Boost your CV with a higher level degree from a world-class department
2nd in the UK for Overall Research Quality, in Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)
World top three for Linguistics (QS World University Subject Rankings 2024)
Take your Master's in Forensic Linguistics and Speech Science in one of the best Linguistics Departments in the world. We are placed 3rd in the QS World Rankings 2024.
Why Lancaster?
How easy is it to fool a voice authentication system? Can we identify cybercriminals from their words? Are those texts really from a long-lost friend … or is this a sophisticated AI-powered phishing scam?
In an era of state-sponsored disinformation operations, organised cyber-terrorism, and rapidly evolving AI technology, the advanced knowledge and skills this Master’s offers puts you ahead of the game for an exciting and fulfilling specialist career.
Prevent, protect, prepare, pursue
There has never been more information at our fingertips, but this mass of spoken and written data poses new challenges.
How do we establish the authenticity of a recording when AI-generated deepfakes are increasingly convincing? How do we find a few credible threats among millions of ordinary posts? Can we track whether a series of fraudulent communications came from a single criminal or a decentralised crime syndicate?
The challenges faced by security, protection, and intelligence roles are evolving at an unprecedented pace. Specialists working in these fields might analyse voices from noisy surveillance recordings to identify a prime suspect, or assess emerging disinformation campaigns to establish their potential origins.
This MSc offers a distinct opportunity to bring together analyses of both written and spoken language. With this grounding, you can take a deep dive into many of the most critical issues of our time, from spoofing and deception to anonymous threats and organised crime.
Security at scale
The Department of Linguistics and English Language at Lancaster University has a world-leading reputation in corpus linguistics and phonetics – foundational components in forensic linguistics and forensic speech science. On this programme, you’ll learn about state-of-the-art tools, methods, and frameworks, and you’ll have opportunities to use our fully equipped labs.
We’re a thriving hub of cutting-edge intelligence, investigative, and evidential research, and Lancaster University is further strengthening this with a £19m investment in Security & Protection Sciences.
Alongside the arrival of the National Cyber Force in Lancashire, we’re part of the North West Cyber Corridor that links us to GCHQ in Manchester. During your studies you’ll have the opportunity to learn about some of the flagship work being carried out at, and in collaboration with Lancaster University, including:
You’ll have the chance to learn the core analytical components that contribute to forensic language analyses, such as corpus linguistics, sociolinguistics, phonetics, and speech technology. You’ll be encouraged to critique, test, validate, and apply what you’ve learned on a range of challenging cases and datasets.
You’ll consider pressing issues and sensitivities in the field, including ethical considerations and regulatory matters. You’ll have the opportunity to work on research projects that materially move forensic linguistics and forensic speech science forward.
From our close collaborations with security organisations and practitioners, you’ll be at the centre of the conversations taking place among those actively working in the field, and as a result, you’ll get a glimpse of what it takes to work at the forefront of one of the most critical, high-stakes fields of our time.
Though relatively young fields within linguistics, forensic linguistics and forensic speech science are already in demand. In recent years, the UK's intelligence, security and cyber agency (GCHQ), Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), and National Crime Agency (NCA) have all advertised roles in these areas.
This programme will be especially relevant to those working in fast moving spaces such as cybersecurity and online analysis.
Graduates in forensic linguistics and forensic speech science have career opportunities in the following:
This programme also works to build highly desirable, transferable skills, such as the ability to carry out investigations, master complex and technical documents, handle sensitive information, synthesise evidence and research, innovate under pressure, interpret results and statistics meaningfully, critique approaches and conclusions, ask difficult questions, present findings appropriately, and embrace the highest standards of integrity and discretion – qualities that are sought after in any field.
2:1 degree in a related subject is normally required. We will also consider applications where you have a degree in other subjects, have a 2:2 or equivalent result and/or extensive relevant experience. In these cases, you should clearly demonstrate how your experience and skills have prepared you for postgraduate study.
If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.
We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.
We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5 and a minimum of 6.5 in reading and writing and 6.0 in listening and speaking. We also consider other English language qualifications.
If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.
Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk
You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.
Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.
Corpus linguistics is a methodology whereby large collections of electronically transcribed texts are used in conjunction with computer tools to investigate language. This module aims to give you a general introduction into corpus based language study. It centres around two main parts – corpus methods for exploring linguistic variation and the applications of corpus linguistics such as language teaching, forensic linguistics and discourse analysis. In this module you will learn how to use corpus analysis packages such as CQpWeb, #LancsBox and Antconc.
This module introduces you to the broad arena of forensic linguistics.
You will look back over some of the seminal cases in the field, and reflect on its rapidly evolving present and future. You will formulate your own understanding of the potential and actual range of applications, and you will be given the opportunity to develop a practical skillset by, e.g. conducting analyses of texts through various forensic linguistic lenses.
