Linguistics is thinking about language on a scientific basis. If you study Linguistics, you study language and its use from all perspectives.
The programme takes three years, full-time. The language of instruction is Dutch and English. Please check 'More info' for more information. Our visiting address is van Wijkplaats 3, Leiden.
During the propaedeutic year (first year of the BA) extra education related hours will be reserved: 8 hours for the introduction day, 2 hours for studyrelated information sessions and 1 hour for the intake.
| Course | EC | Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
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Mandatory courses in the first and second semester |
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FIRST SEMESTER |
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| Languages of the world | 5 | ||
| Sociolinguistics | 5 | ||
| Phonology I | 5 | ||
| Language and culture of the Indo-Europeans | 5 | ||
| Speech Sounds of the World | 5 | ||
| Language and Communication | 5 | ||
| Academic Skills (Linguistics) | |||
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SECOND SEMESTER |
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| Historical Linguistics | 5 | ||
| Morphology | 5 | ||
| Syntax 1 | 5 | ||
| Language Use in the World | 5 | ||
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Programme bound elective choices in the second semester Students choose two courses. This choice is also based on the specialisation that students will choose in their second year. |
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Preparatory courses Language and Cognition (taught in English) in the second year |
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| Experimental Phonetics (BA) | 5 | ||
| Psycholinguistics | 5 | ||
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Preparatory courses Taal en Communicatie (taught in Dutch and English) in the second year |
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| Argumentation and persuasion | 5 | ||
| Word and Meaning | 5 | ||
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Preparatory courses Descriptive Linguistics (taught in English) in the second year |
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| Structure course non-western languages (Quechua) | 5 | ||
| Word and Meaning | 5 | ||
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Preparatory courses Comparative Indo-European Linguistics (taught in English) in the second year |
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| Lithuanian (BA) | 5 | ||
| Gothic | 5 | ||
| Course | EC | Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
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FIRST SEMESTER In the first semester you will follow mandatory courses within your specialisation. Besides that you will start with the first part of your minor or elective package (15 EC). |
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| Minor/ Elective package (15 EC) | 15 | ||
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Language and Cognition (taught in English) Choose between between Lab Internship and an extra specialisation course |
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| Experimental Methods II: Practicals & Projects | 5 | ||
| Lab Internship | 5 | ||
| Seminar on Syntax and Semantics | 5 | ||
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Taal en Communicatie (taught in Dutch) |
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| Critical Thinking, Critical Writing | 5 | ||
| Language Lab: Methods in the Study of Language Use | 5 | ||
| Words as Weapons: Rhetorical Effects of Choices in Formulation | 5 | ||
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Descriptive Linguistics (taught in Dutch and English) |
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| Description of a Non-western Language III: East Javanese Language Structure and Cultural Context | 5 | ||
| Language Documentation | 5 | ||
| Seminar Linguistic Fieldwork A | 5 | ||
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Comparative Indo-European Linguistics (taught in Dutch and English) |
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| Historical Grammar of Greek 1 | 5 | ||
| Reading Vedic texts | 5 | ||
| Readings in Indo-European Linguistics | 5 | ||
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SECOND SEMESTER In the second semester students will follow their final mandatory specialisation course. Everyone will follow the thesis seminar and write their BA thesis. Besides that students will complete their minor or elective package (15 EC). |
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| Minor/ Elective package (15 EC) | 15 | ||
| BA Thesis Linguistics | 10 | ||
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Language and Cognition (taught in English) |
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| Sound and Sound Structure | 5 | ||
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Taal en Communicatie (taught in Dutch) |
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| Seminar on Dutch Linguistics: Linguistics and Rhetorics | 5 | ||
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Taalbeschrijving (taught in Dutch) |
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| Seminar Linguistic Fieldwork B | 5 | ||
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VIET (taught in Dutch) |
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| Historical grammar of Greek 2 | 5 | ||
Iedere specialisatie heeft een trajectgebonden keuzeruimte. De grootte en wijze van invulling hiervan verschillen per traject.
