MSc LANGUAGE SCIENCES

The flexible MSc Language Sciences course is aimed at graduates and professionals working in language-related careers seeking in-depth specialised knowledge in the neuroscience of language, language development or multilingualism​.

The MSc in Language Sciences is ideal for preparing graduates in linguistics, speech and language therapy, psychology, education and allied disciplines for research-related careers in the language sciences. The master's is also appropriate if you are a professional already working in speech and language therapy and would like to update your knowledge of the language sciences.

Leading experts will instruct you on the core areas within the field of language sciences. Building on this core knowledge in linguistics and psycholinguistics, you will have the opportunity to gain in-depth specialised knowledge in one of three dedicated pathways: neuroscience of language, language development, or multilingualism.

• Neuroscience of language: this pathway will introduce you to current advances in neuroscience research, including functional MRI and electrophysiology of language.
• Language development: this pathway will focus on language development and disorders, including disorders of fluency and childhood bilingualism.
• Multilingualism: this pathway provides a flexible multidisciplinary course focusing on linguistic, cognitive and pedagogical aspects of multilingualism, as well as research training in this area.

You will have access to a wide range of facilities for experimental and other empirical work in the language sciences. These include eye-tracking, EEG and MRI facilities, numerous computer labs and clinic rooms. Your chosen pathway will guide which laboratory you work in.

This course includes a placement module which gives you the opportunity to work in one of our research laboratories for course credit. Whilst on placement, you can work on projects within the fields of psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics, multilingualism, language development and language impairment.

Research impact

The University is host to the Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism (CeLM) and the Centre for Integrated Neuroscience and Neurodynamics (CINN). Both of these world-class research centres inform our teaching, and staff from both CINN and CeLM teach on the master's.

The MSc in Language Sciences reflects the cutting-edge work carried out by key members of staff. Our research encompasses fields such as language processing in monolingual and multilingual environments; the neuroscience of language and multilingualism; and the development of cognition and its relation to language at the beginning and end of the lifespan. We also have strong expertise in all areas of psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics; fluency disorders; monolingual, bilingual and multilingual language acquisition and processing; as well as in impaired language/literacy abilities and sensory perception in children with developmental disorders, including autism, dyslexia, Down's Syndrome, specific language impairment, Williams Syndrome, and acquired disorders in adulthood, for instance aphasia and Alzheimer’s/dementia.

Accreditation

This course is recognised as a member of the Linguistics Pathway for the ESRC South East Network for Social Sciences (SeNSS). SeNSS provides funding for UK and EU students interested in PhD research. This means that students on the MSc Languages Sciences who are interested in continuing on to PhD studies are eligible to apply for PhD funding via the SenSS Linguistics Pathway.

For more information, please visit SeNSS.

Funding

There are four International Excellence Scholarships awards, to the value of £2,500 for students from outside the EU. For more information, please visit the Psychology international students page.

For more information, please visit the School of Psychology's website.