The European Master's in Clinical Linguistics (EMCL) combines the studies of general linguistics, neurolinguistics, and psycholinguistics.
The international master’s programme in Clinical Linguistics opens a unique opportunity for an interdisciplinary study of general linguistics, neurolinguistic, and psycholinguistics.
The European Master's in Clinical Linguistics (EMCL) is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree offered by the University of Eastern Finland in cooperation with the University of Ghent (Belgium) and the University of Groningen (Netherlands), where the programme is coordinated. The programme also has an extensive global network that includes 26 partners from sectors connected to academia, research, product development, as well as clinical studies.
During the two-year programme, students get to focus on the special skills and areas of strength of the respective universities. Students spend one semester at each partner university, where they complete their courses and also learn about the different countries’ languages and cultures. In the beginning of the fourth semester all students complete a semester long internship at one of the consortium’s partner organisations of their choice in Europe, Asia, Australia or the United States. The internship leads into an MSc thesis project supervised at the partner organisation and one of the participating universities.
“In addition to the research-based education, what makes the programme unique is the internship, where students are introduced to the field, while participating in significant projects, for instance in neurotechnology research, product development, or clinical studies,” describes Michael Rießler, Professor of General Linguistics and the head of the programme at UEF.
The programme’s courses cover, in addition to relevant general theories, applied topics like the development of games, applications and virtual reality for those suffering from language disorders, Python programming, or such methods as eye-movement tracking and linguistic testing in awake brain surgeries.
Laying the foundation for a wide range of career prospects
The Clinical Linguistics programme has a long history, as it has been operating for more than 20 years. The first students were selected in 1999.
Motivated students from around the world are welcome to apply for this programme taught completely in English. Those with at least a Bachelor’s degree in linguistics, psychology, cognitive sciences, special education, speech and language therapy or other similar disciplines can apply.
A wide variety of career paths open up for experts in clinical linguistics today, both in companies and universities.
“There is a strong international need for experts in this field, and, in recent years, programme graduates have ended up working more and more in research and product development, as well as clinical work. A large part of the graduates, almost 70 percent, also continue to doctoral studies,” says Rießler.
More information
Juuso Loikkanen, Coordinator, International Affairs, Philosophical Faculty, University of Eastern Finland, juuso.loikkanen@uef.fi and info@emcl.eu
