At our institute you can study Linguistics in a Bachelor programme. The programme lasts six semesters and yields a Bachelor of Arts degree (B. A.). With the successful completion of the programme you will satisfy the prerequisites for a four-semester Master programme in linguistics.

Aptitude for the Programme

If you consider studying linguistics, you should ask yourself whether you are interested in structural properties of languages, especially in the structural properties of less-known non-European languages. Normative perspectives on language (“What is good German?”) or techniques for successful language learning are not a subject of the programme. Ideally, you will have a high ability for abstraction and good to very good school knowledge in grammar and mathematics. Since most of the specialized literature is in English, you should also have good to very good knowledge of the English language. We recommend that you take a look into an introductory book on linguistics before the beginning of your studies, or that you attempt the tasks from the Linguistics Olympiad. Peruse our course catalogues to get an idea of the concrete content of the programme. The student council can also share information about studying linguistics in Leipzig.

Required language competence

  • German (C1, CEFR)
  • English (B2, CEFR)
  • Further non-native language (B1, CEFR) or knowledge of Latin

Contents of the BA programme

The Bachelor programme in Linguistics provides basic knowledge of the diversity of natural languages, their inner structure and their processing. In the course of the programme you will acquire knowledge of grammatical principles and rules on the individual levels of the language system - from sounds to meanings - as well as their realisation in language use.
You will acquire the ability to work with different formal, empirical and technical methods to describe and explain linguistic data.

Modules compulsory area

You must successfully complete all modules of the compulsory area; these grades are part of your Bachelor grade. The following modules are compulsory:

The module 04-006-1001 introduces fundamental concepts of linguistics. It is designed for the first semester. The module includes the lectures Linguistic Foundations and Formal Foundations. Further courses are ??? to the two lectures. The module conveys basic knowledge from different domains of linguistics (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics), introduces into description and explanation of linguistic phenomena, and conveys knowledge of mathematical logic and set theory for understanding formal analysis. The module further includes two practical courses (1 lecture hour each) related to the lectures. The module examination consists of a two-hour written exam.

The Module 04-006-1004 is also designed for the first semester. Here you will learn about various methodological techniques that are important for linguistics. The lecture Phonetic Analysis conveys knowledge of the analysis of acoustic and articulatory properties of natural languages. The lecture Grammar Analysis conveys techniques for capturing grammatical structures (with many examples from under-studied languages). The module further includes two practical courses (1 lecture hour each) related to the lectures. The module examination consists of a two-hour written exam.

The module 04-004-1002 is designed for the second semester. In the lecture Phonology you will learn about the foundations of sound structure and sound processes, and their theoretical modelling. In the lecture Morphology, you will learn about the basic principles of word structure, inflection and word formation. The module further includes two practical courses (1 lecture hour each) related to the lectures. The module examination consists of a two-hour written exam.

The module 04-006-1003 is designed for the second semester. In this module you will learn about the basics of sentence structure and syntactical argumentation in the lecture Syntax. In the lecture Semantics you will learn about the principles of meaning decomposition. The module further includes two practical courses (1 lecture hour each) related to the lectures. The module examination consists of a two-hour written exam.

The module 04-006-1010 is designed for the third semester. It consists of a lecture on Theoretical Computational Linguistics and a seminar on Applied Computational Linguistics. The lecture introduces computational methods of linguistics and deals with different algorithmic approaches of language processing. It provides an insight into the interaction between algorithmic modelling and linguistic theory construction on the one hand and theories of human language processing on the other.  In addition, you will also acquire  knowledge of a higher-level programming language in the lecture, so that you can computationally implement exemplary grammatical analyses. The module examination consists of a portfolio.

The module 04-006-1006 is designed for the fourth semester. In the courses of the module you deal with grammar-theoretical approaches to syntax, morphology and semantics at a more advanced level. Especially in the seminars Syntax and Morphology there may be a more specific theoretical focus. The module examination consists of two subparts: a one-and-a-half-hour written exam and a term paper.

The module 04-006-1008 is designed for the fourth semester. In the lecture Introduction to language typology you will learn more about the methods of systematic language comparison and the results of typological studies on the distribution of selected linguistic phenomena in the languages of the world. In the seminar Languages of the world you will learn more about the different language families and their characteristic properties. The module examination consists of a portfolio.

For this module, you will choose a language module from the university's range of courses that ideally is dedicated to a non-Indo-European language. You may also choose a language module of an Indoeuropean language that is spoken outside of Europe. Occasionally, the module 04-006-1005 is offered by our institute. But often you must take a module from another institute. You can find further information on the module here.

Elective area

In the elective area you select from the range of the social sciences and the humanities comprising 30 credit points. You can freely combine the modules of  different subjects. However, the departments only offer a limited number of places for  students from the elective area. Therefore, it can be the case that you are unable to get a place in your preferred module. The grades of the elective area are not part of the Bachelor grade. 

Key Qualifications

You must successfully complete modules comprising 30 credit points from the area of key qualifications. This can be cross-faculty key qualification modules or key qualification modules of the Faculty of Philology. Under certain circumstances we can also credit internships; in this regard please contact the course advising service. The grades of the key qualification modules are not part of the Bachelor grade.

You must select as a subject-adjacent key qualification a language module from the range of the Leipzig University which is dedicated to a language of communication/lingua franca. This module must comprise ten credit points. For further information on the module, please check the notes on the language modules.

Sie können sich anstelle der angebotenen fakultätsinternen oder fakultätsübergreifenden Schlüsselqualifikationsmodule auch ein oder mehrere (kombinierte) externe Praktika als ein ein Schlüsselqualifikationsmodul anrechnen lassen. Entscheidend ist hier der geleistete Workload. Für die Anrechnung als 10LP-Modul sollte eine Praktikumstätigkeit im Mindestumfang von 150 oder mehr Zeitstunden abgeleistet werden. Sie benötigen eine Bestätigung des Praktikumsgebers zu Umfang und Tätigkeiten im Rahmen des Praktikums. Gleichzeitig müssen Sie einen Praktikumsbericht vorlegen (im Regelfall bei der Studienfachberatung), in dem Sie über ihre Tätigkeiten berichten und darüber reflektieren, was Sie im Praktikum gelernt haben. Weitere allgemeine Hinweise (mit Informationen zu Praktikumsstellen) finden Sie auf der allgemeinen Praktikums- Webseite.

Information on the language modules and the bachelor thesis

Application

There will be a local Numerus Clausus (NCU) depending on the number of applicants. Please send your application for admission to the Student Office of the University. If you are applying from a foreign country, please inform yourself about the general study requirements at the International Centre of the University.

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