Linguistics

Study mode:On campus Study type:Full-time Languages: English
Local:$ 8.12 k Foreign:$ 8.93 k Deadline: Apr 1, 2024
66 place StudyQA ranking:2188 Duration:3 years

Photos of university / #uva_amsterdam

Language is present in all aspects of our daily lives and our capacity to use it makes human beings unique as a species. In the Bachelor's programme in Linguistics, you will explore both the structure and acquisition of language as well as the diversity of language around the world.

Understanding language

Linguistics focuses on our uniquely human capacity to use language, something indispensable in our daily life. As a linguist you are interested in how language and speech are structured, how we acquire it, how it can be impaired, how it is represented in the brain, how it functions in society, how we deal with 2, 3, or 4 languages at the same time, and how it changes. All these questions are addressed in this broad Bachelor's programme in Linguistics.

Is Linguistics right for you?

Linguistics is the ideal programme for you if:

  • You have an active interest in languages but also in language in general.
  • You enjoy solving puzzles and problems that require a systematic approach.
  • You want to understand how languages differ or resemble one another, how they change over time, and how they are acquired.
  • You wonder how language is represented in the brain and how language impairments arise.
  • You’d like to learn a new language yourself.

Why study Linguistics at the UvA?

Linguistics at the University of Amsterdam offers you:

  • A world-class education: the programme is ranked highest in Continental Europe and 17th overall according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017.
  • The chance to learn a new language: you study a new language during your first year, and are offered the opportunity to master it in your second and third years.
  • A broad programme: one of the very few programmes in the world that offers you the opportunity to familiarise yourself the whole subfield of linguistics, such that later on you can make your own choices with regards to your future.
  • The opportunity to study in a multilingual city: with inhabitants of 180 different nationalities, Amsterdam is a truly multilingual city that offers an excellent testing ground for linguists.
  • After completing your Bachelor's, you can apply to one of the UvA's many Master's programmes.

 

Linguistics

In this programme you will explore both the structure and acquisition of language, as well as the diversity of language around the world. The programme is taught in English.

Programme structure

Linguistics is a three-year Bachelor’s degree of 180 ECTS credits. An academic year accounts for 60 credits that are spread across two semesters, with each comprising two 8-week blocks and a 4-week block.

  • In the first year of the programme, you will take a number of mandatory subjects, including the study of a modern language of your choice.

  • In the second year, you can either opt to dedicate your studies to general linguistic subjects or continue to study the language of your choice in combination with a smaller range of linguistics courses.

  • In the third year, you will specialise by selecting a minor in one of your fields of interest. You can also decide to study abroad for a semester or do an internship.

The first year

The first year of the programme offers a broad, general overview of the entire discipline of Linguistics.

  • You will take theoretical courses in which you learn all of the basic concepts that are relevant to a linguist.

  • You will become familiar with Phonetics, Morphology and Sociolinguistics.

  • You will choose a modern language (other than English). The experience of acquiring this language will be used in the theoretical courses where you will be asked to come up with certain phenomena in your language.

  • You can choose to study Arabic, Catalan, Czech, Dutch, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, Romanian, Sign Language of The Netherlands (NGT), and Swedish.

  • Dutch native speakers may also opt for one of the following languages: Classical Greek, Danish, French, Latin, Modern Greek, Norwegian, Russian, Serbian/Croatian, and Spanish.

  • You will develop specific academic skills, such as academic writing and conducting independent research.

  • At the end of the first year, you will conduct a small research project exploring the acquisition of a new language.

The second and third years

In the second and third years of the programme, you have two options: dedicate your studies to general linguistic subjects or continue studying the language of your choice in combination with a smaller range of courses in linguistics.

  • You will take ‘structural’ courses that teach you about the structure of sounds (Phonology), phrases and sentences (Syntax), meaning (Semantics and Pragmatics) from various theoretical points of view.

  • You will take courses such as Philosophy of Science, Second Language Acquisition and Speech Processing.

  • You can choose to take additional courses on the acquisition and processing of language, learning how to collect linguistic data and how such data can contribute to both linguistics and acquisition and processing theories.

