Language use and linguistic data are essential in various disciplines today and in all areas of our digitalized society. It is widely recognized that society needs people who understand language as data, who can analyze linguistic data systematically. Master’s Degree Programme in Linguistic Data Sciences focuses on the interfaces between languages and digitalization in today’s world.
This Master’s degree programme, taught entirely in English, provides an opportunity to study language in today’s digitalized society from a variety of perspectives: sociolinguistics, language technology, and translation. The core of this programme consists of a set of courses in empirical linguistics (syntax, phonetics, pragmatics, sociolinguistics, contact linguistics, translation studies, language technology) that offer various areas of specialization for the students. In addition, we cross disciplinary boundaries and collaborate with computer science as well as data sciences and statistics. This means that students are encouraged to choose from optional modules that be used to tailor the programme to suit individual needs. Many of the courses focus on text and speech data mining and big data analytics.
Key questions that students encounter in this programme include:
- How does digitalization change languages?
- What types of digital tools are used to study languages?
- What kinds of text and speech data mining tools are available today?
- How are these digital tools and resources used?
- What types of everyday applications and assistive technologies for special needs (i.e. synthetic speech, augmented translation) built on these tools exist?
- How can they benefit our daily life?
- How is language and its variation modelled quantitatively?
- How can geospatial modelling or multivariate analysis help modelling variability?
- What technological solutions are used in translation and multilingual communication today and what is their role in the future?
For instructions on how to apply and a direct link to the application form on Studyinfo, please scroll down. The application period is open until 17 January 2024.
Key information
- Level of degree: Master's degree
- Programme duration: 2 years / 120 ECTS credits
- Language of instruction: English
- Application period: 3.1.2024 - 17.1.2024
- Programme start: September 2024
- Tuition fee: EU/EEA nationals no tuition fee; non-EU/EEA nationals 8,000 €/academic year
- Tuition waivers available for everyone
- Study campus: Joensuu
Why study with us?
- This programme provides an opportunity to study language in today's digitalized society from a variety of perspectives.
- You are able to tailor the programme to suit your individual needs by choosing from optional packages.
Studies
The curriculum consists of
- Compulsory Introductory Courses (20 cp)
- Main Subject Studies (80 ECTS)
- Finnish Studies (4 ECTS)
- Elective Studies (16 ECTS)
Compulsory Introductory Courses (20 ECTS)
These courses contain a considerable selection of basic courses in Linguistics and Language Technology.
Main subject studies (80 ECTS)
Main subject studies include the MA Seminar (5 ECTS) and MA Thesis (30 ECTS) and a combination of compulsory and optional courses in Linguistics and Language Technology.
Finnish Studies (4 ECTS)
Finnish studies will introduce you to the Finnish language. You can complete 4 - 16 ECTS credits of Finnish.
Elective Studies (16 ECTS)
Elective studies include courses that serve to deepen students' expertise and/or promote to the topic of the Master's thesis. They can be chosen from the other sub-programme, from other international study programmes, or they can be general knowledge courses.
Elective studies may vary according to the students' academic or personal interests.
For more detailed information concerning the structure of the programme, please see the degree structure (acedemic year 2023-2024) in Peppi.
How to apply?
Eligibility
A recognized Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in the area of linguistics, language studies, or translation studies is required.
A previous Bachelor's degree corresponding to at least 3 years of fulltime academic studies from an institution for higher education is required from all applicants. The degree must be awarded by an internationally recognized university. The programme also accepts degrees from a recognized university of applied sciences or polytechnic.
The programme will accept a temporary degree certificate. The temporary degree certificate is issued as a replacement for the actual degree certificate in case the latter cannot be given to student immediately after the studies have been completed due to technical or administrative reasons. The temporary degree certificate should include the same information as the actual degree certificate. The programme will accept a temporary certificate only if all the studies included in the degree have been successfully completed.
The programme will conditionally accept applications from persons who will not have graduated by the time the application period for the programme ends. Conditionally accepted applicants are required to indicate their anticipated graduation date in their application and submit an officially certified copy of their last transcript of records by the end of the application period. The conditional applicants must submit their final degree certificate and the final transcript of records to the programme coordinator by 9 August 2024.
English proficiency
Minimum requirements for the language skills verified through official language tests are as follows:
- IELTS Academic: overall score of 7.0, with 6.5 in the writing section
- TOEFL iBT: overall score of 100, with 24 in the writing section
- PTE Academic: overall score of 68, with 59 in the writing section
- C1 Advanced (formerly CAE): overall score of 185, with 176 in the writing section
- C2 Proficiency (formerly CPE): overall score of 185, with 176 in the writing section
Language test certificates are valid for two years from the day they are issued and they have to be valid during the application period.
A language test is not required of applicants who have completed
- upper secondary education or a university degree taught completely in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland, or in an EU/EEA country
- a university degree in Finland with English as a major subject
No other degrees or statements of language proficiency will be accepted. No exceptions will be made and no waivers to the language proficiency requirements will be given.
