Linguistics (MA by Research)

About the research degree

A Master's by Research (MA) allows you to undertake a one year (full-time) research degree. It contains little or no formal taught component. This type of study gives you the chance to explore a research topic over a shorter time than a more in-depth doctoral programme.

Research Master's students choose a specific project to work on and have a greater degree of independence in their work than is the case with a taught Master's course.

You'll be expected to work to an approved programme of work which you will develop in conjunction with your supervisor within the first few months of starting your studies. Whilst undertaking the research project you will also have the opportunity to develop your research skills by taking part in training courses and events.

You will be appointed a main supervisor who will normally be part of a supervisory team, comprising up to three members to advise and support you on your project.

At the end of the project you'll write up your findings in the form of a short thesis of around 25,000 words, which will then be examined by both an internal and an external examiner.

On successful completion, you will be awarded your degree and if you have enjoyed this taste of research you may then decide to apply for the full research doctoral degree (PhD).

What can I research?

Linguistics and Modern Languages at Huddersfield has a vibrant postgraduate community, with around 35 research students studying with us at any one time. Our students come from a wide range of countries and are a vital and vibrant part of the life of the department.

We offer research supervision in a wide variety of sub-fields of linguistics and are particularly interested in applications for linguistics in the solution of real-world problems. Our particular research strengths include:

• Bilingualism

• Cognitive linguistics

• Conversation Analysis

• Corpus linguistics

• Critical Discourse Analysis

• Forensic speech science

• History of the English language

• Intercultural communication

• Language acquisition

• Modern languages and culture

• Phonetics

• Pragmatics

• Semantics

• Syntax

• Stylistics

To find out more about the research we conduct, take a look at our Research, Innovation and Skills webpages, where you will find information on each research area. To find out about our staff visit ‘Our experts’ which features profiles of all our academic staff.

You will need to complete a research proposal outlining your areas of interest and when this is submitted along with your research degree application form we will identify the appropriate academic staff in Linguistics and Modern Languages to supervise you and guide you through your research degree.

Researcher Environment

The University of Huddersfield has a thriving research community made up of over 1,350 postgraduate research students. We have students studying on a part-time and full-time basis from all over the world with around 43% from overseas and 57% from the UK.

Research plays an important role in informing all our teaching and learning activities. Through undertaking research our staff remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their field, which means you develop knowledge and skills which are current and relevant to your specialist area.

Find out more about our research staff and centres

Professional links and accreditations

Linguistics and Modern Languages is home to the internationally-recognized Stylistics Research Centre, as well as hosting research groups on language variation and change.

Our staff hold official positions in professional organisations such as the Linguistics Association of Great Britain (LAGB), the International Association for Forensic Phonetics and Acoustics and the Poetics and Linguistics Association (PALA).

We edit and publish the popular magazine Babel which is aimed at non-specialist readers with an interest in linguistics and language-related issues. As a student, you'll have the opportunity to write or review for the magazine.

Find out more about our research.

Career support

On graduating from this course you'll be well equipped for a range of careers, including teaching, publishing, broadcasting, writing, PR, marketing, advertising, and management.

In addition, the discipline-specific skills – in particular analysing interaction on both macro- and micro-levels – will equip you well for advanced study or careers which might include advisory jobs for multinational companies and private/public organisations which need expertise in intercultural matters.

The variety of specialist knowledge you develop will also equip you well for a career in research, policy planning or third sector or voluntary sector work.

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Visit the Linguistics (MA by Research) page on the University of Huddersfield website for more details!