  • In the third year of the programme, you can tailor your own curriculum by specialising in a minor related to your language of choice, opting for a minor in a completely different field of study or choosing electives in a wide range of subjects.

  • You also have the opportunity to use your elective credits to study abroad or do an internship for a semester.

  • You will conclude the programme by writing a Bachelor’s thesis, your first major piece of independent research.

Internship

You can enrich your study programme by doing an internship. This will allow you to gain experience at an organisation working in the field of linguistics and gives you an impression of the job opportunities they offer. 

You can also opt to do a research-oriented internship with a teacher of the programme or another linguist at the UvA. This gives you an idea of what is like to be linguistics researcher.

 

Prior education

  • Studying with a foreign diploma at the University of Amsterdam means that a student's preparatory education must be equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma, with English included in the final examination.
  • The starting level of a regular study programme at Dutch universities is comparable to that of other European countries, which is usually one or two years higher than in most countries outside of Europe.
  • A student's diploma or certificate from prior education will be compared with the list of country qualifications that has been drawn up by the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Nuffic).

Required documents

In this application you will need to indicate your previous education and upload all of the required documents:

  • Final secondary school/higher education diplomas and grade lists obtained;
  • Proof of recent results (if you are still attending a programme);
  • Official translations in English or Dutch if the diploma and/or transcripts are not already in English, Dutch or German;
  • A sufficient English test result, if required and already available. If your results are insufficient, do not upload this test, but send another one at a later date;
  • A curriculum vitae;
  • UvA Matching form.

What is it?

UvA Matching for international students is an introduction to the Bachelor’s programme for which you have applied. It is designed to help you assess whether you have chosen the right programme, through a combination of online activities such as assignments, reading course literature and/or making a test. The activities may differ per programme.

Once you have completed these activities, you will receive personal advice based on your test results. This will help you determine whether the Bachelor’s programme matches your interests and capabilities and whether you have the motivation and study skills to start the programme in September.

After submitting your enrolment application in Studielink you will receive more information on UvA Matching for international students.

English language requirements

All our international programmes are conducted in English, therefore, applicants must show their ability to write and speak in English on an academic level. Students with a Bachelor’s degree from a Dutch university and students who successfully finished a full academic programme at an esteemed institute in one of the following countries are exempt: UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Please note we only accept the TOEFL Test, the test of the International English Language Testing Service (Academic IELTS) or a Cambridge Examination Score. For Non-EU/EEA students the required English test result should be received on or before 1 February in the year of application by the International Team at the Faculty of Science. If this in any case is not possible, contact the International Team first, before applying. For EU/EEA students the deadline of submitting the test results is 1 July.

TOEFL Test

The minimum scores required on the TOEFL Test are:

  • Internet-based test (iBT): 92 with a minimum of 20 on each subject

    Exceptions:
  • Artificial Intelligence, Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Information Studies: 98, with a minimum of 22 for reading and listining and 24 for writing and speaking
  • Software Engineering: 98 with a minimum of 22 on each subject

Please note the TOEFL-code for the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam is: 8628. 

 IELTS Test (only Academic IELTS is accepted)

  • Minimum score 6.5, at least 6.0 on sub-scores (listening/reading/writing/speaking). 

Exceptions

  • Artificial Intelligence,  Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Information Studies> minimum score 7.0, sub-scores on writing and speaking at least 7.0, sub-scores on listening and reading at least 6.5 
  • Software Engineering > minimum score 7.0, at least 6.5 on each sub-score (listening/reading/writing/speaking)
  • The UvA offers the IELTS test for free to current UvA students to assess their English language proficiency.    

Cambridge Examination Score

A Cambridge Examination Score with a minimum test result of C1 Advanced (CAE) A or B will also be accepted. For the C2 Proficiency test (CPE) a minimal score of C is required.

Nuffic Certificate for Chinese students

Chinese applicants are required to take an IELTS test or the TOEFL (Internet-based test only). These are the only two tests accepted by the Nuffic, which provides certificates to all Chinese students who wish to study in the Netherlands.

Please note there are some differences between the TOEFL and IELTS test. Available practice material, test dates, prices and locations differ per country.

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