Linguistics (specialisation) (MA)
About the programme
Within the Linguistics specialisation, you can choose one of the suggested thematic routes. Depending on the theme of your choice, the programme prepares you for a career in various fields, such as speech technology, artificial intelligence, education, language documentation and language policy.
The courses that you will follow depend on the theme of your choice. At the start of the programme, you will choose one of the eight pre-approved programmes:
- Applied Linguistics
- Comparative Indo-European Linguistics
- Computational Linguistics
- Language and Communication
- Language Description and Documentation
- Language Processing and Cognition
- Theoretical Approaches to Linguistic Diversity
- Theoretical Linguistics
Generally, the study programme includes core courses related to your theme, electives and the final Master's thesis including a thesis preparatory course. For a detailed programme, see the Prospectus of the theme of your interest. Please note that the programme in the Prospectus shows the content of the current academic year.
Claartje Levelt
Professor
"We offer an exceptional range of subject areas and theoretical approaches, due to our affiliation with the Leiden University's Centre for Linguistics (LUCL). The Linguistics specialisation offers thematic programmes that you can choose from, which represent the different specialisations within the university's centre for linguistics and the programme. There are also a lot of experimental labs within the institute and programme. This way, you can as a MA student get hands-on experience with experimental research in several labs. You also have to possibility to do field work, such as individual projects or an internship."
Felix Ameka
Professor
"The Linguistics Research MA focuses on diversity; both in terms of languages spoken in the world and in terms of the diversity in approaches that linguists use to study and understand languages in the world. In Leiden, we can expose you to several approaches (such as descriptive, historical, theoretical, psycho- and neurolinguistics, sociolinguistics and pragmatics). Leiden is the place to find a wide variety of languages that are studied in the Netherlands, including the only place to study African languages. The Leiden University Centre for Linguistics (LUCL) is the home of the research master in Linguistics and of all linguists in Leiden; you can approach any member of the centre to direct you in your studies."
Is Linguistics the programme for you?
Check the admission requirements to find out if you are eligible for this Master's programme.