Programme Profile

The master’s degree programme in German Linguistics consists of a wide variety of research-based teaching formats that focus on the methods and theories of German linguistics. In your own empirical research work, you will apply that knowledge to selected linguistic phenomena.
This will deepen your understanding of language change, language variation, comparative linguistics, historical linguistics, first-language/second-language/foreign-language acquisition and teaching of German as a foreign language. You will also gain insights into ongoing research projects.
There are two specialisations: ‘Systematic and Historical Linguistics’ and ‘German as a Foreign Language’. For the elective portion of your degree, you can attend classes from other disciplines to acquire interdisciplinary knowledge and additional career skills.

Programme objectives

• Learning the methods and theories used in German linguistics
• Consolidating that knowledge by applying it to selected linguistic phenomena in your own empirical research
• Gaining a thorough understanding of language change, language variation, comparative linguistics, historical linguistics, first-language/second-language/foreign-language acquisition and teaching of German as a foreign language.
• Gaining insights into current research projects
• Learning to use scholarly literature
• Understanding the diversity of the German language in its historical, cultural, geographical, psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic contexts.