Master - full-time

Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics

How is language constructed and which aspects can be distinguished and studied? How are these aspects realized in different language families and specific languages?

Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics is a one-year Master's track of the MA Linguistics which is based on the strengths of the Groningen Linguistics department (English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish). Students can choose between two specializations: The Human Language System (THLS) and Language Development and Variation (LDV).

This MA track offers students a broad and attractive, but coherent and cohesive, range of options, oriented along the following approaches:

Empirical investigation of the structure of the European languages, with focus on synchronic and diachronic variation
Theoretical study of syntax, semantics, morphology, and phonology/phonetics
Use of a variety of data (native speaker intuitions, corpus data, language acquisition data) and methods

The track focuses on language with all its complexities. The main focus is how to make sense of complex data in order to be able to study the structure, variation, change, and development of language, so as to obtain a better understanding of the human language faculty. It covers the principal subfields of linguistic study (sound, structure, meaning), and offers plenty of opportunity for students to focus on a particular language or language family (working with specialists in different modern European languages) or to pursue their interests in general linguistics.

Facts & Figures

Degree: MA in Linguistics
Course type: Master
Duration: 12 months (60 EC)
Croho code: 60815
Language of instruction: English
Start: September
Faculty: Arts

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Why study this programme in Groningen?

Intensive supervision by high-quality researchers in many different languages as well as in theoretical linguistics
A challenging multidisciplinary approach
Unique combination of theoretical and descriptive linguistics in a multi-lingual setting
Area of study with excellent career opportunities, both in industry and academia
Excellent preparation for a PhD

Programme

	Semesters
CoursesCourse Catalog >	1a	1b	2a	2b
Language Comparison (10 EC) LDV + THLS
Language Development (10 EC) LDV
Language Variation in Europe: Crossing Borders (10 EC) LDV
The Interpretation of Language (10 EC) THLS
The Structure of Language (10 EC) THLS
The Sound of Language (5 EC) LDV + THLS
Master's Thesis Theor. and Emp. Ling. (20 EC) LDV + THLS
Architecture of the Language System (5 EC) THLS
Debates in Linguistics (5 EC) LDV

Curriculum

In addition to the range of course units provided by this track itself, students can also follow Masterlanguage courses. Masterlanguage is a national programme that offers courses for students of i.a. German, English, French and Italian.

The courses are taught in the target language (except Greek and Latin) and are jointly organized by lecturers from Radboud University, the University of Groningen, Leiden University, Utrecht University, the University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam. More information about the courses, entry requirements and registration can be found on the Masterlanguage website: https://masterlanguage.nl/taal/engels/. You may follow Masterlanguage courses in consultation with the Board of Examiners of your Master's degree programme.

Programme options
Master's Placement (specialization) This Master's track includes an optional work placement for which you are awarded ECTS credit points. It is your responsibility to find a placement yourself, but the Office for Student Affairs can offer help with this where necessary.

Study abroad

Study abroad is optional

Entry requirements

Admission requirements

Specific requirements	More information
previous education	Students with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Groningen in: Linguistics Minorities and Multilingualism Dutch Language and Culture English Language and Culture European Languages and Cultures are directly admissible to this Master's track. This also applies to students who have earned these Bachelor's degrees from other Dutch research universities, with one addition: Students with a BA in English Language and Culture, Dutch Language and Culture, European Languages and Cultures or any other foreign language have to have specialized in linguistics during their BA. Students with any other Bachelor's degree from the University of Groningen with a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) or pre-Master's (30-60 ECTS) in Linguistics, are also admissible to this Master's track.
language test	Additional requirements English: A VWO diploma or a subject certificate for VWO English (mark 6 or higher), minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 100 (with a minimum of 25 on writing skills), or IELTS 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 on all items) or Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185.
other admission requirements	To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, we will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. This evaluation is carried out by our Admissions Office and the Admissions Board.

Transfer options

Transferring from...

All Research universities

University of Groningen

Study programme	Organization	Transition
Dutch Language and Culture	All Research universities	No additional requirements More information: With a specialization or premaster/minor in Linguistics
European Languages and Cultures	All Research universities	Additional requirements More information: With a specialization or premaster/ minor in Linguistics
Minorities & Multilingualism	All Research universities	No additional requirements
Linguistics	All Research universities	No additional requirements
Romaanse Talen en Culturen	All Research universities	No additional requirements More information: With a specialization or premaster/minor in Linguistics
Duitse Taal en Cultuur	All Research universities	No additional requirements More information: With a specialization or premaster/minor in Linguistics
Engelse Taal en Cultuur	All Research universities	No additional requirements More information: With a specialization or premaster/minor in Linguistics
Scandinavische Talen en Culturen	All Research universities	No additional requirements More information: With a specialization or premaster/minor in Linguistics
Slavische Talen en Culturen	All Research universities	No additional requirements More information: With a specialization or premaster/minor in Linguistics

Study programme	Organization	Transition
Philosophy of a specific discipline	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Global Responsibility & Leadership	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
English Language and Culture	University of Groningen	No additional requirements
European Languages and Cultures	University of Groningen	No additional requirements
Dutch Language and Culture	University of Groningen	No additional requirements
Computing Science	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Bedrijfskunde - Business and Management	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Tax Law	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Economics and Business Economics - Economics	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Academic training primary school teacher	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Biomedical Engineering	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
American Studies	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
International Relations and International Organization	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Human Geography and Planning	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Data Science & Society	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Classics (part-time)	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
History (part-time)	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Philosophy	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Middle Eastern Studies	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Pharmacy	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
International Business	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Medicine	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Archaeology	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Communication and Information Studies	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
International and European Law	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Econometrics and Operations Research	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Information Science	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Biology	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics
Bewegingswetenschappen	University of Groningen	Additional requirements More information: With a pre-Master's/ Minor in Linguistics

