General Linguistics - Master

This degree program has no special requirements for admission. That means you will be allocated a place in the program if you meet the general requirements. However, you need to apply in order to establish whether you meet the general requirements. The window for applications opens at the start of August and closes 15 September for studies in the following winter semester. For studies in the following summer semester, the application window opens mid- January and closes 15 March. Non-EU/EEA students must apply by 15 July for the following winter semester (starting October) and by 15 January for the following summer semester (starting April).

A Bachelor’s degree in this or a comparable subject with a final grade of at least 2.5 is required for this Master’s degree program.

The program is conducted in German and English. For this program, you must have proficiency in both languages: German to at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and English to at least level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You must document your language proficiency in both languages when you enroll (e.g., university entrance qualification or language test certificate).

The General Linguistics program addresses the systematic investigation of linguistic structures. Linguists investigate which regularities a language exhibits, which properties all languages ​​have in common and how languages ​​differ systematically.

There are interesting points of contact with neighboring areas in the humanities and natural sciences, such as philosophy, cognitive science and computer science, but also with biology, psychology and mathematics.

The first three semesters of the program include a consolidation and deepening of the foundation of General Linguistics in the areas Language, Variation & Change, Language Structure, Language Processing as well as the modules Research Trends and Research Apprenticeships. From these areas, students are able to choose freely. The third semester focuses on the choice of a research area through attendance of special seminars, which forms the topic of the final master's thesis.

The Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft offers the ideal environment for an intensive study and supervision. The courses usually take place in small groups, which guarantees personal contact to the lecturers. The students benefit from excellent resources such as the vastly stocked library. Linguistics in Tübingen is highly esteemed in international research und enjoys excellent connections to other disciplines.

The department of Modern Languages (Neuphilologie) at the Faculty of Humanities unites different seminars under one roof, which deal with German, English, Romance and Slavic languages and literatures. The department does not only have a long-standing tradition and international recognition of the individual departments, but also emphasizes the commonalities of the modern philology, through the wide-ranging library covering multiple subjects, as well as through interdisciplinary projects in research and teaching. The department is known as a high-ranking place of education with a great reputation for a new generation of researchers, which is reflected in the results in national and international rankings.

The first three semesters of the program include a consolidation and deepening of the foundation of General Linguistics in the areas Language, Variation & Change, Language Structure, Language Processing as well as the modules Research Trends and Research Apprenticeships. From these areas, students are able to choose freely. The third semester focuses on the choice of a research area through attendance of special seminars, which forms the topic of the final master's thesis.

Further information on the course of studies.

In addition, there is an introductory event at the beginning of each semester, which can be helpful for creating the timetable. Dates will be posted on Alma.

The Erasmus Program provides possibilities for exchanges at several European universities. The current partner universities of the Seminar für Sprachwissenschaft can be found here.

For further information, contact Fidan Can.

Optional time abroad
You may choose to spend some time abroad as part of any study program. You should start planning it 12 to 18 months before your departure. 
Here you will find general information and advice on studying abroad. In addition, some departments have their own subject-specific services providing information on studying abroad.

The module handbook describes the goals and structure of a degree program. In the module handbook you will find details of the type of modules offered and their respective workloads as well as the classes, requirements and assessment. An ideal course plan is set out in the module handbook to help you plan your studies. The module handbook and the exam regulations help you to understand the framework and conditions of your program and enable you to choose the right modules/classes.

You can find the current version of all module handbooks and exam regulations of the Faculty of Humanities on this website.

The exam regulations contain the legally binding regulations for a degree program. They set out, for instance, which modules must be taken, and which assessment must be completed in order to successfully complete the degree program. The exam regulations also regulate how often exams may be repeated, which deadlines apply to assessment, and how the final grade is calculated. The exam regulations and the module handbook help you to understand the framework and conditions of your program and enable you to choose the right modules/ classes.

You can find the current version of all module handbooks and exam regulations of the Faculty of Humanities on this website.

A degree in General Linguistics does not prepare for one specific career. Nonetheless, during the course of study, a lot of central qualifications that play an important role for a lot of jobs are acquired. Some of these are the analytical skills of understanding complex issues, conducting independent research, clear and structured presentation of complex topics, and working in a team. Skills specific to linguistics are of course the acquired knowledge about sound systems, sentence structure and logic of German and other languages, depending on the courses taken and topics covered in those classes. These skills lead to a large variety of career opportunities, which can also be explored through corresponding internships and which can be furthered through an according minor subject and through transdisciplinary skills. These further skills can for example be acquired in the area or computational linguistics, language teaching, clinical linguistics or speech therapy, however these do are not a part of the area of General Linguistics.

The master's degree at the University of Tübingen is specifically focused on research and thereby prepares for careers with a large research component, such as an academic career or a career in the software industry of language processing.

Advice and internships
The University’s Career Service assists with careers orientation and getting started in your profession. Jobs and internships can be found in the Praxisportal.

A PhD is possible after a completed master’s degree. Interested students should contact a professor working in the field that they are interested in for more information. General information about a PhD can be found here.

Information about the central alumni association.