Program Overview
The Linguistics (By Research) at The University of Edinburgh is a MSc programme in Humanities over 12 months, delivered On-campus. This programme equips graduates with advanced knowledge and practical skills for professional and academic careers in the field.
Students gain a rigorous grounding in both the theoretical foundations and applied dimensions of humanities. The programme combines coursework, research components, and practical projects that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and specialist expertise relevant to industry and research needs.
Graduates of the Linguistics (By Research) programme are well-prepared for careers in academia, industry, government, and the private sector across United Kingdom and internationally. The programme provides an internationally recognised qualification within the Bologna higher education framework.
Key Program Features
- Duration: 12 months
- Language of instruction: English
- Study mode: On-campus
- English requirement: IELTS 7
- Tuition: GBP 19,000 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 8,500 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
- Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Linguistics (By Research) programme are prepared for diverse careers in humanities:
- Researcher / Academic
- Cultural Programme Manager
- Editor / Writer
- Translator / Interpreter
- Museum Curator
- Communications Specialist
Program Curriculum
This programme contains two semesters of taught compulsory courses and option courses, followed by a dissertation.
The taught courses and their assessments take place between September to December (Semester 1) and January to April (Semester 2). Planning for the dissertation will take place until April, and the dissertation itself will be carried out between April and August.
Dissertation
The dissertation involves writing a research project in close collaboration with an expert supervisor.
You will produce a written report, similar to an academic journal article. Some dissertations are published as journal articles.
The empirical work and writing take place between April and August and will be due in August.
Past examples of dissertation topics include:
- Concurrent implicit and explicit relations with transformers
- Morphological variation in Bangla: exploring patterns of age-based variation in child-directed speech
- Pseudo-gemination and external sandhi in Hindi
- The function of dah in Bahasa Melayu Pakning
Compulsory courses
If you do not have a background in linguistics, you will be required to take the following compulsory courses:
- Introduction to Phonology
- Introduction to Syntax
- Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics
If you have a background in linguistics, you may be exempted from any or all of the courses at the Programme Director’s discretion.
Phonetics Pathway
Students in the Phonetics pathway are required to take the following courses:
- Introduction to Phonology and Phonetics
- Phonetics and Laboratory Phonology
- Quantitative Methods in Linguistics and English Language
- Speech Production and Perception
If you have a background in Phonology and Phonetics, you may be exempted from Introduction to Phonology and Phonetics at the Programme Director’s discretion.
Option courses
You will also choose, under the guidance of the Programme Director, additional option courses from the list of postgraduate courses in the department.
Examples of option courses include:
- Historical Phonology
- Language Variation and Change
- Syntax: Theory and Practice
Find courses for this programme
Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.
The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.
Full-time
Part-time
We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
A UK 2:1 degree, or its international equivalent, in a related subject.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your spoken and written English:
IELTS: total 7.0 (at least 6.5 in each module)
TOEFL-iBT: total 100 (at least 23 in each module)
PTE(A): total 67 (at least 61 in each of the "Communicative Skills" sections)
CAE and CPE: total 185 (at least 176 in each module)
If you completed a CAE or CPE before January 2015 please contact the Admissions Office for the accepted grades.
English Proficiency: IELTS 7 or equivalent.
Tuition & Financial Information
Tuition Fee
GBP 19,000 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 8,500 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
Tuition fees: GBP 19,000 (Tuition (Year)) — International students; GBP 8,500 (Tuition (Year)) — EU/EEA students
IELTS requirement: 7
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Contact The University of Edinburgh directly for scholarship, grant, and financial aid information for this programme. Many European universities offer merit-based and need-based funding for international and domestic students.
About The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
University of Edinburgh (Universitas Academica Edinburgensis) is a historic and globally respected public research university in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, founded in 1583, making it one of the...
University Profile- Application Deadline 27/11/2025
- Start Date 2017-09-18
- Language English
- Duration 12 months