Language and Cognition

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

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Deze opleiding

How is language stored in the brain? How do we acquire a foreign language? How can we explain patterns of language use in terms of underlying structures, and also the role of language in society?

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locatieGroningen
diplomaMA
typeonderzoek, 120 EC
start1 februari, 1 september
taalvolledig English
opleidingsduur2 jaar voltijd
accreditatiesNVAO
croho-code60817
numerus fixusnee
honoursnee

The Language and Cognition programme offers training in linguistics which reflects the areas of expertise among linguists at the University of Groningen. In addition to required courses, which cover core areas of the discipline, students may choose from courses in neuro- and psycholinguistics, theoretical linguistics, developmental linguistics, computational linguistics, discourse analysis, sociolinguistics and communication studies. These are the focus areas of excellent, multidisciplinary research carried out in the Centre for Language and Cognition Groningen (CLCG) and the Groningen Research School for Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience (BCN).

The programme is meant for talented students from all over the world who aspire to do research in the field of Linguistics. After finishing the degree, you will have acquired essential research skills and fundamental knowledge of linguistic analysis, language development, and language processing. This programme is a selective admission two-year Research Master's programme that prepares you for entry into a related PhD programme, or other research positions.

Are you curious if you are eligible for the Research Master's programme? Check the entry requirements. While admission for the second semester is possible, we advise most students to begin in the fall so that they can follow the course sequence with their cohort.

Waarom aan de University of Groningen?

  • The programme is flexible and research-focused: students can create their own track based on the specializations of our linguistics staff, for example in bilingualism, language processing, acquisition, and discourse analysis
  • Our staff are internationally recognized experts in their fields
  • A Research Training module offers the opportunity for hands-on research experience in the first year
  • In the Research Internship in year two you can work alongside experts in your area of specialization


Studieprogramma

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opbouwPlease note that individual courses may possibly still change in the event of a programme change.
1e jaar
periode
1234
Basic Statistics
5 EC
Electives: Courses from other MA programmes; Research Training
10 EC
Linguistic Analysis
10 EC
Seminar/Summerschool/Winterschool 1
5 EC
Corpus Linguistics
5 EC
Electives: Courses from other MA programmes; Research Training
15 EC
Designing your Research Project
5 EC
2e jaar
periode
1234
Advanced Research Training
25 EC
Seminar/Summerschool/Winterschool 2
5 EC
ReMa Thesis
30 EC

Onderwijs

taal van onderwijs100% en
avondonderwijsn.v.t.
afstandsonderwijsn.v.t.
onderwijsvormen
group discussion, individual assignment, integration module, internship, lecture, literature study, research, research project, research proposal, portfolio, self evaluation
study guidance
If you have any questions or doubts about your studies, you can always contact the study advisor. He or she knows all the ins and outs of the program and personal planning. Study advisors are impartial and everything that is discussed is treated confidentially. They can also help you find the right institutions and student desks for your problems.
study abroad
Students have the opportunity to choose an internship location abroad or at the University of Groningen.
Students have followed their internship/courses at the following locations:

* Boston Children's Hospital, USA: Data collection with MRI for research on language disorders

* TEXTGAIN BV: working on the EU Project PANORAMA Developing hate speech monitoring technology for Greek and Albanian

* Bilingualism and Aging Lab at the University of Groningen. The Netherlands: research on language learning in the third age, working with behavioral and neuroimaging data

* Reading's Institute of Education, UK: collecting, processing and analyzing eye-tracking data

* Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Austria: Dynamic Analysis of Language Learning in the Third Age project

* University of Leeds, Leeds Child Development Center: children's online adjective processing, processing in referential communication

* University of Stellenbosch, Taalsentrum, South Africa: readability measurement of texts written in Afrikaans and IsiXhosa

* University of Stockholm, Linguistics Department, Sweden: typology, evolution, and extended uses of temperature in language, data collection and analysis of Germanic languages

* University of Bristol, UK, OPEN project: conversation analytic research on out-of-hours primary medical care



Toelating en kosten

startmomenten

1 februari 2026

aanmelding deadline : 15 oktober 2025
wettelijk tarief : € 2695 (€1348 in het eerste jaar)
instellingstarief : € 16900
niet-EU/EER studenten : € 19900

