International Master's Programme in Language Science and Technology (LST)

This international Master’s programme in Language Science and Technology has been offered at Saarland University in Saarbrücken since October 2004 and leads to the degree Master of Science (MSc). The full programme runs over four semesters and is taught in English, attracting faculty and students from around the world. Located in a city recognized as a leading centre for language science and technology, the programme benefits from a lively, multicultural academic community.

The curriculum is research-focused: basic, applied and cognitive strands of language science and technology are actively pursued, and students have access to modern, state-of-the-art facilities that support hands-on research and collaboration. The combination of international expertise, strong research activity, and advanced infrastructure creates a rich and stimulating environment for students who want to engage in cutting-edge work in the field.

Program facts and requirements (concise)

• Degree awarded: Master of Science (MSc)
• Duration: 4 semesters (full-time)
• Language of instruction: English
• Location: Saarbrücken, Germany
• Established: programme offered since October 2004
• Research focus: basic, applied and cognitive language science and technology
• Environment: international faculty and student body; state-of-the-art research facilities

Overview The programme is a four-semester (two-year) consecutive Master's that builds on a BSc in Computational Linguistics or a closely related discipline such as Computer Science or (Theoretical) Linguistics. It combines computational, linguistic and cognitive perspectives to deepen your technical and theoretical understanding of language technologies and human language processing. The degree is designed to equip students for advanced roles or research in areas like natural language processing, machine translation, speech technology and psycholinguistics.

Program structure In the initial (foundations) phase you choose at least four core or foundational lectures totaling 24 CP from a range of thematic categories: Foundations, Computational Linguistics, Machine Translation, Linguistics, Computational Psycholinguistics, and Speech Science & Speech Technology. The advanced study phase offers a variety of seminars and advanced lectures drawn from the same categories and includes a compulsory Master's seminar (12 CP) that explicitly prepares you for the independent Master's thesis (30 CP). Additionally, you must earn between 6 and 18 CP from courses in either informatics or cognitive psychology to ensure breadth across technical and cognitive domains.

Key modules and learning outcomes

• Foundations & Computational Linguistics: develop rigorous understanding of algorithms, data structures and core linguistic formalisms used in language processing.
• Machine Translation: learn model-based and data-driven MT approaches and evaluation methods.
• Speech Science & Speech Technology: gain skills in speech signal analysis, recognition and synthesis techniques.
• Computational Psycholinguistics & Linguistics: acquire experimental and theoretical tools to study language comprehension, production and representation.
• Research training: the mandatory Master's seminar plus the 30-CP thesis prepare you to formulate research questions, design studies or system evaluations, carry out independent project work, and present results in written and oral form.

Program requirements (credit breakdown)

• Entry background: Bachelor’s degree in Computational Linguistics or a closely related subject (e.g., Computer Science or (Theoretical) Linguistics).
• Core/foundations lectures: at least four courses = 24 CP (choose from Foundations, Computational Linguistics, Machine Translation, Linguistics, Computational Psycholinguistics, Speech Science & Speech Technology).
• Master's seminar: compulsory, 12 CP (prepares for thesis).
• Master's thesis: 30 CP.
• Electives from related fields: 6–18 CP from informatics or cognitive psychology.

Graduates are prepared for research and development roles in industry and academia that focus on natural language processing, machine translation, speech technology, and related areas of language technology. Typical positions include computational linguist, NLP engineer, speech technologist, and roles in R&D teams at tech companies, research institutes, and startups.