Taal en communicatie - 25 ec
Binnen de trajectgebonden keuzeruimte bij Taal & Communicatie hebben de studenten de volgende opties:
de keuzevakken bij Taal & communicatie: Norm en taal, Statistiek voor taalkundigen
vakken die vallen onder één van de andere trajecten, zie de lijst hieronder
taalverwervingscolleges aangeboden door taal- en cultuuropleidingen in Leiden
vakken die vallen onder de minor Tweedetaalverwerving
Indien studenten om goede redenen een ander taalkundig vak in hun trackgebonden keuzeruimte op willen nemen kunnen ze hiertoe een gemotiveerd verzoek bij de Examencommissie indienen.
Taalbeschrijving - 20 ec
Binnen de trajectgebonden keuzeruimte bij Taalbeschrijving hebben de studenten de volgende opties:
de keuzevakken voor Taalbeschrijving: Statistiek voor taalkundigen
vakken die vallen onder één van de andere trajecten, zie de lijst hieronder
Indien studenten om goede redenen een ander taalkundig vak in hun trackgebonden keuzeruimte op willen nemen kunnen ze hiertoe een gemotiveerd verzoek bij de Examencommissie indienen.
Taal en cognitie - 5 ec
Binnen de trajectgebonden keuzeruimte bij Taal en Cognitie hebben de studenten de volgende opties:
de keuzevakken bij Taal en Cognitie: Python for Linguists, Tweedetaalverwerving: didactiek en toetsing, Tweedetaalverwerving: de invloed van moedertaal en taalaanleg
vakken die vallen onder één van de andere trajecten, zie de lijst hieronder
Indien studenten om goede redenen een ander taalkundig vak in hun trackgebonden keuzeruimte op willen nemen kunnen ze hiertoe een gemotiveerd verzoek bij de Examencommissie indienen.
VIET - 5 ec
Binnen de traject-gebonden keuzeruimte bij VIET hebben de studenten de volgende opties:
de keuzevakken bij VIET: Statistiek voor taalkundigen
vakken die vallen onder één van de andere trajecten, zie de lijst hieronder
Indien studenten om goede redenen een ander taalkundig vak in hun trackgebonden keuzeruimte op willen nemen kunnen ze hiertoe een gemotiveerd verzoek bij de Examencommissie indienen.
Binnen de trajectgebonden keuzeruimte mogen studenten vakken kiezen die bij andere trajecten horen. In deze lijst staan de beschikbare vakken op een rij.
Wanneer een vak deel uitmaakt van het eigen traject, kan het niet tevens als trajectgebonden keuzevak gevolgd worden.
In general all elective courses from the BA Linguistics can be selected for the chosen area of specialisation. The list below provides an overview of the most relevant courses per area of specialisation.
| Course | EC | Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
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Language and Cognition (taught in Dutch and English) |
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| Python for Linguists | 5 | ||
| Tweedetaalverwerving: de invloed van moedertaal en taalaanleg | 5 | ||
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Taal en Communicatie (taught in Dutch and English) |
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| Statistics for Linguists | 5 | ||
| Standard and Language | 5 | ||
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Descriptive Linguistics (taught in English) |
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| Statistics for Linguists | 5 | ||
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Comparative Indo-European Linguistics (taught in English) |
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| Introduction to Old Germanic | 5 | ||
| Old Persian | 5 | ||
| Statistics for Linguists | 5 | ||
| Middle Welsh | 5 | ||
| Old Church Slavic Language and Culture | 10 | ||
| Old Norse | 5 | ||
| Tocharian | 5 | ||
| Introduction to Old Khotanese | 5 | ||
Objectives Additional requirements BSA Programme follow-on master's programme
Bachelors Linguistics:
beschikken over gevorderde kennis, analytische vaardigheden en inzicht op het terrein van taalkunde;
zijn in staat op elk van deze terreinen een afgebakend probleem zelfstandig dan wel in samenwerking met anderen te onderzoeken;
zijn in staat daarvan helder en duidelijk verslag uit te brengen in mondelinge of schriftelijke vorm;
kunnen kennis en inzicht op het gebied van taalkunde toepassen bij cognitieve en/of computationele analyse.
