English Language and/or Linguistics MLitt
- Typical entry requirements
- View full entry requirements
- Course delivery
- On Campus
Course information for entry year:
Overview
Our research Master's in English Language and/or Linguistics is largely based on your own research interests. We'll prepare you for further research within and beyond academia. You'll be fully supported by experts situated in one of the largest centres for linguistics research in Europe.
The individually tailored course contains some taught modules. It mostly consists of smaller, independently conducted research assignments and a larger research dissertation at the end. The topics are chosen by you, in consultation with your supervisor.
Linguistics and Applied Linguistics is split across three Schools:
- School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences
- School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics
- School of Modern Languages
We offer supervision in the following areas:
Our supervisors' current research interests, projects and publications are available from our staff profiles in each of these Schools.
Research centres and institutes
Our links with research centres and institutes provide opportunities for collaboration and cross-disciplinary seminars and interest groups. Our most important connections are with:
- phonetics and phonology
- (morpho)syntax
- pragmatics
- the lexicon
- cross-linguistic variation
- the architecture of the language faculty
- language's place in human cognition
- the philosophy of linguistics
- dialectology
- (variationist) sociolinguistics
- the sociology of language
- English historical linguistics
- corpus creation (e.g. )
- typical and atypical child (L1) and adult (L2) language acquisition
- cognitive science
- information theory
- psycholinguistics
Important information
We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Ãå±±½ûµØ study experience for the academic year 2025-26.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
Quality and ranking
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
If you’re studying an accredited degree and thinking about working in Europe after you graduate, the best place to find current information is the . This official resource explains whether your profession is regulated in another country, what steps you need to take, and which organisation you should contact.
What you'll learn
Taught modules aim to extend your knowledge and skills beyond undergraduate level and help to develop your research skills.
Modules
You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.
The module information below is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Optional modules availability
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| English MLitt Research Assignments | 80 |
| English MLitt Dissertation | 80 |
| Research Methods for IPhD and MLitt Students | 20 |
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| English MLitt Research Assignments | 80 |
| English MLitt Dissertation | 80 |
| Research Methods for IPhD and MLitt Students | 20 |
How you'll learn
Your study will typically consist mainly of:
- seminars
- tutorials
- independent learning supported by research training
The English Language and/or Linguistics MLitt course is made up of 180 credits:
- 20 credits for research training modules
- 80 credits for a 16-24,000-word dissertation, which is written in the spring/summer for full-time students or in the second year for part-time students
- the remaining 80 credits are chosen by you and your supervisors to suit your needs and preferences
You may also take part in lectures and seminars (not the assessments) for approved taught undergraduate and postgraduate modules. Or you may choose to study modules from the Linguistics MA. The taught modules and research assignments will prepare you for your dissertation. You also have the flexibility to choose one assignment unrelated to the main focus of your studies.
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Dissertation
- Essay
- Oral presentation
- Practical lab report
- Research proposal
- Written exercise
Our mission is to help you:
- stay healthy, positive and feeling well
- overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
- get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
- carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
- understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules
We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.
You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:
- research and professional skills
- careers support
- wellbeing
- health and safety
- public engagement
- academic development
Your development
Research groups
Our research groups also facilitate researchers with common interests to share ideas, develop new skills and gain feedback on their work. The groups meet regularly and include:
- Language & Cognition Research Group
- Sociolinguistics Discussion Group
- Romance Linguistics Circle
- North East Syntax Seminar
- Phonetics and Phonology Research Group
In addition to these formal groups, there are a number of informal research clubs that meet on an ad hoc basis.
Ãå±±½ûµØ seminar series in linguistics
Throughout each semester we host a regular seminar series where internationally renowned linguistic researchers give presentations on their recent research.
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
Admissions policy
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Ãå±±½ûµØ. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures
Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course
Your future
Further study – This course provides a route into PhD level study.
Skills - Depending on your projects, this course can provide you will skills in data analysis, statistical methods, corpus building and analysis, and speech analysis, for example.
Our Careers Service
Our expert Careers Service is here to help you take the next steps in your professional life. We will support you while you’re studying with us and for up to three years after you graduate.
You will have access to expert one-to-one advice and guidance through our campus careers centre and online, along with digital resources, workshops, networking opportunities, and careers and recruitment events.
We’ve been awarded 5 QS Stars for Student Employability (2025). Many of our degrees are shaped by strong links with national and international businesses. We are committed to helping you access real-world experience opportunities and develop key skills through paid work placements and internships.
Facilities
The is a lively and diverse community. We have over 700 undergraduates and 150 postgraduates.
We are based in the Percy Building. Our purpose-built postgraduate suite has dedicated computer clusters, meeting rooms, a kitchen and a lounge.
Linguistics researchers also have access to the . This space provides access to linguistics and experimental software, such as:
- CHILDES
- ELAN and CLAN
- Praat
- SONA
- LabVanced
- Gorilla
- ShinyApps
There is also a range of specialised equipment available for loan or use, including professional-quality recording equipment:
- a portable eye tracker
- a portable ultrasound machine
- a portable electroglottograph
- ultrasound tongue imaging
- multiple sound booths
- iPads
Finally, the lab also has access to several linguistic corpora, including:
- DECTE
- Transana
- ICE-GB Corpus of English
- ICE-GB Great Britain Sound Files
- BYU Corpora
The award-winning Philip Robinson Library has an extensive audio-visual collection.
Fees, Funding and Scholarships
Tuition fees for 2026 entry (per year)
Home fees for research degree students
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance .
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
Search for funding and scholarships
Find funding available for your course
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Find out more about:
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
How to apply
Using the application portal
The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.
You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.
If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.
Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.
Open days and events
Find out about how you can visit Ãå±±½ûµØ in person and virtually
Overseas events
We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Ãå±±½ûµØ.
Get in touch
Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
Scott Burdon
Education Administrator (PGT & PGR)
School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7619
Email: pg.english@ncl.ac.uk
Enquiries
If you've got a question about your application, send us an enquiry via the application portal you applied through.
If you haven't applied yet, or have a general enquiry, you can send your questions via our enquiry form.
Chat to our students
Choosing a university is a big decision. If you've got questions about a particular course, student life or the city of Ãå±±½ûµØ, why not chat to our friendly students or graduates!
Keep updated
We regularly send email updates and extra information about the University.