Master of Arts in Linguistics Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

The programme provides students with advanced competencies in research and teaching, deepens and specialises linguistic content, and opens up opportunities for pursuing their own research questions. It sharpens the ability to develop linguistic research topics in an international context, both for a professional audience and for the broader public.

In the first and second semesters, students identify the focus of their own interests by exploring the interface between linguistics and related disciplines such as philosophy, English and American studies, German studies, Romance studies, and computer science. They also learn to critically evaluate empirical research, replicate published studies, and conduct their own case studies. The modules are specifically designed to train students in academic writing and presentation, as well as to deepen their skills in empirical methods such as data collection, annotation, corpus work, and statistical analysis.

In the third semester, students pursue their own research questions and develop a preliminary plan for their theses while gaining valuable research and teaching experience. The fourth and final semester focuses solely on the final thesis, supported by an accompanying colloquium and peer review, and prepares students for life after graduation.

The programme is a full-time course of study with a total of 120 ECTS, which corresponds to 30 ECTS of work per semester. For the course organisation, students choose the courses that suit them each semester from our range of courses, allowing them to distribute the workload individually.

Didactic internship, involving tutorial assistance for a course within the Bachelor's programme, conducted within a team of tutors under didactic supervision

Research internship: direct placement in one of the many research projects at our institute

The prerequisite is a Bachelor's degree in Linguistics or a comparable degree programme with an overall grade of 2.5 or better (German grading system). 

A BA degree is comparable if the scope of linguistics courses is at least equivalent to the BA supplementary subject programme in Linguistics at HHU. The following requirements must be met:

1. at least one graded exam and 9 ECTS in each of at least three of the four "basic expertise" areas (Phonetics/Phonology, Morphology/Syntax, Semantics/Pragmatics, and/or Psycho- and Neurolinguistics)

2. at least one graded exam and 9 ECTS in specialised skills in linguistics (Qualitative Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, Data Collection, and/or Theoretical Argumentation).

A good command of English is essential and must be demonstrated: in order to enrol, students must provide proof of English language skills.

A semester fee of approx. 350 EUR is required upon registration/enrolment as a student or doctoral researcher. This fee covers transport by bus, tram, and regional trains within North Rhine-Westphalia for the entire semester as well as the use of student facilities at discounted prices.

Students or doctoral researchers should calculate monthly expenses amounting to at least 1,000 EUR in order to live in a modest way, including costs for housing, food, health insurance, semester fees, study materials, etc.

A limited number of campus jobs are available. Students from non-EU countries are permitted to work 240 half days or 120 full days per calendar year without a work permit.

Various funding opportunities are available at HHU. Please contact the respective individuals to determine your eligibility for their programme.

https://www.hhu.de/en/studies/organising-your-studies/funding

The Student Academy provides support through consulting and event offerings for professional orientation and the acquisition of additional qualifications. Utilise these resources to optimally prepare yourself for entering your career.

https://www.studierendenakademie.hhu.de/en/career

On-campus student accommodation is available, as is private accommodation near campus. For further information, please check http://www.stw-d.de or send an e-mail to info@stw-d.de.
Doctoral students can contact the tutor service of the Junior Scientist & International Researcher Centre (JUNO) for information and support concerning accommodation in Düsseldorf (www.juno.hhu.de/en/tutorservice).

Depending on the type of accommodation, the monthly rent in Düsseldorf usually ranges from around 500 EUR to 600 EUR for a basic apartment or a room in a shared apartment ("Wohngemeinschaft").