This English-language master's programme offers an interdisciplinary, research-oriented continuation of bachelor-level study in linguistics. It deepens your knowledge of both empirical and theoretical approaches, consolidating methods and skills acquired at undergraduate level while exposing you to advanced topics in formal and experimental linguistics.
The curriculum integrates formal implementations of contemporary grammar models across the core subfields—phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics—with hands-on empirical methods, including experimental techniques and fieldwork. You will work with both theoretical analyses and data-driven investigations, learning to design, run and interpret experiments as well as to collect and analyse field data.
Graduates leave with specialised, up-to-date expertise in formal and experimental linguistics and the ability to recognise and critique current research trends. The programme trains you to formulate your own research questions and to select appropriate methodologies to answer them, preparing you for research careers, doctoral study, or professional roles that require advanced linguistic analysis.
Typical entry requirements
This MSc program combines core theoretical knowledge with hands-on empirical training across four semesters. In the first semester you follow three mandatory introductory modules — Intro to Phonology and Morphology, Intro to Syntax and Semantics, and Statistics and Programming — to build a solid foundation in linguistic theory and the quantitative/programming skills needed for modern research. The middle semesters let you deepen expertise through chosen specialisation modules and practical empirical methods, while the fourth semester is dedicated to an independent MSc thesis.
Key modules in the second and third semesters let you tailor the degree to your interests: advanced courses in Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, Semantics and Psycholinguistics provide in-depth theoretical and analytical training. The empirical methods options (Neurolinguistics/Psycholinguistics or Fieldwork) equip you with experimental, neurobiological or field-based data-collection and analysis experience. Two extension modules offer further advanced or interdisciplinary study. The programme culminates in an independent research thesis in the fourth semester.
Introductory Phase (all modules mandatory, first semester):
Specialisation Phase (elective; choose 3 of 5, second and third semesters):
Empirical Methods Phase (elective; choose 1 of 2, second and third semesters):
Advanced Phase (elective; choose 1 of 2, second and third semesters):
MSc thesis (fourth semester)
This master’s programme requires a first professionally qualifying academic degree—most commonly a Bachelor’s—completed before starting the MSc. Admissions prioritize applicants whose undergraduate studies focused on linguistics or a closely related subfield relevant to the programme’s empirical and theoretical orientation.
Relevant subjects include general/theoretical linguistics, clinical linguistics/patholinguistics, computational linguistics, or linguistics of an individual language. The programme expects a substantial amount of formal coursework in linguistics, measured in credit points (CP; e.g., ECTS). If your degree or credit system differs from the German system, be prepared to show how your credits convert to the stated CP totals.
Admission requirements (bullet points)
Winter Semester (International)
Information about the application deadlines can be foundhere.
Graduates are prepared for research-oriented careers and further academic training (e.g. PhD) due to the programme's emphasis on developing independent research questions and methods. The degree's combination of formal theory, experimental methods, and fieldwork is particularly relevant for roles in linguistic research institutes and university departments.
Outside academia, graduates are well-suited for positions in language technology and NLP, corpus and data analysis, speech and hearing research, language documentation and fieldwork projects, educational publishing, and roles requiring strong analytical and programming skills such as data science or computational linguistics. Clinical and applied language services (e.g. speech and language therapy teams, where relevant additional qualifications exist) and policy or consultancy roles in multilingual contexts are also possible career paths.