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Corpus Linguistics (Online) at Lancaster University - UCAS

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2025 - 20262026 - 2027
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Course summary

Lancaster is the birthplace of corpus linguistics and a world leader in the field. In this specialist online course, you’ll work with renowned experts and access cutting-edge research discoveries and software tools. You’ll analyse large language datasets with real-world applications in areas such as media, law, marketing, security, healthcare communication and language teaching.

  • Why Lancaster?
  • Choose a university with a global reputation for excellence in corpus linguistics, and one of the only universities worldwide to offer full qualifications in this area
  • Learn from world-leading experts in the field of corpus linguistics and language data analysis
  • Gain advanced skills in language data analysis valued by employers across domains and industries
  • Access Lancaster University’s extensive online resources and interact with peers and your tutors via our virtual learning site
  • Join this programme from anywhere in the world, regardless of time zone
Learn from experts We are home to the ESRC research Centre for Corpus Approaches to Social Science, delivering world-leading work in corpus-based language data science. We’ve developed major corpora such as the British National Corpus 2014 and the Trinity Lancaster Corpus and led innovations in digital analysis tools. Our researchers are internationally recognised for their work in applying corpus approaches to the real world - from misinformation and social media discourse to education and public health communication as well as the development and evaluation of GenAI tools. Skills for the future There is a growing need for effective language data analysis and visualisation in a large number of professions. Our MA programme equips you with skills to collect, analyse and visualise large amounts of linguistic data (corpora) using cutting-edge computation technology. You’ll gain a strong foundation in core corpus linguistic methods, including
  • Concordance analysis
  • Wordlists and n-gram analysis
  • Keyword and collocation analysis
  • Statistical analysis of language
  • Practical application in social science, legal and educational contexts
You will use quantitative methods to identify patterns in large language datasets and combine them with qualitative data analysis and interpretation. You will discuss advantages and challenges of combining corpus analysis with AI-powered tools and other evolving technologies. You’ll also explore how corpora are used in fields such as media analysis, healthcare communication, language teaching and human-machine interaction. Across all modules, the focus is on combining theory with practice, placing emphasis on the development of transferrable skills in language data analysis. The knowledge and skills gained in this programme have wide-ranging applications and can be used to respond to both current and future societal, environmental and technological challenges such as advances in AI uses. Flexible. Supportive. Inclusive. You don’t need prior experience in linguistics or programming - just curiosity and a desire to explore how language works. The course provides the flexibility to study alongside your work and personal commitments from anywhere in the world. You’ll always feel supported, thanks to close interaction with your tutors, detailed feedback on your work, and opportunities to share experiences with other students. In your dissertation you will conduct in-depth research on a topic of your choice – examples of topics chosen by past students include language in mental health contexts, evaluation of teaching resources and the discourse of sustainability. During your studies, you’ll receive regular personalised feedback and take part in interactive online teaching that keeps you engaged and supported. From online seminars to group discussions and collaborative activities, the experience is rich, flexible, and designed with your success in mind.

Entry requirements

A 2:1 honours degree, or equivalent in any subject. Qualifications and/or experience recognised to be of an equivalent standard will also be considered.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

For information about fees and funding please visit our website: www.lancaster.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding.
Corpus Linguistics (Online) at Lancaster University - UCAS