Research master in Empirical Linguistics UCLouvain

Overview

The Research Master in Empirical Linguistics at UCLouvain offers advanced training in the scientific study of language, combining theoretical approaches with robust empirical methodologies.

The programme is designed for students aiming to pursue doctoral research or to develop expertise applicable to language-related professions, including language technologies, digital humanities, corpus-based and data-driven analyses, multilingualism and evidence-based learning.

A distinctive feature of the programme is its strong methodological orientation. Students are trained to design and conduct linguistic research using a wide range of approaches, including corpus linguistics, experimental methods, statistical analysis, mixed-methods approaches (including fieldwork). This methodological training is complemented by a solid grounding in linguistic theory.

The curriculum is interdisciplinary by design, drawing on insights and tools from fields such as computer science, sociology, and experimental pragmatics. Students develop the ability to analyse language as a complex, multifaceted phenomenon across different contexts and modalities.

The programme is highly flexible and personalised. Students can tailor their academic path through the choice of a focus, elective courses, and research topics, allowing them to specialise according to their interests and career goals.

The Master can be completed entirely in English, making it accessible to international students. It is embedded in a naturally multilingual academic environment, offering daily exposure to multiple languages and perspectives.

This Master’s degree offers you

• training which combines linguistic theory and applied linguistics;
• wide interdisciplinary range (IT, sociology, psycholinguistics, etc.);
• a solid and varied methodological background (corpus analysis, experimental linguistics, statistics, contrastive and variationist analysis, sociolinguistic surveys, etc.);
• a programme personalised through the choice of a focus, an option and optional courses;