Linguistics: Empirical and Theoretical Foundations | Master

The master’s degree program Linguistics: Empirical and Theoretical Foundations (language of instruction: English) provides in-depth theoretical knowledge in all core areas of grammar (phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics) as well as empirical investigation methods to obtain linguistic data. As a methodological focus, students can choose between experimental methods of psycholinguistics / neurolinguistics and field research.

The master’s degree program Linguistics: Empirical and Theoretical Foundations (language of instruction: English) is an interdisciplinary course of studies. It deepens the subject-specific knowledge, methods, and skills acquired in the field of empirical and theoretical linguistics during bachelor’s studies. The degree program combines the formal implementation of findings in modern grammar models for all core areas (phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics) with experimental investigation methods and field research. The program provides comprehensive, detailed, and specialized knowledge in formal and experimental linguistics. Students will be taught to recognize and analyze current research trends, to critically reflect on them, and to develop their own research questions as well as the methods to answer them.

The master's program Linguistics: Empirical and Theoretical Foundations aims to provide its graduates with a thorough command of the methods of linguistics and with the specialized knowledge that will enable them to make their own scientific contribution in the research focus of their choice, which also qualifies them to continue their academic studies (doctorate).

The program is research-oriented and imparts personal and decision-making skills in the context of project work and research-related internships, which open up career opportunities for the graduates as executives in research, innovation, and development. Graduates will acquire technical and conceptual skills to solve strategic problems, are able to weigh alternatives (even with incomplete information), develop new processes, and apply appropriate assessment standards. English as a teaching language enables them to work scientifically and professionally in an English-speaking environment.

Their outstanding expertise of the language system as well as basic statistical and programming skills qualify them for the primary fields of work science, research, and innovation, but also for starting a career outside of academia with a focus on language (such as documentation, specialist journalism, editorial work, advising on development of user-oriented tools, e.g. for communication).

Prerequisites for Admission to the Master’s Program

In general, the prerequisite for studying in a master’s degree program is a first professionally qualifying academic degree, e.g. a bachelor’s degree. You should have completed your first degree in a linguistics subject relevant to the master’s program, such as linguistics, general / theoretical linguistics, clinical / patholinguistics, computational linguistics, linguistics of an individual language with 180 CP or in another course with a linguistic component of at least 90 CP (or 50% of the respective total number of points). Applicants must demonstrate language skills in English that are at least equivalent to level B2 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Please refer to the respective Admission Regulations for more information on the specific admission requirements.

As part of the four-semester degree program, you will earn a total of 120 credit points from the following English-language modules and your thesis.

For more information, please read the Subject-Specific Rules and Regulations or contact the Departmental Advisor.

This description is partly based on the Study and Examination Regulations for the English-language master’s program Linguistics: Empirical and Theoretical Foundations at the University of Potsdam of February 12, 2020 (Bulletin no. 7/20, p. 267).