1 september 2026

aanmelding deadline : 1 mei 2026
wettelijk tarief : € 2695 (€1348 in het eerste jaar)
instellingstarief : € 16900
niet-EU/EER studenten : € 19900

toelatingseisen

vooropleiding
Prospective students with a Bachelor's degree in Linguistics or another Bachelor's degree with a substantial linguistics component are eligible for admission to this Master's track. Examples of these types of Bachelor's programmes are:

  • a modern European language and culture study
  • Communication- and Information Science
  • Humanities Computing/Information Science
  • Linguistics
  • Speech and Hearing
  • Other related fields

cijferlijst
Excellent results on relevant course work and a 8,0 or higher on the BA thesis (or equivalent in the grading system of a foreign university). An overview of the results achieved so far within the Bachelor's degree programme and/or other university degree programmes is required.

resumee
A Curriculum Vitae (CV)

taaltoets
Additional English language requirement: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 100 (with a minimum score for speaking and writing of 25 (each)), or an IELTS score of 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 on all items) of Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185.

reference letter
Two personal letters of recommendation from staff members who can comment on the students' affinity with and capacities for research.

motivatiebrief
A letter outlining the prospective student's motivation for selecting the programme and Research Master's track, including their expectations and interests.

Keuzehulp

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Studievergelijker

1/7 University of Groningen
Language and Cognition
€ 303 gemiddelde kamerhuur
31 eerstejaars
74% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
2/7 University of Groningen
Clinical Linguistics / EMCL
€ 303 gemiddelde kamerhuur
31 eerstejaars
74% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
3/7 University of Groningen
Language and Communication Technologies (Double Degree Programme)
€ 303 gemiddelde kamerhuur
31 eerstejaars
74% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
4/7 University of Groningen
Taalwetenschappen
star Keuzegids topopleiding 2017
€ 303 gemiddelde kamerhuur
31 eerstejaars
74% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
5/7 Leiden University
Linguistics (Research)
€ 350 gemiddelde kamerhuur
44 eerstejaars
61% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
6/7 Utrecht University
Linguistics
€ 336 gemiddelde kamerhuur
26 eerstejaars
?% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
7/7 University of Amsterdam
Linguistics (research MA)
€ 424 gemiddelde kamerhuur
4 eerstejaars
100% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
disclaimer: bovenstaande cijfers en beoordelingen zijn aangeleverd door de opleidingen zelf. Wij kunnen de juistheid niet garanderen.

Na de studie

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Beroepsperspectief / arbeidsmarkt

After graduation, you are well prepared for a career in research. In fact, this track is an ideal stepping stone to a PhD position at a university. You can conduct research in many sub-fields of Linguistics, such as Neuro- or Clinical Linguistics, Language Development, Sociolinguistics or Theoretical Linguistics. Other options are Speech Technology, Discourse and Communication and Computer Linguistics.

During the Research Master's programme in Linguistics you will acquire a wide-ranging set of skills useful in a wide range of domains.

  • Analytical skills involve the ability to recognize patterns and link these to theoretical explanations.
  • Communication skills, such as writing and giving oral presentations, are part of all coursework and you receive experience and feedback to hone your abilities in these areas.
  • Students in our programme further gain experience in working as a team, through course projects but also the required internship.
  • A final focus is on methodological skills; through required coursework in statistics and corpus analysis students learn how to analyze corpora of texts to make generalizations based on quantitative findings. Elective modules are also available which train students to design experiments and carry out research in laboratory environments.


Potentiële beroepen

applied researcher
copywriter
educational specialist at a publisher
information specialist at a public organization (e.g. the dutch ministry of foreign affairs, the police academy, or the centraal administratiekantoor)
lecturer in secondary education
project leader
research oriented career in linguistics
science journalist
bron: StudieData

Contact

Ask Your Question Here

please fill in this contact form, we will answer you as soon as possible.

Dr. Angeliek van Hout

Programme Coordinator

Caroline Dijkema

Study Advisor

Manou Jonink

coordinator: for all questions regarding application

Maureen Prins

Student Ambassador

Meer informatie?
Bezoek de website van deze opleiding.

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