See [Course and Examination Regulations] and Faculty Regulations
Regulations on Binding Study Advice (BSA)
First Year: Propaedeuse
The first year of the programme offers a broad orientation on the phenomenon of human language and the study of language and provides students insight into the diversity of languages. Students will learn about the various, including interdisciplinary, areas of linguistic research and be taught methodes of linguistic analysis. This way you can explore which track you want to specialise in.
During lectures and tutorials books and articles will be used that will, together with the discussed materials, explain the field of study and way of reasoning.Tutorials will also be used for requiring oral and written skills, practicing techniques en solving problems, individually as well as in small groups. This way you lay a solid foundation for the rest of your Bachelor programme.
During the second semester of your first year, students will select and follow two out of eight courses that relate to their chosen specialisation. This choice is also based on the specialisation that students will choose in their second and third year.
Extra hours
Information session on BA Linguistics related electives/ areas of specialisation: 2 hours
Introduction day: 8 hours
Mentor sessions: 24 hours
Intake: 1 hour
Second and Third Year
During your second and third year students will improve their research and general academic skills (such as analysis, writing and presenting). Students will take courses related to their chosen area of specialisation. Four specialised tracks are available from which students choose one:
Language and Cognition (taught in English)
Taal en Communicatie (taught in Dutch)
Descriptive Linguistics (taught in English)
Comparative Indo-European Linguistics (taught in English)
Elective choices
Next to the compulsory courses within each specialisation, students have a lot of freedom to design their own programme with the elective choices on offer. Electives within the different specialisations can be used for other specialisations as well.
These first year courses are meant as a further orientation on the specialisations:
Psycholinguistics | Language and Cognition
Experimental phonetics | Language and Cognition
Word and meaning | Descriptive Linguistics
Structure course Non-western Languages (Quechua) | Descriptive Linguistics
Lithuanian (BA) | Comparative Indo-European Linguistics
Gothic | Comparative Indo-European Linguistics
Argumenteren en overtuigen | Taal & Communicatie
Word and meaning | Taal & Communicatie
In order to complete a specialisation, students need to finish the orientation electives of that specialisation.
Half of your third year is discretionary space (30 EC, 15 EC per semester): you can choose to do an internship, follow a fixed minor programme, or creating and following a personalised ‘study package’ comprising electives from another programme. For more information about the discretionary space click here
Full-time and Part-time
This programme is fulltime.
BA thesis and graduation requirements
To be able to graduate students need to have obtained 180 EC, meet the requirements of their specialisation and discretionary space and, as part of their programme, have succesfully finished their BA thesis.
Students are free to choose the subject of their thesis, as long as this is related to their specialisation. The BA thesis is the largest and most important assignment of the bachelor's programme. It is a written report of research carried out by the student under the supervision of one of his lecturers and serves as the final and concluding assignment of his degree. In general the thesis contains a maximum of 8500 words (including footnotes, bibliography and attachments). The regulations and procedures concerning the BA thesis can be found here
Areas of specialisation
Specialisatie Taal en Cognitie
Bij Taal en Cognitie bestudeer je taal als een cognitief systeem. Je houdt je bezig met (formele) modellen over taal die proberen te verklaren hoe taal in onze hersenen is gerepresenteerd, hoe het taalsysteem zich ontwikkelt bij kinderen, en hoe hersenschade het taalsysteem kan aantasten. Deze specialisatie raakt aan onderzoeksgebieden als psychologie, neurowetenschap en informatica.
