Detailed Description

1. The field of study: English studies

2. Specialization: Empirical and Theoretical Linguistics (ETHEL)

3. The level of education: second cycle studies (M.A. programme)

4. The profile of education: general academic

5. The nature of studies: an international M.A. programme taught in English

6. The degree awarded: Magister (M.A.)

The ETHEL studies programme is addressed to people with a bachelor or master’s degree in any field with a general academic or practical profile (see below Numbers 10 and 11). The guiding idea of the programme is an individualisation of the education, especially in the second year of studies. Students may choose courses that best correspond to their individual interests and that determine the choice of topics of their M.A. theses. The wide range of research interest areas covered by the staff of the Institute of English Studies warrants a rich and highly qualitative offer of classes in linguistics, applied linguistics and psycholinguistics. Students are also invited to make use of the Institute’s facilities including psycholinguistic labs (equipped with an EEG and an eyetracking apparatus) as well as specialized experimental software such as Presentation, E-Prime or SPSS. The instruction language is English, which additionally enhances students’ knowledge and language skills in this language. Although the programme does not prepare students for the pursuit of a concrete profession, it does develop the basic competences such as self-learning, the ability to work in a group, timely execution of tasks and tolerance, all of these being highly desirable qualities of prospective employees.

7. General description of the programme

The programme is highly modular, that is, studies are organized in the form of modules, each of which comprises several classes. Assignments and exams take place in particular modules, i.e., they encompass the whole respective modules. They may also consist in special forms of assignments or projects which are based on the knowledge acquired in particular modules. In “empirical” modules students plan, design and analyse experiments which are grounded in theoretical knowledge provided in “theoretical” modules. The programme is unrivalled in its combination of theoretical and empirical linguistics, which will provide students with cutting-edge skills and competences and enhance their career options in the world of education and training as well as in the world of work.

This is a two-year programme (four semesters), comprising 800 hours, 120 ECTS credit points (whereby the majority of credit points, 78 ECTS, concern elective classes). The programme consists of core and specialized modules. Core modules aim at establishing a firm and uniform foundation for all students attending the programme, independently of their previous background. These modules are compulsory and cover a set of core topics in Linguistics. Specialised modules, on the other hand, may be subject to change. This flexibility is crucial, since the programme needs to respond successfully and effectively to the fast pace of evolution that characterises the study of language, and also wants to maintain its ability to react and adapt quickly to changes on the job market for our graduates.

Visit our Modules and Courses page for a more detailed description of the program.

8. Typical job prospects upon graduation:

Universities or other research centres, psycholinguistic laboratories, technology companies utilizing natural and artificial language processing (e.g., Amazon, Google. Microsoft, Apple, Samsung), narrative-development and name branding advertisement firms, social media companies and internet start-ups, administrative or government sectors, publishing houses, non-profit organizations, data analytics, forensic linguistic analysis, lexicographer, technical writer

9. Further education possibilities:

Ph.D. degree studies (doctoral programmes)

10. Competences required from prospective students:

The ideal candidate has a good command of English (C1+) and broad interests both in humanities and technical science. He or she has completed a first-cycle programme or a second-cycle programme in a different field of study with a general academic or practical profile.

11. Admission criteria:

The M.A. programme, Empirical and Theoretical Linguistics (ETHEL), is addressed both to students from Poland and from abroad.

The applicant should have:

• A Bachelor degree or equivalent in one of the following areas:
  • Linguistics/Theoretical Linguistics/Computational Linguistics
  • Psycholinguistics
  • English or related studies (however with a specialization/Bachelor thesis or Bachelor exam in Linguistics)
  • Psychology
  • Mathematics/Computer Science
• A diploma degree not lower than A/B+ (“very good”, “plus good”).
• Proficiency in English (for non-native speakers level C1+ is required).

Additionally, the applicant must submit:

• A letter of intent, written in English and at most two pages (A4, Times New Roman, 12pt, single space), focusing on:
  • their reasons for choosing this programme,
  • their areas of interest in Linguistics, and
  • the reasons for choosing the University of Wrocław
• A current Curriculum Vitae, written in English

12. The area of education:

Humanities

13. Relationship with research conducted at the Institute of English Studies as well as with the university development strategy:

The programme reflects the interdisciplinary nature of research conducted at the Institute of English Studies in its different departments (Department of English and Comparative Linguistics, Department of Second Language Learning and Teaching) and research centres (Centre for Experimental Research on Natural Language, Centre for Phonetics and Phonology), as well as in psycholinguistic laboratories (EEG lab and eye-tracking lab). The focus lies on a critical attitude to knowledge, characterized by a tolerance and respect for different opinions and an understanding of multiculturalism and the complexity of the modern world.

14. Tuition Fees

The tuition fee is 1500€ per year (for students from the EU) and 3000€ per year (for students from outside the EU).