The Multilingual Master of Arts in Linguistics and Literary Studies Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Overview

Have you completed a bachelor's programme in a related field, and are you eager to take that knowledge to the next level? Expand your expertise during the one-year Master of Arts programme (60 ECTS) in which you can choose to study one of the six profiles in one or two languages. Addionally, you can select optional courses in up to six languages.

The Multilingual Master of Arts in Linguistics and Literary Studies from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) Key facts:

The master's degree offers you the unique possibility to take courses in linguistics and literary studies in up to six different languages and to specialise in one scientific discipline in one or two languages. The programme is built up of three components: compulsory courses, one specialty profile and one or two core languages. The three components allow for maximum flexibility in the programme. The programme offers a dedicated research track for academically strong and research-oriented students who wish to develop advanced research competences and prepare a PhD application. Within this track, students may devote up to two-thirds of the 60 ECTS credits to research-related activities.

If your bachelor's degree is not in the field of linguistics and literary studies, it is possible to enrol in a tailor-made preparatory programme consisting of bachelor's courses in linguistics and literary studies.

• Intermediality: They take an academic approach to the intermedial and/or intertextual relationship between literature and other art forms such as theatre, dance, opera, visual arts or film. Thanks to interactive courses you will go deeper into the dynamic interconnectedness of different genres.
• Linguistics: They conduct an in-depth exploration of language. You will cover a broad range of linguistic topics, such as theoretical linguistics, (historical) sociolinguistics, corpus linguistics, neurolinguistics, and psycholinguistics. You can specialise in this profile in one or two of the following languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish.
• Literary Studies: You will explore current literary topics, such as literary theory, urban literature, postcolonial literature, the intermedial relationship between literature and other art forms and aspects of literary translation.
• Multilingualism and Foreign Language Acquisition: You will learn about the role of instructed versus uninstructed foreign language learning in this profound exploration of multilingualism, from both social and cognitive perspectives, and put the theory into practice during an internship.
• Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics: If you are fascinated by the neurological and psychological aspects of language, this profile is perfect for you. Language impairments caused by brain damage and the cognitive aspects of linguistics are only a few examples of topics you will examine when choosing this option.
• Multilingualism, Mediation and Communication: Thanks to this well-balanced set of advanced academic and professionally oriented courses, you will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to study and critically reflect on challenges pertaining to translation, interpreting and communication in our multilingual society. Practical training and a compulsory internship provide the opportunity for hands-on experience. 

If you want to start studying the Multilingual master, a previous bachelor’s degree is obligatory. 

As of the 2027–2028 academic year, all six profiles will be offered in the same six languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish. Arabic, Chinese and Russian will no longer be offered in the Multilingual Mediation and Communication profile

Accreditation

All degree programs offered by VUB are accredited by the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation (NVAO), ensuring that they meet the highest predefined quality standards. Alongside this official quality control system, VUB has an internal Quality Control Commission in charge of permanently monitoring the quality of education.