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"The program's versatile and interdisciplinary nature proved very stimulating for broadening my linguistic knowledge. It also presented an interesting challenge to combine course topics with my own specific interests. The foundational courses in the first year paved the way for the internship and thesis in the second year.

In my second year, I ended up studying statistical learning of language by measuring brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG). This method was far outside my comfort zone, because it required a lot of programming skills I felt lacking in. However, through my supervisors’ and fellow students’ support, I obtained the confidence to pursue it anyway and acquired many new skills and great friendships along the way!

The Master’s program also fosters an environment that encourages students to work on their research and networking skills outside of the classroom. As a result, I had the opportunity to present my research at international conferences hosted by esteemed universities, including King’s College London. Additionally, I co-authored publications and worked as a project manager for a research project that aligned with my area of interest. These experiences provided me with invaluable hands-on learning opportunities that complemented my academic journey. They equipped me with practical research experience that now enriches my perspective as a policy officer of education research at the Nationaal Regieorgaan Onderwijsonderzoek (NRO)."

"I completed my Bachelor’s degree at ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ College Roosevelt (UCR), where I majored in Linguistics and Musicology and minored in Psychology. Although I learned a bit about various subfields of linguistics at UCR, I did not develop a very strong theoretical foundation. While I already knew I wanted to specialise in experimental/applied linguistics, I also felt it was important to develop my knowledge of theoretical linguistics further. Additionally, I really enjoyed doing research and wanted to continue this in the future, which is why I looked into research Master’s programmes in linguistics. I chose for Utrecht because I liked the variety of courses that was offered, as well as the atmosphere at the university.

I really enjoyed the RMA programme, not only because I was able to broaden and deepen my knowledge of linguistics, but also because of the community. As the group of students was relatively small, we grew close very quickly.

One of the highlights of the programme for me was conducting my thesis research. It gave me the opportunity to design, execute, and analyse my own experiment, which I really enjoyed. Because of that, I decided that I wanted to stay in academia and do a PhD. After I finished my RMA, I taught a sociolinguistics course at UCR for a semester, during which I found out that I got a PhD position.

I am currently doing a PhD at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, where I am researching which linguistic factors (e.g., lexical complexity, syntactic complexity) influence the convincingness of written messages. I use many of the skills I learned during the RMA in my work today. These include writing and presenting skills, analysing experimental data with the statistical software R and much more."

"My passion for language and Artificial Intelligence led me to the research Master's in Linguistics at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ. The programme's appeal was its variety and range of courses, offering not only a computational approach to language but also surprising options with a more theoretical and experimental focus. Although my specialisation leaned towards computational linguistics, the area I like the most, the programme also provided me with a high grounding in psycholinguistics and theoretical linguistics. Indeed, this research Master's encourages students to explore diverse approaches, allowing them to combine and blend different methodologies based on their individual interests.

The programme not only equipped me with several skills as a researcher, providing a solid foundation for formulating and testing hypotheses, but it also improved my practical skills such as analysing and interpreting data, which are essential for real-world applications beyond academia. This experience has not only shaped me into a different person and researcher but also has prepared me to delve into various environments, within and beyond academia. This programme is extremely challenging and demanding at times, but I would do it a hundred more times!"

"Deciding to enrol in the Research Master in Linguistics was not an obvious choice, as I had always been fascinated by theoretical linguistics but lacked in-depth knowledge of certain disciplines such as semantics and pragmatics. However, as my journey began, I was thrilled by the versatility of the programme. Its interdisciplinary nature motivated me to dive deeper into the various aspects and facets of linguistics. The class comprised a diverse group of international students with different backgrounds and expertise, which proved to be truly stimulating.

Witnessing everyone excel and contribute with their knowledge was inspiring. Coming from a different country, I was pleasantly surprised by the openness and approachability of the teachers, combined with the constant encouragement to think outside the box. This was my first introduction to research, where I discovered that creativity, curiosity, and an open mind are essential values for becoming a successful researcher. The programme instilled these values in us.

Additionally, I appreciated the Master's preparation for the world outside academia. Not everyone, including myself, envisions a career in academia. Currently, I am actively applying for various positions as a language specialist, with my ideal working field being European organisations or governments. I feel well-equipped to join a team or work independently on linguistic issues. In the meantime, I will continue my job as a communication specialist for a Dutch start-up."

"I chose the Master's in Utrecht because the program starts out very broad, offering the opportunity to first discover what you like and then zoom in on that. Furthermore, the program is closely connected with the Institute for Language Sciences (ILS), offering access to knowledgeable researchers in many disciples and great lab facilities. I also really like the city of Utrecht.

One of the best things about the program is that every major branch of linguistics is covered. More generally, it boosted my skills in academic writing, presenting, and data analysis. In the first year I discovered that I wanted to continue in experimental psycholinguistics. In my second year, I did a combined internship-thesis project focused on language, cognition, and emotion. With guidance of my supervisors (within ILS), I designed a study, programmed an experiment to measure participants frowning responses while they read texts, analysed data, and wrote my thesis in article format. We are about to submit it for publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal.

I am currently a PhD candidate within the ILS, focused on memory and information retrieval in language. When I applied for this position, I had already met my PhD supervisor a few times before, through ILS. My experience in conducting language experiments with participants and analysing data were particularly relevant for my application. Adopting a research perspective, programming, data analysis, and academic writing are skills gained or improved during the Master’s that I use on a daily basis for my PhD. Of course, many of these skills are also valuable outside of academia."