Specialisatie Taal en Communicatie
Bij de bestudering van de relatie tussen taal en communicatie draait het om de vraag hoe mensen taal gebruiken om bepaalde boodschappen aan elkaar over te dragen en om bepaalde effecten bij elkaar te bewerkstelligen. De nadruk ligt bij Taal en Communicatie dan ook op de functies van taal en minder op de grammaticale eigenschappen ervan.
Specialisatie Taalbeschrijving
Alle talen hebben een grammatica. Maar van de ongeveer 6.000 talen wereldwijd zijn er slechts 500 redelijk bekend en beschreven. Duizenden talen wachten dus nog op een nieuwsgierige taalwetenschapper om de structuren te achterhalen en te beschrijven.
Specialisatie Vergelijkende Indo-Europese taalwetenschap
Wat hebben Nederlands, Russisch, Hindi en Perzisch met elkaar te maken? Op het eerste gezicht weinig. Toch hebben de talen een gemeenschappelijke oorsprong: het Indo-Europees. Deze oertaal werd waarschijnlijk rond 3500 voor Christus gesproken in Zuid-Rusland. De mensen en hun taal verspreidden zich over alle windstreken, van Noordwest-Europa tot India. Er ontstonden regionale verschillen en uiteindelijk verschillende talen.
If you successfully complete the bachelor’s in Linguistics programme, you are eligible to choose one of the one-year master's in Linguistics programmes that corresponds with your BA area of specialisation (more information). In addition to this, Bachelors in Linguistics can apply for the two-year research master's in Linguistics programme at Leiden University (more information). Certain master’s programmes have additional admission requirements which can be met by taking a specific minor in the third year of your linguistics programme, possibly with a pre-master's programme. For more information about the different master's programmes and the application procedure, click here
The first year of study (60 EC) must have been completed.
In addition to the required courses in the bachelor’s programme, the student is required to take of total of 30 EC in elective courses.
The elective requirement can be satisfied in a variety of ways provided the prevailing faculty and university requirements and norms according article 3.2 of the Course and Examination Regulations are met.
A minor is a specified programme that is approved in advance. All university faculties offer a range of minors. The minors offered by the Faculty of the Humanities are often interdisciplinary in nature. For this reason, certain topics, which are sometimes social issues, are approached from various angles.
On the minors site you will find information about the minor system.
For more specific information, the minor programmes on offer can be found in the online prospectus: minors in English. Please note that a number of minors on this page are in Dutch minors in Dutch.
A study abroad programme is a good experience for any student and an excellent way to complement the curriculum for your own major area of study. Your time studying abroad also helps you prepare for the job market. For more information about exchange programmes with a foreign university and about grants, please contact either the Humanities International Office or your Coordinator of Studies.
You can also satisfy your elective requirements by completing an internship. This involves working at a business or organisation under the guidance of a lecturer in the faculty and an employee of that organisation. The activities during an internship are often related to what you have learned in your degree programme. If you chose to do an internship, the Student Career Service can help you find a suitable placement at one of a large number of businesses and institutions. Take a look at the internship guidelines and the internship rules and regulations.
If you wish to assemble your own personalised elective package using course offerings at either Leiden University or another institution of higher education, the following conditions apply: The courses chosen must exhibit cohesion and structure. You must consult with your Coordinator of Studies concerning how to satisfy your elective requirements. The individual elective package must be presented to the examination committee for approval, using the request procedure.
Students who have completed a University Bachelor programme have the option of using portions of that programme to satisfy their elective requirements. To do this you need to submit a request to your department’s examination committee using the request procedure.
Students are recommended to get in touch with their Coordinator of Studies early on and present their elective preferences and then to submit them to the examination committee for approval using the request procedure. The choice of courses for satisfying your elective requirements has to be approved by the Board of Examiners. When evaluating a student’s choices, the Board of Examiners will base its decision on the cohesion and standard of the package selected.