Translation for the Future
Carlos Martinez says his goal is to create voice applications for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for Garifuna, a minority language spoken in Honduras, Guatemala and Belize, and the native language of his parents.
Curious how AI models like Siri and Alexa understand language, make voice commands work, or help with real-time translations? If so, a career in Computational Linguistics may be the perfect fit for you. The Master of Science in Computational Linguistics is the only program of its kind in New Jersey, offered jointly by the Departments of Linguistics and Computer Science and open to all students passionate about language and technology.
Computational linguistics is an interdisciplinary academic field that combines elements of linguistics, software engineering, and artificial intelligence. This degree prepares students for employment in industry in the broad field of computer and information research emphasizing strong skills in analyzing human language. Graduates can pursue careers as computational linguists, knowledge engineers, AI developers, and voice interface designers, among others. Top employers such as Google and Amazon, along with various research and government organizations, highly value these skills.
The MS in Computational Linguistics program welcomes applications from students of all backgrounds, regardless of their undergraduate major. Prerequisite courses will be determined in consultation with the Graduate Program Coordinator based on the background of the student. Along with the Computational Linguistics (MS) degree, the Linguistics Department offers a graduate Computational Linguistics (Certificate). See the curriculum.
One-of-a-Kind Program
Computational Linguistics (MS) is the only program of its kind in New Jersey, offered jointly by the Departments of Linguistics and Computer Science. This is a STEM-Designated Degree Program.
Admission Requirements
- Equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree.
- Applicants with non-U.S. degrees: Please visit the international applicants page to review U.S. degree equivalency information.
Application Checklist
- Application Deadline: Rolling admission.
- Online Application: Submit application and $60 non-refundable fee (or waiver if applicable).
- Transcript: One from each college attended.
- Essay/Statement of Purpose: Please write an integrated essay providing a response to each of the following questions:
- What are your goals for graduate study and your future career?
- In what ways do your academic background and your professional experiences provide evidence of your potential for success in the program you selected and in your eventual career? Please give specific examples of relevant coursework and/or experience.
- Is there any further information we should consider in assessing your candidacy?
- Letters of Recommendation: Two (2) letters of recommendation, from persons qualified to evaluate the applicant’s promise of academic achievement and potential for professional growth.
- Standardized Test Scores: GRE (Optional).
Related Programs
The Graduate Certificate in Computational Linguistics provides foundational knowledge essential for entering the interdisciplinary field of computational linguistics, focusing on the intersection of language technology and computer science. This certificate program introduces core computational linguistics concepts, algorithms, data structures, and methods applicable to areas such as machine translation, speech recognition, and text-to-speech synthesis.
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Questions? We’re Here to Help.
If you have any general questions regarding the application process and requirements, please email or call us.
Get guidance on every step of the application process, from admission requirements and deadlines to transcripts, test scores and next steps toward enrollment. The Office of Graduate Admissions provides the information and resources needed to put forward a strong application.
- graduate@montclair.edu
- 973-655-5147
- The Graduate School, 4th Floor
Get detailed information about the program itself—from curriculum and faculty expertise to research, internships and career outcomes. The program coordinator can explain how the program connects to your academic and professional goals.