Overview

The Linguistics programme at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is designed to provide a comprehensive education in the nature of human language and formal linguistic theory. This internationally acclaimed course prepares students for careers as university teachers and researchers through rigorous training in major theoretical and empirical areas.

The department maintains a strong commitment to formal research, addressing fundamental questions in phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. Students benefit from an environment that explores the interfaces between these core fields and psycholinguistics, computational linguistics, and historical linguistics.

A distinctive feature of the curriculum is the emphasis on empirical science and cross-linguistic evidence.

Why Linguistics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)?

The department is home to several specialised research facilities, including the Language Acquisition Lab, the Phonetics Laboratory, and the Psycholinguistics Lab. These centres provide students with access to staff engineers, experimental subject pools, and advanced technology for linguistic analysis.

UCLA offers a robust support system for graduate students, typically providing five-year funding packages that cover tuition, fees, and living stipends. The university library system is ranked among the top ten in the United States, housing over nine million volumes and extensive collections in language description.

Located in one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world, the university serves as a living laboratory for fieldwork. Students also receive professional development training, including travel funding to present original research at national and international conferences.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 36297 per year
National fee: USD 36297 per year
Local fee: USD 21115 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum is structured to move students from core theoretical foundations to original dissertation research. Modules may include:

Phonetics
Phonology
Syntax
Semantics
Syntactic Typology and Universals
Language Change
Child Language Acquisition
Psycholinguistics
Language Disorders
Morphology
Computational Linguistics
Field Methods
Historical Linguistics
Language Areas and Language Structures
College Teaching Practicum
Professional Development

Careers with Linguistics

Graduates are primarily trained for high-level roles in academia as university professors and researchers. The programme emphasises the development of professional skills necessary for publishing original work and presenting at global academic forums.

Beyond higher education, the analytical and computational skills gained during the course prepare students for industries involving language technology and data analysis. The department provides active support for students entering the job market during their final years of study.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Phonological Theory

Syntactic Theory

Semantic Theory

Language Change

Experimental Phonetics

Speech Production

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-23 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00

Language

English

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Credits

36 alternative credits

Quarter Units

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Beverly Hills, United States

Disciplines

Linguistics View 218 other Masters in Linguistics in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

English requirements

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Other requirements

General requirements

The general requirement for admission for a U.S. student is a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, comparable in standard and content to a bachelor’s degree from the University of California.

An international student whose post-secondary education is completed outside of the U.S. is expected to hold a degree representing completion of at least four years of study with above average/very good scholarship from a university or university-level institution.

The $120.00 (for U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents) or $140.00 (for all other applicants) application fee must be submitted online by credit or debit card before the application can be processed.

Statement of purpose

Personal Statement

Three letters of recommendation

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

36297 USD / year

≈ 36297 USD / year
Out-of-State

36297 USD / year

≈ 36297 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

21115 USD / year

≈ 21115 USD / year

Living costs

Beverly Hills

United States

1100 - 1600 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

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Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Linguistics.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Beverly Hills

Financing

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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