Evolution of Language and Cognition MSc

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Linguistics

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

On campus

Full-time
  • MSc | 1 year | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study location

Central Area

Accreditation

Not available

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About the degree programme

This is a unique and fascinating interdisciplinary programme which focuses on the treatment of language as a dynamic evolving system, bringing together origins, acquisition and change.

Key research areas

As a student on this programme, you will become part of the world-leading Centre for Language Evolution (CLE) here in Edinburgh. The CLE is at the cutting edge of current research into the origins and evolution of human language, and is the biggest research group in the world in this area.

Centre for Language Evolution (CLE)

You will be involved first-hand with the CLE’s ongoing research effort. Your dissertation project, undertaken as part of the Masters, will enable you to make your own contribution to our understanding of the evolution of language and cognition.

Building on a first degree in psychology, linguistics, cognitive science, or a related discipline, the programme provides you with a broad introduction to the field of language and cognitive evolution, and allows you to tailor your studies to your own interests by combining a wide range of courses in the area of language and cognition.

Reputation, relevance and employability

Edinburgh has a proud and distinguished place in the teaching of Linguistics, and you will be taught by world-leading experts. Our Linguistics and English Language department is home to academics leading research into a wide range of topics.

You will benefit from the breadth and strength of the interdisciplinary academic community at Edinburgh, having the opportunity to select option courses and attend research seminars across different disciplines.

Our students’ research projects are often published in academic or professional journals.

Our programme has an excellent reputation among employers and  s known to prepare students well for further research opportunities. Many of our graduates have gone on to PhD training, and we have a high academic job placement record.

Thinking about an MSc in language sciences? Hear from staff and students at the University of Edinburgh and find out more about our vibrant community.

Programme rankings

  • Ranked 3rd in the UK for Linguistics and English Language by Times Higher Education for the quality and breadth of research using the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Full-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Costs

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

Funding opportunities

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

There are a number of highly competitive scholarships and funding options available to MSc students.

Deadlines for funding applications vary for each funding source - please make sure to check the specific deadlines for the funding opportunities you wish to apply for and make sure that you submit your application in good time.

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in linguistics, psychology, cognitive science, computer science or biology.

Entrance to this programme is competitive. You can increase your chances of a successful application by exceeding the minimum programme requirements.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 7 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 145 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

This programme contains two semesters of taught compulsory courses and option courses, followed by a dissertation.

The taught courses and their assessments take place between September and December (Semester 1) and between January and April (Semester 2). Planning for the dissertation will take place until April, and the dissertation itself will be carried out between April and August.

What will I learn?

This programme offers a range of courses covering the key concepts and methodologies in the evolution of language and cognition. This is an interdisciplinary programme, tackling key questions which are at the heart of the recent renaissance in the scientific study of the origins and evolution of human language, such as:

  • What is it that makes us human?
  • How did our brains evolve?
  • What are the origins of human language?
  • Why do we think the way we do?
  • What are the mechanisms of biological, cultural and linguistic evolution?

You can also take advantage of teaching and research both elsewhere in the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences and within other relevant schools.

Dissertation

The dissertation involves writing a research project in close collaboration with an expert supervisor.

You will produce a written report, similar to an academic journal article. Some dissertations are published as journal articles.

The empirical work and writing take place between April and August and will be due in August.

Past examples of dissertation topics include:

  • The evolution of recursion
  • From icons to symbols in graphical communication
  • The learnability and communicative function of pronominal systems
  • Silent gesture as a window into word order biases

Compulsory courses

The compulsory methods courses are:

  • Online Experiments for Language Scientists
  • Quantitative Methods for Linguistics and English Language
  • Research Ethics Training in Linguistics and English Language

In addition, you will study at least one of these courses on language evolution:

  • Origins and Evolution of Language
  • Simulating Language
  • Universals of Language

Option courses

The option courses offer you the opportunity to explore areas of your interest. 

Examples of option courses are:

  • First Language Acquisition
  • Cognitive Linguistics
  • Historical Linguistics
  • Language Variation and Change
  • Seminar in Cognitive Modelling
  • Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics
  • Introduction to Phonology and Phonetics
  • Introduction to Syntax

You may also take any other course available to MSc students, subject to approval from the Programme Director.

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Full-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

How will I learn?