You will also be introduced to the intricacies of presenting and understanding scientific evidence within various legal arenas, as well as the challenges that can arise when communicating results and conclusions.
In short, this module gives you the chance to develop both the knowledge and skills necessary to apply forensic linguistics to a wide range of real-world contexts from intelligence analytics and security sector roles to law enforcement and private consultancy.
Forensic speech science takes key speech science concepts and applies them to real-life problems that arise in forensic and investigative contexts such as analysing fraudulent telephone calls or threatening voicemail messages to assist in determining the identity of the speaker.
This module provides a hands-on opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills that address questions around the identity of unknown speakers, while fostering a strong grasp of the limitations that come with voice data. This module also tackles small-scale and large-scale speech analysis tasks beyond speaker identification that serve the interests of forensic and intelligence organisations.
Importantly, this module engages with current developments in speech technology and the responsible implementation of these systems in security and investigative contexts. Not only is this module valuable to prospective employers in law enforcement and protection, but it also introduces transferable skills that are relevant to other sectors such as data science.
Foundations of Speech Science brings together the theories, frameworks and analysis skills that underpin speech production, speech perception and their applications.
This module will guide you through the phonetic description of speech sounds, introduce you to quantitative methods of analysing speech, and develop a firm understanding of inter- and intra-speaker variation. It will consider how human speech and speech analysis interact with the modern digital world, as well as explore issues and challenges in practical applications of speech science.
This module introduces you to a range of issues, methods, and ethical debates that are particularly relevant to different types of forensic language analysis. For instance, we might discuss questions such as: How we handle the intersection of Al, forensic linguistics, and forensic speech science? How do we incorporate big data into our analyses responsibly? Are there ways to validate methods in this field, and if so, how do we both set and then achieve standards that are acceptable in different forensic contexts?
As well as considering present concerns, throughout the module we will reflect on past issues that contextualise the progress that has been made in the field, and we will scan the horizon for potential future concerns that may shape the next developmental steps in forensic linguistics, including areas that will be critical for (future) practitioners in the field to have in mind.
This module will introduce you to issues in experimental phonetics, as well as the practical skills necessary to undertake a research project in this area. You will learn how to use acoustic analysis software, such as Praat, and also learn to carry out data processing and analysis using R (a statistical programming language). We will also cover appropriate statistical methods and aspects of phonetic and linguistic theory. This module is suitable for students who have already got some undergraduate background in phonetics (we assume knowledge of the International Phonetic Alphabet, articulatory descriptions, basic acoustic phonetics).
This module will introduce you to fundamental concepts and approaches involved in the study of the ways in which language reflects society. We will study how variation in language relates to social factors like gender, age, social class, and ethnicity. We will also consider the social contexts under which language varies, and connect the variation found in everyday speech to the larger forces that drive language change over time. This module will feature hands-on research, allowing you to collect data on how people use language in real life, as well as quantitative analysis skills.
| Location | Full Time (per year) | Part Time (per year) |
|---|---|---|
| Home | £11,500 | £5,750 |
| International | £23,875 | £11,935 |
There may be extra costs related to your course for items such as books, stationery, printing, photocopying, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. Following graduation, you may need to pay a subscription to a professional body for some chosen careers.
Specific additional costs for studying at Lancaster are listed below.
Lancaster is proud to be one of only a handful of UK universities to have a collegiate system. Every student belongs to a college, and all students pay a small College Membership Fee which supports the running of college events and activities. Students on some distance-learning courses are not liable to pay a college fee.
For students starting in 2023 and 2024, the fee is £40 for undergraduates and research students and £15 for students on one-year courses. Fees for students starting in 2025 have not yet been set.
To support your studies, you will also require access to a computer, along with reliable internet access. You will be able to access a range of software and services from a Windows, Mac, Chromebook or Linux device. For certain degree programmes, you may need a specific device, or we may provide you with a laptop and appropriate software - details of which will be available on relevant programme pages. A dedicated IT support helpdesk is available in the event of any problems.
The University provides limited financial support to assist students who do not have the required IT equipment or broadband support in place.
For most taught postgraduate applications there is a non-refundable application fee of £40. We cannot consider applications until this fee has been paid, as advised on our online secure payment system. There is no application fee for postgraduate research applications.
For some of our courses you will need to pay a deposit to accept your offer and secure your place. We will let you know in your offer letter if a deposit is required and you will be given a deadline date when this is due to be paid.
The fee that you pay will depend on whether you are considered to be a home or international student. Read more about how we assign your fee status.
If you are studying on a programme of more than one year’s duration, the tuition fees for subsequent years of your programme are likely to increase each year. Read more about fees in subsequent years.
You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.
Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.
If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.
| Scheme | Based on | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Based on {{item.eligibility_basis}} | Amount {{item.amount}} |
We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.
Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.
The information on this site relates primarily to 2024/2025 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.
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