Master's Programme in Turkic Studies
120 credits

The Master's Programme in Turkic Studies gives you a unique opportunity to pursue your studies at two different universities in two different countries, and graduate from both. The programme allows you to study various classical branches of Turcology, as well as deepen your knowledge in literary studies with close reading and analysis of various genres. You will also get direct insight into ongoing projects, that can be integrated into your studies.
Autumn 2023 Autumn 2023, Uppsala, 100%, On-campus, English
- Location
- Uppsala
- Pace of study
- 100%
- Teaching form
- On-campus
- Instructional time
- Daytime
- Start date
- 28 August 2023
- Language of instruction
- English
- Entry requirements
-
Academic requirements
A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university.
The main field of study must be Turkic Languages or an equivalent subject.
Language requirements
Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. This requirement can be met either by achieving the required score on an internationally recognised test, or by previous upper secondary or university studies in some countries. Detailed instructions on how to provide evidence of your English proficiency are available at universityadmissions.se.
- Selection
-
Students are selected based on an overall appraisal of previous university studies, linguistic competence in Turkish languages, knowledge of linguistics and philology and a statement of purpose.
- Application deadline
- 16 January 2023
- Application code
- UU-M5760
About the programme
he programme is designed for students with a strong interest in acquiring advanced knowledge of Turkic linguistics, philology and literary studies. You will study in international environments with teachers and students from diverse academic, educational, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
During the first year you study at Uppsala University, Sweden, and during the second year at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany.
Upon completing the programme, you will have broad and specialised knowledge and academic skills in the field of Turcology that qualify you for further academic studies, or academic jobs at universities and research institutions.
The programme's curriculum encompasses various classical branches of Turcology:
- philological analysis of historical sources,
- codicology and critical edition,
- historical-comparative linguistics with reconstruction and etymological studies,
- linguistic investigation of various phenomena including phonology, morphosyntax and multilingualism, dialectology and documentation of the modern Turkic languages.
In the programme, you will also study literary studies with close reading and analysis of various genres. Additionally, the programme incorporates the use and application of modern digital tools in relation to corpora building and born-digital text editions.
Your studies will give you direct insight into our ongoing projects and research activities. Upon interest, project-related tasks can be integrated into the regular coursework to test and illustrate the immediate application of research results.
Degree
The programme leads to the degree of Master of Arts (120 credits) with Turkic Languages as the main field of study and, in addition, an equivalent degree from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
Content
During the first year you study at Uppsala University, Sweden, and during the second year at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany.
During the first and second semesters, which take place at Uppsala University, you take seven compulsory courses (for a total of 52.5 credits) in Turkic philology and linguistics, plus the course Current Trends in Linguistics for 7.5 credits, offered in the subject area of linguistics during the second semester.
In the third semester, you continue your studies at the partner institute in Germany, where you take compulsory courses in Turkic linguistics and Turkic literary studies. During the final semester, you write your Master's thesis. The thesis work is supervised by a teacher from Mainz with the co-supervision of another teacher from Uppsala. The defence is carried out jointly according to German regulations.
Courses within the programme
Semester 1
- Old Turkic Philology, 7.5 credits
- History of the Turkic Languages, 7.5 credits
- Comparative Turcology: Siberian Turkic Languages, 7.5 credits
- Current Trends in Turkic Linguistics, 7.5 credits
Semester 2
- Middle Turkic Philology, 7.5 credits
- Typology of the Turkic Languages, 7.5 credits
- Comparative Turcology: Kipchak and Oghuz Languages, 7.5 credits
- Current Trends in Linguistics, 7.5 credits
Semester 3
- Turkic Language, 4 credits
- Research Seminar, 6 credits
- Linguistic Turcology, 6 credits
- Turkic Literature and Culture (lectures), 4 credits
- Turkic Literature and Culture (seminars), 6 credits
Semester 4
- Academic seminar, 2 credits
- Master's thesis, 28 credits
- Thesis defence, 4 credits
Learning experience
The Master's Programme in Turkic Studies follows a strict study plan, which means that courses are taken in a fixed order. The course objectives, content and teaching format vary for each course. Details are provided in the programme syllabus. The education is predominantly theoretical and usually consists of seminars and lectures.
Between teaching sessions, there is time to read and analyse texts in different Turkic languages as well as scientific publications, usually on an individual basis but sometimes also in groups. Thus, you are expected to gradually acquire in-depth knowledge and more advanced skills in the subject area.
Coursework and examination take place on an ongoing basis through active participation in seminars, oral presentation of selected themes and submission of self-written texts with clear deadlines. Coursework can also consist of longer texts submitted at the end of courses.
The programme contains a mandatory mobility component, meaning that you study at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz in Germany during the second year.
The programme's language is English and the Master's thesis must be written in English.
Career
The Master's Programme in Turkic Studies is a chiefly research-oriented programme with an emphasis on scientific, theoretical and methodological competencies. These skills qualify you for academic jobs at universities and research institutions. The programme's mandatory mobility component is of particular importance for career opportunities in international environments and networks.
After completing your education, you will be able to perform advanced tasks in research centres and other research and science-related organisations as an investigator, project manager or project participant. The skills acquired in the programme are also relevant to work in non-academic areas, such as print and other mass media, publishers, cultural institutions, political parties, non-governmental organisations, printing and media departments and human resources departments at companies, authorities, etc.
Further studies
The Master's Programme in Turkic Studies provides an excellent basis for further academic studies and entitles you to apply for doctoral studies in Turkic philology, Turkic linguistics or Turkic literary studies. The participating higher education institutions conduct postgraduate education in Turkic languages or Turcology.
Career support
During your time as a student, UU Careers offers support and guidance. You have the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities and events that will prepare you for your future career. Learn more about UU Careers.
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Students
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