Most courses are taught by a combination of lectures and seminars/tutorials. The number of contact hours and the teaching format will depend to some extent on the option courses chosen.

After classes finish in April, you will spend all your time working independently on coursework, exam revision and on your dissertation. When you carry out your supervised dissertation research, you will receive guidance from your supervisor through one-to-one meetings, comments on written work and email communication.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this programme, you will have gained:

  • A comprehensive synthesis of the most recent scientific findings relating to the origins and evolution of human language.
  • A firm basis for subsequent advanced specialised research.
  • A broad awareness of issues and findings in the evolution of language and cognitive evolution across participating single-subject disciplines.
  • Transferable skills in:
    • written and verbal communication
    • group and teamwork
    • computing, programming and numeracy
    • time and project management.
  • The ability to work as an independent researcher and as part of a team.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

Career opportunities

This programme provides solid grounding in the scientific study of human behaviour, which provides the ideal basis for further research in many associated areas, including linguistics, cognitive science and human evolution.

The programme also teaches a broad range of transferable skills applicable to a wide range of modern jobs, such as:

  • journalism
  • translation services
  • teaching (following further training)

Our graduates

The analytical skills you develop and the research training you receive will be valuable in a wide range of careers. In addition to a number of our graduates going onto further academic research opportunities, some recent organisations that they have progressed to are:

  • Pearson Education
  • ITWeb

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Careers Service

Our award-winning Careers Service plays an essential part in your wider student experience at the University, providing:

  • tailored advice
  • individual guidance and personal assistance
  • internships and networking opportunities (with employers from local organisations to top multinationals)
  • access to the experience of our worldwide alumni network

We invest in your future beyond the end of your degree. Studying at the University of Edinburgh will lay the foundations for your future success, whatever shape that takes.

Careers Service

How to apply

You should avoid applying to more than one degree. Applicants who can demonstrate their understanding and commitment to a specific programme are preferred.

Your application and personal statement allow us to make sure that you and your chosen MSc are good matches for each other, and that you will have a productive and successful year at Edinburgh.

When to apply

We operate a gathered field approach to applications for MSc Evolution of Language and Cognition.

This means that all complete applications that satisfy our minimum entry requirements will be held until the nearest deadline. The admissions panel will meet to consider all applications received together after that date.

To be considered as having met the deadline your application must include transcripts and an academic reference.

Applications will not be accepted after the final deadline.

Supporting documents and references

Applications must be complete with all supporting documentation to be passed on for consideration. This includes references.

Please ensure that you inform referees of any deadline you wish to meet.

Round Apply by Receive decision by 
Round 1 27/11/202505/02/2026
Round 2 29/01/202626/03/2026
Round 302/04/2026 28/05/2026
Round 4 30/04/2026 25/06/2026

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You must submit one reference with your application.

You will be asked to add contact details for your referees. We will email them with information on how to upload their reference directly to your online application. Alternatively, they can email their comments to the PPLS Postgraduate Office:

pplspgoffice@ed.ac.uk

Personal statements

When applying you should include a personal statement detailing your academic abilities and your reasons for applying for the programme.

The personal statement helps us decide whether you are right for the MSc programme you have selected, but just as importantly, it helps us decide whether the MSc programme is right for you.

A good personal statement can make a big difference to the admissions process as it may be the only opportunity to explain why you are an ideal candidate for the programme.

Your personal statement should answer:

  • What makes this particular MSc programme interesting for you?
  • What are the most important things you want to gain from the MSc programme?
  • What are the key courses you have taken and that are relevant for this specific programme and what are your academic abilities?

You should include any other information which you feel will help us ensure that you are a good match for your intended MSc programme.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

Our community

The School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences is home to a large, supportive and active student community, hosting events and activities throughout the year which you can join. As a postgraduate student, you will have access to a range of research resources, state-of-the-art facilities, research seminars and reading groups.

Find out more about our community

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support

General enquiries

PPLS Postgraduate Office

Dugald Stewart Building
3 Charles Street
Central Campus
Edinburgh
EH8 9AD

pplspgoffice@ed.ac.uk
Phone:+44 (0)131 651 5002

Academic contact

Dr Shira Tal

Programme Director

  • School of Philosophy, Psychology & Language Sciences

Contact details

Address

PPLS Postgraduate Office
Dugald Stewart Building
3 Charles Street
Central Campus
Edinburgh
EH8 9AD

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