Books in the Taylorian
Books in the Taylorian Library
(Image Credit: Daniela Massiceti / Graduate Photography Competition)

MSt in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics (Research Preparation)

About the course

The MSt in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics (Research Preparation) is a nine-month taught course offering a range of options for those seeking a graduate qualification in language studies and wishing to specialise in general linguistics (including phonetics but not applied linguistics), in historical and comparative linguistics, or in the linguistics of a specific language.

This course is designed for applicants who have studied linguistics as undergraduates to a more advanced level and who thus already have a solid background in all core areas of general linguistics; they will typically have a degree in which linguistics forms at least 50% of the teaching and assessment, or who can otherwise demonstrate that they have studied linguistics to an equivalent level.  

If you have previously studied linguistics at an introductory level and are keen to familiarise yourself further with the discipline, you may wish to consider the MSt in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics (Advanced Study) instead.

In order to be admitted on this course, applicants will have already identified, by means of a detailed research proposal, a topic in which they have received relevant prior training and on which they will want to write a master’s thesis.

Course Structure

Students will be working on their master’s thesis from their first term. They will attend the Faculty’s training in research methods and in addition, they may attend some more advanced classes that are of relevance to their thesis work.

Students will study for two option papers that are of particular interest to them. Options are chosen from those listed in Option B, Option C, or in Option D below. Those intending to study options chosen from C or D below should normally have, and may be required to demonstrate, some knowledge of the chosen (group of) language(s), and those intending to offer options chosen from C will normally be expected to be able to read secondary literature in French and German.

If students would like to specialise fully in Indo-European comparative philology via Option C, they are strongly encouraged to apply for the MPhil in Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics instead. There is also scope for some work in historical and comparative linguistics in the MSt via the module in Historical and Comparative Linguistics under Option B, and via options in the history and structure of specific languages.

Please note that not all options may be offered every year, depending on the availability of teaching.

Option B

You will select two options from the following range:

  • Phonetics and Phonology
  • Syntax
  • Semantics and Pragmatics
  • Historical and Comparative Linguistics
  • Psycholinguistics and Neurolinguistics 
  • History and Structure of a Language.

You may also ask for one option in another subject in general linguistics; approval will be subject to the availability of proper instruction and provision for examination. There are two other Option B papers, which are not normally available to MSt students unless they have substantial training in that subject sufficient to begin work on these options from their first term on the course:

  • Experimental Phonetics 
  • Computational Linguistics. 

Option C

You will select two options from the following three subjects:

  • The comparative grammar of two Indo-European languages or language groups
  • The historical grammar of the two languages or language groups selected
  • Translation from, and linguistic comment upon, texts in the languages selected.

Option D

You may select either ancient (eg Latin, Sanskrit) or modern languages (eg French, Italian, German, Slavic languages), for two of the following:

  • The history of one language, or of two or more historically related languages
  • The structure of the language or languages selected 
  • One of the following:
    • translation from, and/or linguistic comment upon, texts in the language or languages selected
    • any paper from B (above) except History and Structure of a Language
    • a project on an aspect of the structure or history of the language, or family of related languages, studied.

Attendance

The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.

Resources to support your study

The Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics will be based in the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, a brand-new building at the University of Oxford, which will accommodate seven faculties, two institutes, a new library, a large number of well-equipped teaching and seminar rooms, and performance and arts venues. Each faculty will have its own centre and social hub within a building which will also facilitate interdisciplinary and collaborative work. At the heart of the building is a large atrium – called the Great Hall – which will be a beautiful space, bringing light into the building, and serving as a space for informal work, relaxation, meeting with friends, taking breaks, having refreshments – and much more.

The building will enable the recently-established Cultural Programme to flourish, with a 500-seat world class concert hall, a theatre, experimental performance venue, 100-seat cinema, and exhibition hall. Many of these venues will support academic and student-led activities, as well as performances and creative works by professional artists. The cultural programme will enrich the lives of students, and will also provide opportunities to get involved.

Phonetics Laboratory

The experimental area consists of a recording studio, an acoustics and speech processing laboratory, a physiological laboratory and a speech perception laboratory. Hardware for physiological study, available to students and staff, includes labial electromyography, oral/nasal aerometry (measurement of air pressures and flow) and ultrasound tongue imaging.

The studios, for recording and for running experiments, are equipped with high-quality microphones and digital recording equipment, and computer systems for the presentation of visual and/or auditory stimuli.

Language and Brain Laboratory

The language and Brain Laboratory offers research staff and students bespoke facilities and specialist equipment to conduct a wide variety of behavioural, eye-tracking and neurolinguistics experiments. There is a common room for tutorials and meetings.

The laboratory has separate spaces for Neurolinguistics, Eye-Tracking, Production, and Behavioural studies. We have two electronically shielded sound-proofed climate-controlled EEG booths for recording brain waves. EEG recordings are made using high-impedance (300 Mohms) active electrode systems: we are currently conducting experiments on two systems: BioSemi and Brain Vision. An additional soundproof room is used for high quality audio recordings and eye-tracking studies. Our state-of-the-art SR Research Eyelink1000 eye tracker can be used on its own, or in combination with our EEG equipment.

One of the largest spaces is the Behavioural Lab, where there is bespoke equipment and software to run experiments such as lexical decision tasks or timed forced choice experiments. Eight participants can currently run simultaneously at individually screened desks, or up to 16 participants with a projector setup. All of the testing rooms have an associated control room to monitor the experiments and analyse the results.

Library provision

Oxford's library provision in linguistics is one of the largest in the country. Oxford's libraries are superbly provided with material on theoretical linguistics, the structure and history of European languages, ancient Indo-European languages, and non-Indo-European as well as Indo-European languages of Asia.

There will be 340 general reader seats, and around 80 graduate study seats – with a further 320 formal and informal study seats throughout the building outside the library.

Open-shelf lending collections will be complemented by access to electronic resources, scan on demand, and material requested from the Bodleian’s Collections Storage Facility. As well as the Library’s extensive staffed hours, there will be a 24/7 study space, including smart lockers for self-collect of borrowable items out of hours. Subject support is provided by a team of subject librarians.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology & Phonetics and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Faculty of Linguistics, Philology and Phonetics. 

Most students have the opportunity to meet with their course supervisor at the beginning and end of each term to receive advice about useful lectures and seminars and to review the progress made.

Assessment

You will produce a thesis which needs to be submitted in the final term of your course. In addition, assessment of your two option papers, involving exams and/or submissions depending on which options you chose, will take place in the final term of your course.

Graduate destinations

It is anticipated that some MSt students who complete this course will proceed to doctoral work at Oxford, while others will continue academic study at other institutions. Alternative career destinations may include publishing, secondary and further education, finance, and IT.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

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