Linguistics

Overview

Key facts

The Linguistics degree offered by the University of Bergen takes four semesters and is divided into a course part worth 60 ECTS and a master's thesis worth 60 ECTS.

Linguistics is the study of natural human languages. It searches for answers to questions like:  

• What is it about human language that is so unique? 
• Languages themselves have unlimited possible combinations of words, so how can we describe them systematically and concisely? 
• How and why do we divide the world’s languages into different families? 

In today’s multicultural and technology-driven world, there is a great demand for translation of documents, and people trained in linguistics can make important contributions to the field of computational linguistics and language technology (“machine translation”).  

Increased migration from countries in Africa and Asia gives rise to increased multilingualism in Europe. Knowledge of the structure of their languages will facilitate integration (or rather incorporation) of these people. In this context linguistic tools are of utmost importance.  

With a master’s in Linguistics, you may also contribute to projects in public education, such as designing the structure of dictionaries. Work like this is especially valuable for speakers of the world’s minority languages.   As a master’s student in Linguistics, you will enjoy: 

• An informal relationship with staff, who welcome your questions 
• An international flavour, with students and staff members from other countries 
• Your own desk in a reading room shared with other MA students at the Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies. 
• The opportunity to become a student representative in the programme committee of Linguistics, or to arrange social and academic gatherings as part of the student council.