Learn how to apply linguistics, phonetics and acoustics to legal investigations and proceedings
Year of entry: 2022 (September)
1 year full-time
September 2022 (term dates)
QS World Rankings by Subject 2021
Our MA in Forensic Phonetics combines general linguistic-phonetic theory and method with extensive practical experience in analysis of forensic materials.
You'll learn about theoretical and methodological problems in performing forensic speech and audio analysis. The course also enables you to perform original research in speaker comparison and speech content analysis.
The MA provides you with the necessary skills for further work in the forensic domain and related employment. It is also excellent preparation for a PhD in phonetics, sociolinguistics, language variation and change, or acoustics.
We are 2nd in the UK for world-leading linguistics research (Times Higher Education's ranking of the Research Excellence Framework 2014).
We're proud to announce that we've been shortlisted for two prestigious University of the Year awards.
You'll study a general introduction to linguistics, phonetics and acoustics, and will be introduced to forensic applications in those areas, with a focus on case work in speaker identification.
You'll then expand your knowledge and skills in speech analysis, and perform detailed work on a variety of recorded materials using a range of practical methods.
Across the year you'll study a Research Training module. You'll complete the programme with a dissertation over the summer and the vacation.
Areas of the MA overlap with those central to speech and recording technology, and you'll have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of the latest generation of automatic speaker recognition software used in banking and law enforcement, made available through the Department’s partnership with Nuance and Aculab.
You will take a selection of modules, examples of which may include:
You will take a Research Training module:
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.
Our course structures are changing in September 2023. Find out more about how this course may be affected.
You'll prepare and write a 12,500- to 15,000-word dissertation over the summer and the vacation. This will be supervised by a member of staff.
Recent topics for a dissertation have included:
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £9,750 | £20,940 |
Students on a Student Visa (formerly Tier 4 Visa) are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2022/23 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
The Department is part of York's Faculty of Arts and Humanities, ranked 45th in the 2021 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
You'll be taught with a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and practical training. You'll have approximately three contact hours a week for each module. For some modules you’ll complete collaborative group work outside your classes. You’ll be set essential reading, and will complete weekly assigned exercises.
All of our modules have Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) websites where all crucial materials — reading lists, handouts, discussion boards — are always accessible.
We have our own departmental e-Lab for the teaching and study time of our students. Here you will have access to a variety of resources, including specialist linguistics software, collections of text and speech, and online language-learning materials. Our Forensic Speech Science Lab houses specialist software for analysis of speech and audio recordings.
You will be based in the Department of Language and Linguistic Science on Campus West. Most of your contact hours will be in Vanbrugh College, with some additional teaching on Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
You'll complete a variety of assessments, from lab reports, exams, presentations, transcriptions and analysis of speech samples, to case reports and 1,500- or 2,500-word essays. You'll also complete exercises and assignments which do not contribute to your final grade that will give you useful feedback on your progression.
Our graduates have gone on to employment with police services and forensic laboratories, and have become academic researchers. This programme provides you with the requisite skills, understanding and knowledge to work effectively and increase your employability in forensic domains as well as in related fields such as the police, emergency call services and security services. The MA qualification will enable you to apply for membership of the International Association for Forensic Phonetics and Acoustics (IAFPA).
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2.1 or equivalent; in most circumstances a background in phonetics is required |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 7.0, minimum 6.5 in each component |
| C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency | 185, minimum 176 in each component |
| PTE Academic | 67, minimum 61 in each component |
| TOEFL | 96, minimum 23 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Distinction in all component |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
If you are new to the field or have only minimal prior background:
If you have considerable prior background:
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