The Master of Arts in Linguistics program is designed for graduate students interested in the scientific, social, and cognitive aspects of human language. It aims to provide advanced training for aspiring researchers, in-service teachers, and professionals in language-related fields such as editing and speech therapy. The program fosters an environment for discussing the latest trends in linguistics and contributing to its advancement. Graduates will become well-rounded linguists, integrating scientific approaches with insights from the humanities and social sciences. Whether pursuing a career in linguistic research, language processing, computation, publishing, or education management, this program offers a strong foundation with state-of-the-art knowledge and encourages active engagement with peers and senior researchers.
Graduates are prepared for careers in linguistic research, professional engagement with language processing, computation, publishing, or leadership roles in education management.
Preference will be given to candidates with two or more years of related work experience. Applicants may be required to attend an online interview. For qualifications where English was not the language of teaching or examination, one of the listed English proficiency tests is required. Starting from the 2026 intake, IELTS and TOEFL tests must be taken within two years prior to September 1 of each admissions year.
Tuition fees are for a 1-year full-time program. Application fee is HKD 600 (non-refundable). Caution money is HKD 350.
You need a Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification. Preference is given to candidates with two or more years of relevant work experience. If your degree was not taught in English, you must meet specific English proficiency test scores, such as IELTS 6.0 overall (5.5 in each subtest) or TOEFL 80.
The tuition fee for the Master of Arts in Linguistics program for international students is HKD 250,000 per year. There is also a non-refundable application fee of HKD 600 and caution money of HKD 350.
Applications are submitted online through the HKU Taught Postgraduate Admissions system. You will need to create an account, complete the application form, pay the application fee, and upload supporting documents like transcripts and diplomas within two weeks of submission and before the deadline.
Graduates are prepared for careers as linguistic researchers, language processing professionals, computational linguists, editors, speech therapists, or educators and education managers.
The program is designed as a 1-year full-time program.