English linguistics - M.A.

The M.A. in Linguistics constitutes a distinct program within the M.A. in English Studies Program at the Institute of English and American Studies. Students with a good command of English and a genuine interest in language are welcome to apply to our program. Applicants must choose the M.A. in Linguistics at the time of the application procedure. (If you wish to pursue literary and cultural studies at the Institute of English and American Studies, please visit this page.)

Our program offers a variety of introductory and advanced courses in linguistics, covering theoretical areas such as syntax and semantics as well as more applied areas such as sociolinguistics and second language acquisition. Although the language of instruction is English, and we show a keen interest in English linguistics, our faculty and students also like to examine languages other than English from various perspectives. Our primary research interests lie in syntax, (lexical) semantics, child language, second language acquisition, experimental and computational linguistics.

As a student of our program, you will be encouraged to find topics for individual research projects and get involved in our talent management programs and the active academic and social life of our department.

Our program can also prepare you for further graduate studies in our PhD Program in English Linguistics.

Admission information

• For domestic students: felvi.hu (Hungarian).
• For international students
  • Language requirements:
    Non-native English speaking applicants must satisfy one of the following requirements: a TOEFL score of 587 or an IELTS band score of 7.0 (which correspond to CEFR C1).
     
  • Academic requirements:
    All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree with at least 50 credits completed in English Studies, linguistics or some related field.
     
  • The entrance interview:
    An important component of the application procedure is an interview where applicants have the opportunity to demonstrate some knowledge of linguistics and discuss their research interests with a faculty member. The interview usually begins with a conversation about a research paper that the applicant has written for a previous class.
     
  • For further information, see this website. A flowchart of the application procedure is available here.
  • For scholarship opportunities, see this page.

Structure of the program

• Foundational courses
  Successful completion of these courses is required for all students. Classes meet once a week for two or four hours.

• Electives in linguistics
  The M.A. degree requires the completion of 12 electives in linguistics. The courses on offer vary each year depending on student interest and our faculty’s teaching schedules.

• Other electives
  In order to obtain the M.A. degree, you must also complete electives offered by any department of the university worth 10 credits in total. Please note that you may also complete further electives in linguistics to meet this requirement.

You can find our current courses here.

MA Final Exam in Linguistics

The final exam consists of an oral and a written test.

The written test consists of two essay questions, which the candidate freely chooses out of three questions. This part of the final exam tests the candidate's general knowledge of basic linguistic principles. See the list of topics and the associated literature here (for students starting the MA program in 2022 or later) and a sample test here.

The oral test is a defense of the MA thesis; the defense is a conversation with the members of the examination committee about the thesis. The conversation takes as its starting point the two questions the candidate receives from their supervisor in the written evaluation of the thesis before the final exam.

For further information about the M.A. in Linguistics, please contact Erzsébet Balogh.

• Thesis information