Overview

The MA in Linguistics will give you an in-depth theoretical and methodological grounding in linguistics and phonetics – analysing how language and speech sounds are structured and used.

Core modules will introduce you to key aspects of the discipline, such as syntax, phonetics and phonology. You’ll also develop your knowledge of a broad range of theoretical and empirical research methods. You’ll then choose from optional modules to suit your interests or career plans, such as language acquisition or sociolinguistics.

Spanning the arts and sciences, linguistics is a challenging and rewarding discipline that allows you to gain a real understanding of human communication as well as a wide range of transferable skills. Taught by experts in top-class facilities and supported by the Language at Leeds research network, this programme will give you a good foundation in the subject informed by the very latest research.

Specialist resources

Leeds is a fantastic place to study linguistics and phonetics. Our tutors and research students are active members of the wider Language at Leeds network which brings together researchers from across the University. You’ll be able to enhance your learning with an array of research events throughout the year.

Postgraduates also have access to our extensive facilities, including the Human Communications Suite complete with a recording studio and lab space for psycholinguistics experiments. You can make use of our phonetics lab and the Language Zone, a state-of-the-art space where you can use a range of language-based teaching materials whenever you want.

This programme is suitable for people who will have studied a little linguistics during their first degree. If you have a substantial background in linguistics or phonetics, you may prefer to study for an MA by Research

Learning and teaching

We use diverse teaching and learning methods to help you benefit from our tutors’ expertise. They include seminars, lectures, online learning, tutorials and practicals. Independent study is also a vital element of the course. You’re also encouraged to sit in on classes in modules that you’re not taking, giving you a great opportunity to gain a broad base of knowledge in linguistics and phonetics.

Assessment

Depending on the modules you choose, assessment methods will vary. However, they usually include coursework, essays and practicals, while core linguistics modules also include exams.

Career opportunities

This course will give you a sophisticated understanding of human communication, as well as valuable transferable skills in areas such as use of quantitative and qualitative data, research, interpretation, oral and written communication and analysis which are highly attractive to employers in a wide range of industries.

Many of our graduates pursue a career in education and language teaching, working as language teachers or EFL instructors in schools and universities. Our MA will also give you valuable skills to continue onto further training and specialisation in areas such as translation/interpretation, computational linguistics and natural language processing, forensic linguistics, or speech and language therapy.