Application deadlines

Type of student	Deadline	Start course
Dutch students	15 August 2026	01 September 2026
EU/EEA students	01 May 2026	01 September 2026
non-EU/EEA students	01 May 2026	01 September 2026

Admission requirements

Specific requirements	More information
previous education	Students with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Groningen in: Linguistics Minorities and Multilingualism Dutch Language and Culture English Language and Culture European Languages and Cultures are directly admissible to this Master's track. This also applies to students who have earned these Bachelor's degrees from other Dutch research universities, with one addition: Students with a BA in English Language and Culture, Dutch Language and Culture, European Languages and Cultures or any other foreign language have to have specialized in linguistics during their BA. Students with any Bachelor's degree from the University of Groningen with a Faculty Minor (30 ECTS) or pre-Master's (30-60 ECTS) in Linguistics, are also admissible to this Master's track. Students with a Bachelor's degree from a different Research University in Linguistics, with a specialization in linguistics, or with a sufficient number of linguistics courses and research components are also eligible for admission to this Master's track.
language test	Additional requirements English: minimum requirement of TOEFL iBT 100 (with a minimum of 25 on writing skills), or IELTS 7 (with a minimum of 6.5 on all items). Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a minimum score of 185.
other admission requirements	To assess whether your educational/academic background meets the specific programme requirements, we will consider the level and curriculum of your previous studies. This evaluation is carried out by our Admissions Office and the Admissions Board.

Application deadlines

Type of student	Deadline	Start course
Dutch students	15 August 2026	01 September 2026
EU/EEA students	01 May 2026	01 September 2026
non-EU/EEA students	01 May 2026	01 September 2026

Tuition fees

Nationality	Year	Fee	Programme form
EU/EEA	2025-2026	€ 2601	full-time
non-EU/EEA	2025-2026	€ 19200	full-time
EU/EEA	2026-2027	€ 2695	full-time
non-EU/EEA	2026-2027	€ 19900	full-time

Practical information for:

Dutch students International students

After your studies

Job prospects

A Master's degree in Linguistics (Master's track Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics) is:

a solid foundation for future teachers, editors, communication experts, etc.
an excellent preparation for a social career related to the areas of theoretical linguistics, descriptive linguistics, language development, speech technology, communication and computer linguistics
a stepping stone to further study and training with a view to writing a successful PhD thesis.

Job examples

Editor
Communications expert
Linguistics researcher

Research

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Dutch diploma International diploma

Contact

Ask Your Question Here (please fill in this contact form, we will answer you as soon as possible.)
Sjors van Ooij (academic advisor)
Email: studieadviseurtaalwetenschap rug.nl
Martine Bloo (Student Ambassador)
Admission Office (Contact form)

NL Scholarships

The University of Groningen offers NL Scholarships to international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who want to do their master’s in the Netherlands. Read more on the NL Scholarships and on how to apply.

Research Master

Are you interested in a research oriented career? Please also check our Research Master's Programme of Linguistics.

I really enjoy hearing about other languages from fellow students during class discussions

About Martine
Hi! My name is Martine and I am 22 years old. I study Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics and I chose the specialization The Human Language System. I started the master after finishing my bachelor in English Language and Culture here in Groningen, where I specialized in linguistics. In my free time I enjoy hiking, reading and meeting up with friends.

Why did you choose Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics?
While choosing my master programme I first looked at the web pages for the different tracks in linguistics. After deciding which ones I was interested in, I attended the Online Master's Week. Hearing more about the programme and actually seeing one of the teachers was very helpful to really get a feel for the atmosphere and the teaching style. Hearing from the student ambassador was also very helpful to know what kind of assignments to expect in the programme. Ultimately, I chose the Theoretical and Empirical Linguistics track because it best fits my interests within linguistics. I always enjoyed learning about language, and within this programme you really get the opportunity to explore how languages are structured and what underlying rules shape them. The programme is not focused on one particular language, and you can choose to do assignments on your own native language or another language you speak. Since I already focused on one language during my bachelor, I really enjoy hearing about other languages from fellow students during class discussions.

Why Groningen?
I did my bachelor in Groningen and loved the city so much that I really wanted to stay for my master. Back when I was choosing my bachelor, I chose Groningen because I really liked the atmosphere of the city. The city has a large student population, which makes it lively and welcoming, but it still feels very cozy. It's very student-friendly with so many cafes and other places where you can go to study.

Future
I am not quite sure yet what career options I would like to pursue. But while I'm still exploring what I want to do in the long term I do know that a university education also provides you with a lot of transferable skills so I know there will be plenty of opportunities to explore. I hope to use my education in a meaningful way and I'm excited about what the future might bring!

Tip
My tip for prospective students is to use all the resources available to get information on master programmes. And I especially advise everyone to check out the web pages for all the masters before any event so you know which presentations to attend!

Student Martine Bloo

Study associations

ZaZa

Study association ZaZa is the study association for the study Dutch Language and Culture and Linguistics at the University of Groningen.

As a study association for Dutch Language and Culture and Linguistics, naming the association after our beloved alphabet seemed a perfect fit. After all, what are language and literature without letters? Take the first and the last letter of our alphabet, double them, add a touch of creativity and there it is, our name ZaZa. The goal of ZaZa is to unite students with a passion for the Dutch language/literature and linguistics by organizing both events related and unrelated to our studies. That goal is pursued with the help of eleven active committees, two lustrum committees and two advisory committees.

http://www.zaza-nederlands.nl

Study support

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.