Main menu
Staff & students
In this section

Course information

Department

English and Creative Writing
Computing

Length

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Course overview

Have you ever wondered how personal assistants like Siri and Alexa work, or how humans interact with chatbots and apps using natural language? Are you interested in how language is structured, what its social functions are, or how to build formal models of it? If so, then this programme is for you.

Why study MA in Computational Linguistics

  • Our interdisciplinary programme will enable you to acquire the theoretical understanding and practical skills you’ll need to succeed in the academic and professional fields of natural language processing and computational linguistics.
  • The programme is based on an inter-departmental collaboration between the Department of Computing and the linguistics team at the Department of English and Creative Writing, giving you a chance to explore the fascinating relationship between language and technology.
  • You’ll have access to modules that explore the core areas of language structure and meaning, the relationship between language, society and culture, linguistic analyses of text and speech, Natural Language Processing, core programming skills, Corpus Linguistics, as well as a further range of option modules available at the two Departments.
  • You’ll gain a solid understanding of how language technologies can be applied to diverse language processing tasks and will be able to steer your studies towards your primary interests and professional ambitions.
  • This program focuses on the intersection of linguistics and computation and is suitable for students coming from either of these disciplines or from related disciplines with strong interests in this domain, with good numeracy skills.

Ethical and social perspectives

Throughout the programme, we encourage you to develop an understanding of the ethical and social dimensions of computational linguistics and its applications. Our graduates will be challenged to confront the many ethical issues in artificial intelligence and computational linguistics. In the modern era of data availability, it is vital that all participants involved in the acquisition and analysis of language data are aware of potential biases and the impact of their actions on privacy, anonymity, and personal security.

Talk to the programme leaders

Do you have questions about the programme that you'd like to discuss with one of the programme leads? View dates of upcoming live sessions and book a meeting slot with Dr Tony Russell-Rose (Computing) or Dr Geri Popova (English and Creative Writing) for an online one-to-one conversation.

View the upcoming live chat availability by following the links below:

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Geri Popova or Tony Russell-Rose.

What you'll study

Compulsory modules

You'll take the following compulsory modules:

Module title Credits
Core Issues in English Language & Linguistics 30 credits
Data Programming 15 credits
Corpus Linguistics 15 credits
Machine Learning 15 credits
Natural Language Processing 15 credits
Final Project 60 credits

Option modules

You'll also take a further 30 credits of option modules from across the two departments. Listed below you'll find details of the current option module provision, although please be aware that not all modules will be available each year (for example, due to staff research leave).

Module title Credits
Data Science Research Topics 15 credits
Statistics and Statistical Data Mining 15 credits
Big Data Analysis 15 credits
Data Visualisation 15 Credits
Artificial Intelligence 15 credits
Neural Networks 15 credits
R Programming 15 credits
Introduction to Research Methods 15 credits
Interaction Science 15 credits
Discourse and Identity in Spoken Interaction 30 credits
Language & Ideology in Written Discourse 30 credits
Language in its Sociocultural Context 30 credits
Intercultural Discourse & Communication 30 credits
English in a Multilingual World 30 credits
The User Experience of Artificial Intelligence 15 credits

You may also choose up to 30 credits from Masters-level modules taught by other departments at Goldsmiths, where specifically approved by the Programme Co-ordinator.

Download the programme specification.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Entry requirements

We would accept applicants with an Upper Second-Class Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in either a humanities or a science subject.

Degree results below the upper second class would be considered where there are indications of academic strength.

Although we don't require prior study of linguistics or computer science, whilst evaluating applications, we do look for evidence of the following:

  • Strong numeracy skills and basic knowledge of programming
  • An aptitude for computational thinking
  • An interest in and capability for working in interdisciplinary contexts

A high level of competence in written and spoken English is also required.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 overall and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

  • Home - full-time: £12520
  • Home - part-time: £6260
  • International - full-time: £18560

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

How to apply

Apply now

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application you’ll need to have:

  • Details of your academic qualifications
  • The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively a copy of your academic reference
  • Copies of your educational transcripts or certificates
  • A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online. Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement.

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

Find out more about applying.

Careers

Prepare yourself for a career in Computational Linguistics

You’ll learn to manage and process language data, extract meaning from raw information, and reflect on the insights you have gained and their implications. You’ll develop the empathy and awareness you need to communicate the results of the analyses and tools you develop, as well as their applications, to a wide range of potential stakeholders and users.

These skills lead naturally to a variety of careers with employers from the technology sector, financial sector, biomedical research, the charitable and voluntary sector, and academic research.

The programme's structure, in particular the final project and preparation for it, encourages you to engage with external organisations and provides networking opportunities to help you identify your preferred career path. In addition, we'll engage with local employers and global organisations to develop partnerships and internship opportunities for students to further develop their professional skills and competencies. 

Engage in real-world learning

The programme team consults with senior researchers and practitioners from the profession to make sure that the programme remains relevant to the needs of current and future employers. We also make extensive use of guest speakers throughout the programme to provide you with varied professional perspectives.

Staff

You'll learn from experts across the Department of Computing and the Department of English and Creative Writing.

Programme staff include:

  • Dr. Pia Pichler
  • Dr. Geri Popova
  • Dr. Tony Russell-Rose

For a full list of staff, please visit the Computing staff page and the English and Creative Writing staff page.

Similar programmes

MA Black British Literature

Launched in 2015 through the joint vision of Professor Deirdre Osborne and Professor Joan Anim-Addo, this ground-breaking MA is timely and necessary. We take Black British literature seriously as a discipline.

MA Creative & Life Writing

Have you got a story to tell? Or poems that you want to shape into a collection? This Masters degree will help you develop your creative writing practice. You’ll experiment with a wide variety of forms to help you discover your preferred mode of writing.

MA Literary Studies

This unique and intellectually rigorous Masters programme gives you the opportunity to develop the study of literature from a variety of perspectives through a number of flexible pathways.

View more programmes

Related content links