MAEuropean Languages and Cultures
| Study location | Estonia, Tartu |
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| Type | Postgraduate, full-time |
| Nominal duration | 2 years |
| Study language | English |
| Awards | MA |
| Tuition fee | €4,000 per year There are 17 tuition waivers available for top-ranked applicants in 2025, including 15 tuition waivers for EU/EEA/Swiss applicants, 2 tuition waivers for other applicants (regardless of citizenship). More information on tuition fees is available at www.ut.ee/tuition. NB! Applicants who are not citizens of EU/EEA/Switzerland must pre-pay half of the first semester’s tuition-fee after receiving an admission offer. |
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| Application fee | €100 one-time Application fee is non-refundable. |
| Entry qualification | Undergraduate diploma (or higher) - Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification (must be obtained by the end of July) – for country-specific document requirements please see www.ut.ee/country-specific. - Proficiency in the respective language of the chosen specialty (will be assessed during entrance exams) Please be sure to also check further information and our step-by-step application guide at www.ut.ee/languages. The entry qualification documents are accepted in the following languages: English / Estonian. |
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| Language requirements | English All applicants must comply with our English language requirements. The only acceptable English tests and exempt categories are specified at www.ut.ee/requirements |
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| Other requirements | A motivation letter must be added to your application. Please upload the final version of the motivation letter before submitting the application. It can not be edited after the application is submitted. The motivation letter is used to evaluate the applicant’s motivation to study on the programme. The motivation letter (2400-3000 characters with spaces, written in English) must be added to your online application by the application deadline (March 15). In the motivation letter the student candidates describe: their previous studies and how they prepare them for study on the curriculum, their reasons for choosing the University of Tartu, possible research topics, proceeding from their interests and the offerings of the College of Foreign Languages and Cultures, planned studies (including their understanding of the structure and content of the curriculum), plans after graduation. Aspects considered in assessing the letter of motivation: student candidates’ preparation for the study of foreign languages and literatures, their familiarity with the curriculum and possible study options, the clarity of their plans. Maximum score for the motivation letter is 100 points and minimum positive score is 51 points. An essay must be added to your application The essay (required in the specialities of English language and literature, Russian and Slavic philology, French language and literature, Spanish language and literature, German language and literature and Scandinavian languages and literatures) is a 7200-9000-character text in which the student candidates in a structured manner discuss a problem related to the speciality. The essay is written in the language of the speciality (English, Russian, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Norwegian or Danish). Essay topics for all specialities are announced on the programme’s application webpage on February, 15. Admission interview The oral exam in the chosen specialty is an interview in the language of the speciality. In the case of classical philology, the interview will be conducted only in Estonian. The interview will focus on the student candidates’ plans and their expected studies at the University of Tartu. In other words, it will give the student candidates the chance to expand on their letter of motivation and essay or translation. The interview also demonstrates the student candidates’ skill of expressing themselves orally in the language of the speciality. The oral exam is conducted online. The interviews will take place on April 11 and April 14, 2025. The interviews will be scheduled in cooperation with qualifying candidates in April. For detailed information about the motivation letter, essay and interview please see the programme’s website. |
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Overview
The European Languages and Cultures master’s programme trains students to be cultural mediators (translators, administrators, editors, etc.) by providing knowledge and skills in a modern or classical language and culture. You can choose one of the following specialities:
• Classical philology
• English language and literature
• French language and literature
• German language and literature
• Russian and Slavic philology
• Scandinavian languages and literature
• Spanish language and literature
Classes in the speciality module are taught in the respective language (with the exception of Classical philology, which is taught in Estonian). That is, if you are specialising in English language and literature, your classes are in English, but if you are specialising in French language and literature, they are in French and so on. At the time of admission to the programme, being proficient in the language of the chosen specialty is expected and written as well as spoken language skills are to be demonstrated in the entrance exams (the essay is written and the interview conducted in the language of the speciality).
Students can combine elective courses and practical training module according to specific future career paths. For example, somebody who wants to work in an international organisation can pick an elective module in international relations and do an internship in an international organisation; somebody who wants to become an editor in a publishing house can pick an elective module in translation studies and do editing training. Graduates will be ready to continue their studies at PhD level in all languages of specialisation.
Why study The European Languages and Cultures?
• UT is ranked in the top 250 universities in linguistics and English language and literature (QS Rankings 2021).
• Combine elective courses and practical training to build your career. For example, you can pick an elective module in translation studies and do your practical training in language editing and proofreading or study international relations and do an internship in an international organisation.
• Using your proficiency in foreign languages and cultural competence, you can work as a specialist in state institutions, universities, companies, museums and publishing houses.
Programme structure
Please see the programme structure in our Study Information System
Career opportunities
The graduates will be competitive candidates for careers in professions that require excellent proficiency in foreign languages and cultural competence in state institutions, universities and research institutions, IT companies, museums, publishing houses cultural exchange organisations in Estonia and abroad.
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