18 Master Programs in Linguistics in Netherlands for 2024

How is language stored in the brain? What effects can brain damage have on our ability to use language? And why do some children have difficulty learning language? Find it out in this track.

The program in Linguistics takes one year. You will choose one of the following tracks:

The one-year master’s in Linguistics is concerned with the knowledge, structure and use of language, studied from a wide range of perspectives. It trains students to systematically identify, describe and analyse language phenomena and to apply this knowledge to a specific area of interest.

Language is a central topic in cognitive science, computer science and the study of human behaviour. The research tracks of Linguistics study these fields in depth.

The research master’s programme in Linguistics at Leiden University combines leading expertise with a flexible programme format.

This Multilingualism Master’s track trains you to become a diversity manager specialized in linguistic and cultural diversity. You will develop expertise on bilingualism and multilingualism from a variety of angles: sociolinguistic, educational, cognitive, cultural, historical, management, and policy. You will learn how to do your own linguistic research, but also how to manage linguistic diversity in various settings, such as the work floor, in education, and on regional, national, and transnational levels. You will deal with day-to-day issues such as helping companies overcome (intercultural) communication problems, designing effective language policies, or giving schools advice on how best to teach pupils with diverse language backgrounds.

Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics is a one-year Master's track of the MA Linguistics which is based on the strengths of the Groningen Linguistics sections (English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish).

The MA in Applied Linguistics at the University of Groningen is a unique track focussing on the processes involved in second language learning, as well as teaching theories. The program encompasses various fields of study, as learning and using a second language may be approached from many different angles. Students will explore and discuss the factors that relate to second language development, including cognition, psychology, social interaction, language teaching, and culture.

In the MA in Clinical Linguistics, courses focus on neuroimaging, language processing, and developmental and acquired language disorders. The students will learn about Developmental Language Disorders, Cross-Linguistic Aspects of Aphasia, Language Testing During Awake Surgery, and Neuro Imaging and Language.

The MA in Language and Cognition is linked to the excellent, multidisciplinary research carried out at the Center for Language and Cognition Groningen (CLCG) and the Groningen Research School for Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience (BCN). Our lecturers are internationally recognized as experts in their fields, and we offer a research internship (20 ECTS) in the first semester of the second year, which gives you the opportunity to work with big names in your field of interest.

This Master's program focuses on the human language ability. You will study language acquisition, the structure of language and its characteristics, or language disorders.

The MA in Linguistics (Research) offers a challenging multidisciplinary approach, and the students are constantly under intensive supervision by high-quality researchers in small groups. We also offer research assistantships for those who are interested. You can choose to focus your studies on Language and Cognition, Clinical Linguistics (EMCL+), or Language and Communication Technologies.

Whenever we use language – whether it’s written, spoken or signed – we’re communicating. How does this work, and how and why does miscommunication occur? How does language fit together and how do we learn to understand each other?

The focus of the Master's in Linguistics: Language Variation and Multilingualism is on the intricacies of language, how people learn and use it, and on the different types of variation in everyday language use.

The track focuses on language with all its complexities. The main focus is on how to make sense of complex data in order to be able to study the structure, variation, change, and development of language, so as to obtain a better understanding of the human language faculty. It covers the principal subfields of linguistic study (sound, structure, meaning), and offers plenty of opportunities for students to focus on a particular language or language family (working with specialists in different modern European languages) or to pursue their interests in general linguistics.