Application process
Applications are submitted through the national Studyinfo portal (studyinfo.fi) by 17 January 2024 3:00 PM (EEST). Once the online application has been filled out, required enclosures must be uploaded to the application by 24 January 2024.
Should you have any questions about completing your application, please contact our admissions office, admissions@uef.fi, tel. +358294458990.
Required documents
Applicants must submit the following documents:
1. Degree certificate(s). The degree certificate should include the name of the institution awarding the degree, the date of issue, the name of the degree and the name of the degree holder.
2. Transcript of academic records. The transcript should include full titles and completion period of the units that the student has completed for the degree (or at the very least the overall study time at the institution), grades and credit points obtained together with information on the grading scale used at the institution at the time of study. The transcript must cover the full length of studies.
3. Certificate of English proficiency. See language requirements for detailed information about submitting the language test reports.
4. Copy of the identification page of passport or other ID.
5. Motivation letter. The letter should depict the applicant’s study plans and academic goals, future career plans and professional goals, and contain a clear description of the personal and/or academic motivation for applying for this particular programme.
See also country-specific document requirements. Please note that country-specific requirements apply only to admitted applicants. During the application period, only scanned copies of original documents are required.
If educational documents are issued in a language other than English, Finnish or Swedish, official translations of them to one of these languages are required. Also officially certified copies of the original documents have to be submitted. All educational documents must be officially certified or legalised: How to submit documents.
Incomplete applications will not be processed.
Admission decision
The results of the selection will be announced to the applicants on 12 April 2024. All applicants will be informed of their acceptance/rejection by email. The successful candidates are required to accept their study place by 11 July 2024. Students will start their studies in September 2024.
Number of places
The programme will accept 20 students. The 20 best applicants are accepted and the rest are rejected. Applicants are not placed in a reserve list.
Ranking of applicants
The applications will be graded using the following criteria:
1. Academic performance (60%):
Suitability and content of the previous studies in the area of language studies, linguistics or translation studies, and applicant’s success in the previous studies: 0-5 p (0 = poor, 5 = excellent)
2. Motivation letter (40%):
Applicant’s own explanations about their motivation to apply for studies: 0-5 p (0 = poor, 5 = excellent)
Citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland
This programme is offered free of charge for the citizens of EU/EEA countries and Switzerland.
- EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Gibraltar
- EEA countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
Citizens of other countries
There is an annual tuition fee of 8000 euros for other students. In 2024, all new students receive a scholarship covering 50 % of the tuition fee. For further information, see the website,
Tuition fees cover the studies included in the degree (120 ECTS), as well as studies-related academic supervision and counseling. They also cover supporting services offered by the university; assistance in applying for student accommodation, orientation programme, tutoring, access to IT services, wireless internet access on campus, computer classrooms available 24/7 and library services.
The annual fee is paid in two equal instalments for an academic year. The due dates are 31 August (autumn semester) and 31 December (spring semester). Each installment has to be completely paid until the concerning due date.
Other mandatory fees for all degree students regardless of their country of origin
All degree students of the university are members of the Student Union. The Student Union membership fee is ca. 100 € per academic year. The Student Union membership fee entitles the student to, for example:
- reduced lunch prices at student cafeterias
- discounts on local buses and long-distance transportation
- discounts on many public services and free-time activities
Further information is available on the website of the Student Union.
All students also need to pay a healthcare fee, which entitles students to use the services of the Finnish Student Health Service. The healthcare fee is 35-40 € per semester.
Students should be able to cover all the other expenses related to their studying in Finland (500-800 €/month, depending on individual spending habits). The UEF does not offer selected students any additional funding or financial aid.
For more information about the residence permit, please see the Finnish Immigration Service's website.
The Finland Scholarship
UEF will grant a Finland Scholarship (Suomi-stipendi) of € 5 000 for the two best applicants in each Master's Degree programme. The Finland Scholarship is granted for the first year of Master’s studies and the students who receive it must be non-EU/EEA citizens who are liable to pay tuition fees.
For more information about the Finland Scholarship, please see the Tuition fees, waivers and scholarships website.
Application period 2024
Our application period is open from 3 January 2024 to 17 January 2024. The application is completed and submitted online.
Apply via Studyinfo
Studyinfo.fi is the official national admissions portal with all the up-to-date information about study programmes leading to a degree in Finland.
Finland Scholarship
Finland Scholarship
UEF will grant a Finland Scholarship for the best two applicants in each Master's degree programme. The scholarship includes a 100% tuition waiver and a € 5 000 relocation grant.
Student stories
Learn more about studying at the UEF, our university and its campuses, and life in Finland!
Contacts
Please do not hesitate to contact us in case you have any questions about our programme.
General information and admissions: lds@uef.fi