Linguistics (Research)

The programme in a nutshell

This two-year programme trains you as a researcher in theoretical linguistics, applied linguistics, and applied language and communication studies. The programme contains a set of core courses in these areas which all students follow, but at the same time it allows you to specialise in one of the three main research themes of the Department of Language and Communication, namely Language, Cognition and Communication, Language Acquisition, and Language Documentation. The researchers working within these departmental themes ale all affiliated to interfaculty research institutes within the VU. As a result, a lot of attention is paid to the relations between linguistics, the cognitive sciences, anthropology, communication theory, and education. There is also a strong emphasis on learning how to use various methods of linguistic research (corpus-based research, fieldwork, native speaker intuitions, experiments, and linguistic modelling).

The Faculty of Arts provides access to a number of computer labs, including a multimedia lab. There is an extensive linguistics library which is part of the University Library (with study halls) in the main building of the campus. There is also an on-line connection to all other university libraries of the Netherlands, and an Inter-Library Loan Service.

VU University Amsterdam participates in LOT, the Dutch national graduate school in linguistics. Every year, LOT organizes a winter school and a summer school, with a variety of courses by lecturers from different countries. Students of the Research Master's Linguistics can take part in these courses. In this way you will meet other Research Master’s students and PhD students in the Netherlands.

How to become a linguist

The programme’s lecturers publish widely in international journals and are specialists in varying fields of linguistics. They will help you to become acquainted with the current theories and debates in their specific areas, including descriptive linguistics, applied linguistics, discourse analysis and so on.
 
You will complete your two-year programme by writing a Master’s thesis on a research project that you will carry out yourself. This thesis will contain a theoretical section (a literature survey) and a practical section (a report on your own linguistic research), with a clear link between the two sections. Your data analysis will demonstrate that you are able to apply the methods and techniques of scientific research in practice.
 
Personal motivation is important for carrying out the research for this programme. You must be ready to ask ‘why’, be eager to discover the answers and be prepared to immerse yourself in the material for extended periods without coming up for air. You need a fascination for language and the vital role that language plays in our lives. 

The programme comprises 120 ECTS credits and takes two years to complete. 

First year:

• Linguistic Research (20 ects)
• Three courses of your choice (25 ects)
• Term paper (10 ects)
• Research design (5 ects) 

Second year:

• One course of your choice (5 ects)
• Research design (5 ects)
• Two tutorials (20 ects)
• Master’s thesis (30 ects) 

Curriculum

General introduction
The curriculum consists of the following courses:

• Central required course Linguistic Research (total value: 20 credits), involving cooperation in a framework that stimulates student participation. The course is taught by several lecturers from the perspective of their own specialization. The four topics are: (1) language and interaction, (2) language acquisition, (3) language documentation and (4) syntactic theory;
• A combination of courses (total value: 30 credits) from one of the optional courses given below. The grouping of courses reflects the three research themes of the Department of Language and Communication. The choice of optional courses is made in consultation with the student’s tutor.
• The course Research Design (total value: 10 credits) focuses on the analytical techniques and practical tools of linguistics, and on the methods of setting up, carrying out and reporting on research;
• A tutorial system (total value: 30 credits), in which teaching, coaching and supervision are offered in the framework of a one-to-one master/apprentice relationship between you and your tutor from the academic staff. You will write a term paper under the supervision of your tutor; this takes the form of a report on your own small-scale research project;
• A Master's thesis (total value: 30 credits), written under the supervision of your tutor. The thesis is an original scholarly piece of writing that makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of a linguistic issue. It contains clear argumentation, effectively supported by references to relevant literature and can serve as proof of your potential as a researcher.   

Optional Courses:

Theme Language, Cognition & Communication
Courses:
Metaphor, Metonymy and Creativity (10)
Metaphor in Discourse (10)
Metaphor, Embodied Experience, and Thought (10)
Genre Analysis (10)
Methods of Assessing Communicative Processes (10)
Digital Documents (10)

Theme Language Acquisition & Documentation
Courses:
Describing morphosyntax (5)
Construction Grammar (5)
Specific language impairment (5)
Pragmatics from the hearer’s point of view (5)
Phonologie et morphologie des langues romanes (10)
Anthropological linguistics (5)

Please consult the Study Guide form more information about these courses.

Study guide