Modern Languages Leiden University

Overview

The Modern Languages MA programme at Leiden University equips you with unique skills relevant to a career in academia, teaching, writing and communications.

Linguistics deals both with the search for general properties common to all languages and the study of particular languages. Chinese, English, French, German and Italian are among the most widely spoken and best-studied languages in the world.

The programme for the Modern Languages specialisation at the Leiden University provides you with a solid foundation in the languages of the world’s most influential societies. You will look at how these languages can vary by place, by situation and by social group (sociolinguistics, dialectology); how they evolve over time (historical linguistics); how people acquire or learn them (language acquisition); and how people use them in context (pragmatics).

Why study Modern Languages at Leiden University?

• Focus on the language or languages of your interest: Chinese, English, French, German, or Italian.

• Learn about second language learning and bilingualism, or dive deeper into your language of specialisation by combining linguistics with literary studies on your language of choice.

• Choose one of the ready-made thematic routes or create your own programme to match your specific interests.

• Gain professional experience by doing an individual research project with a staff member, or an internship as part of your programme.

• Become part of the linguistics community at Leiden University by attending events such as the MA Linguistics colloquium, Linguistic Movie Nights, or by becoming involved in the T.W.I.S.T.  study association for BA and MA linguistics students in Leiden.