Germanic Linguistics, M.A.
Studying German linguistics prepares you for an academic career and at the same time provides qualifications for non-university careers such as language teaching in and outside of schools, communication consulting and training, publishing, media operations, cultural management, and communication and public relations in various institutions. The aim of the course is to impart scientifically based expertise in all practical areas in which linguistic action is particularly important.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Required German | C1 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Summer semester, winter semester |
| Application | After recognition of the certificate, winter semester until 15.07, summer semester until 15.01 |
| Admission | Admission restriction (NC): a competition of school grades |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €384 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
The programme has an admission restriction: the average grade of your certificate, converted to the German scale, decides. The cut-off changes every year — last year's value shows the order of magnitude, not a promise.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →What you study
The aim of the MA course in German Linguistics is to enable students to engage in an empirically based scientific examination of the forms and functions of linguistic communication in German. The subjects of the course are:
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
The MA in German Linguistics is research-oriented and provides comprehensive and in-depth knowledge in the field of German Linguistics. Students examine the German language synchronously and diachronically, in its regional and social diversity, in the context of intercultural and multilingual communication, and with regard to various linguistic fields of practice.
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (Hamburg), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €384 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | An academic degree from a German or recognized foreign university in the subjects "German Studies", "German Language and Literature", "German Philology", "German", "German as a Second/Foreign Language", "German Linguistics", "Linguistics of German", "German Language" or "Linguistics", "General Linguistics", "Historical Linguistics"; (with reference to German), or optionally a number of at least 60 credits in one of the above-mentioned subjects (or equivalent subjects), which can be proven by a transcript of records of the BA certificate. |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | After recognition of the certificate, winter semester until 15.07, summer semester until 15.01 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application after recognition of the certificate until 15.01Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 5Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 15.01.2027 (93 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.