics, but also courses where you are forced to think beyond what you are used to. It makes you think about your own worldview and how language influences it."
Put all your theoretical knowledge into practice
"Another great thing about this programme is that it offers you the opportunity to do an internship. This way you can put all your theoretical knowledge into practice. With the help of a professor I got to do an awesome and educational internship at SIL Cameroon, researching and writing a phonology and orthography of an indigenous language."
Helping to prevent languages from dying out
"After my graduation I started working there! I work with several undocumented languages. I study those languages to eventually produce an alphabet and an orthography. This helps to prevent the languages from dying out and gives the language groups a way of expressing themselves not only through speaking, but also through writing. It is exciting to live and work in a completely different culture and to be able to study languages that haven't been studied before."