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MA Linguistics

The Linguistics MA aims to give students a thorough grounding in modern theoretical linguistics. Students gain a basic understanding of the three core areas of linguistics: phonetics and phonology; syntax; and semantics and pragmatics, and are then able to tailor the programme to meet their personal linguistic interests.

Key Information

Programme starts

September

Modes and duration
Full time: 1 year
Part time: 2 years

Fees and application deadlines:  Details available in the UCL Prospectus

Location: London, Bloomsbury
Entry requirements

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required.

English Language Requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Good

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

International students

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

Applicants with a significant academic background in theoretical linguistics, e.g. with an undergraduate degree in linguistics, may also be interested in the specialised MA Linguistics programmes in phonology, pragmatics, semantics and syntax.

See below for short videos on studying Linguistics and Language Sciences at UCL and a guided tour of Chandler House, home of UCL Linguistics:

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UCL Language Sciences – Teaching Philosophy

 

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UCL Language Sciences – Chandler House Tour

 

Further information on the MA Linguistics degree programme can be found here:

Context

 

 

Why study this degree at UCL?

The UCL Division of Psychology & Language Sciences undertakes world-leading research and teaching in linguistics, language, mind, and behaviour. More specifically, UCL Linguistics is one of the leading departments for research in theoretical linguistics in the UK and its staff includes world leaders in theoretical syntax, semantics, pragmatics, phonology, and experimental linguistics.

Our work attracts staff and students from around the world. Together they create an outstanding and vibrant environment, taking advantage of cutting-edge resources such as a behavioural neuroscience laboratory, a centre for brain imaging, and extensive laboratories for research in speech and language, perception, and cognition.

Our world-class research is characterised by a tight integration of theoretical and experimental work spanning the full range of the linguistic enterprise and forms the bedrock of the department’s eminent reputation, which is also reflected in other markers of excellence, such as its editorial involvement with top journals in the field.

Department: Division of Psychology & Language Sciences

Student / staff ratios › 181 staff including 173 postdocs › 780 taught students › 440 research students

Research Excellence Framework (REF)

The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

In the UK’s 2021 Research Excellence Framework, as part of the Faculty Unit of Assessment, UCL Psychology and Language Science’s Research Environment ranked equal First in the UK. Additionally, 92% of our research was graded 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’).

Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.

Content and Structure

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of four compulsory taught modules (total of 60 credits), two modules selected from a group of three choices (total of 30 credits), two optional modules (total of 30 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits). All modules have the value of 15 credits (apart from the dissertation).

Detailed module descriptions are available at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/linguistics-plin-modules

Students must take the compulsory modules below:

CodeTitleCredit value
0.5 ECTS point 		Term
PLIN0045Semantics and Pragmatics I15 1
PLIN0084Phonetics and Phonology I15 1
PLIN0047Syntax15 1
PLIN0048Foundations of Linguistics15 1
PLIN0049Dissertation in Linguistics60 1

Students must select TWO out of the three modules below:

CodeTitleCredit value
0.5 ECTS point 		Term
PLIN0081Semantics and Pragmatics II15 2
PLIN0053Interfaces in Syntax15 2
PLIN0074 Phonetics and Phonology II15 2

 

In addition, students choose TWO 15-credit option modules in consultation with the programme director. You can find further information at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/linguistics-plin-modules.

Students will be able to tailor the programme to meet their personal linguistic interests either by focusing on one particular area, or by diversifying into other branches. For example, a student could choose to study an option (such as language acquisition or language evolution) only indirectly related to the core areas, and to write his or her dissertation on yet another area (for instance, sociolinguistics). Alternatively, a student could choose to study an option taken from one of the core areas (such as advanced syntactic theory or issues in pragmatics), and to write his or her dissertation in a related area. As a consequence, students may spend as much as three fifths or as little as one fifth of their time working in one particular part of the discipline.

Time table
You can view the timetable for the current academic year at www.ucl.ac.uk/timetable. Click on "degree programme", enter "Linguistics", choose MA Linguistics, Year 1, and click on "Show Timetable". You will now see all classes for all compulsory modules for the whole year. You can click on "Change Display" at the top left to see classes for Term 1 and Term 2 separately. You need to attend all lectures and for most modules, you will attend one additional tutorial.

Staff

Programme Director: Dr Jamie White

Teaching staff (NB: staff may occasionally be absent for a term or more on research or other leave)

In addition, we can call on the support of Postgraduate Teaching Assistants.

Click below to listen to Prof Andrew Nevins talk about "slips of the ear":

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Application and Entry

Start of programme

  • September intake only

Key Information

Programme starts

September

Location: London, Bloomsbury

Application and next steps

Applications

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

Who can apply?

The programme is particularly suitable for students whose undergraduate degree included a minority of linguistic course-units, or who have studied linguistics of a more traditional type elsewhere. It is also suitable for good graduates who have encountered linguistics only indirectly, for instance through psychology, philosophy, or foreign language teaching.

For more information see our Applications page.

Apply now
What are we looking for?

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Linguistics at graduate level
  • why you want to study Linguistics at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this rigorous programme

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Fees and Funding

Further information is available in the UCL prospectus: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught-degrees/linguistics-ma#fees-funding. UK/EU national may be eligible to apply for a postgraduate loan of up to £10,000 to help with fees and living costs. Learn more about postgraduate loans.

UCL Scholarships

For information on general scholarship opportunities, please select the link below:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/funding-students-postgraduate-taught-courses

Other funding

The European Funding Guide includes details of further funding opportunities.

Careers

Careers

 

Many linguistics graduates from UCL carry on studying linguistics at MPhil/PhD level with a view to pursuing an academic career. Others go on to teach languages, especially English (as a first or foreign language) or embark on a range of other careers, from law, media, computing and speech and language therapy to all aspects of commerce and industry.
 

Recent career destinations for this degree
  • Lecturer, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia
  • Investigations Specialist, Amazon
  • Translator, Hunan University
  • English as a Foreign Language Teacher, Wall Street Institute
  • PhD in Translation Studies, Imperial College London
Employability

Linguistics MA students acquire a wide range of transferable skills, which opens up opportunities in many different sectors include language teaching, translating and interpreting, marketing, communication, journalism, management, and law.

Graduates who achieve good results are well placed to go on to a research degree in linguistics at top universities, often with a view to pursuing an academic career.

 

Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.

Read general information on careers open to Linguistics graduates and information on the career paths taken by some of our alumni.

Open Days

We have a number of virtual open days. Please get in touch with pals.lingteachingoffice@ucl.ac.uk for further details.

Contact
FAQs

We have collated frequently asked questions and answers at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/sites/pals/files/ma_ling_offerholder_2024_faq.pdf. Please get in touch if you have a question that is not covered!