MSc Psychology of Language

Psycholinguistics is the scientific study of the psychology of language. It is one of the most important areas of cognitive psychology. How we produce, understand, acquire, and use language, and how these processes are affected by ageing and brain damage, are core topics in understanding human behaviour.

In addition, psycholinguistics has several important applications including:

• how a second language should best be taught
• how children should be taught to learn to read and write
• artificial intelligence
• computer-assisted communication
• the treatment of developmental and acquired language disorders

We have specialised equipment and dedicated laboratories. These include EEG labs, eye tracking systems, 2D and 3D movement tracking systems, and offsite fMRI access via the Clinical Research Centre at Ninewells Hospital. We have a very active psycholinguistics research centre, the Language Research Centre (LaRC). You will benefit from this supportive research environment. We offer training at various levels and as such, this course is suitable whether you have a psychology or a non-psychology (but related, such as linguistics or education) undergraduate degree. We are a small and friendly department and keep the student cohort for this course relatively small. This means that we get to know you and can provide you with individual support and hands-on training throughout your studies.

Careers:

Students from this course have gone on to do PhDs and have used the qualification to improve their chances of getting on to clinical and educational psychology courses. Several students take the course to improve their chances of getting jobs as support workers and assistant psychologists.