Master's Degree Programme in European Languages, Cultures and Societies in Contact
The EC2U Joint Master “European Languages, Cultures and Societies in Contact” is a two-year Master’s Degree (4 semesters, 30 ECTS each, 120 ECTS in total) that provides students with an in-depth knowledge of the European linguistic, cultural and social landscape using advanced research methods in the academic field. This degree is in line with professional practice and will ensure students launch their career with enhanced professionalism and quality of services in the broad field of language, cultural contact and social diversity.
Learn more about the programme from our Virtual Open Week's recording!
The Master’s Degree is included in the European Campus of City-Universities (EC2U) Alliance. EC2U is a multicultural and multilingual Alliance consisting of nine universities from diverse regions of the European Union.
The EC2U Campus provides students with the opportunity to study abroad, gain multicultural experiences, and expand their professional network. Over the course of their learning journey, students can study in up to four EC2U universities.
This Master’s Programme is offered jointly by five EC2U universities, which are rooted in the tradition of excellence:
- University of Salamanca (Spain)
- University of Coimbra (Portugal)
- University of Poitiers (France)
- University of Pavia (Italy)
- University of Turku (Finland)
These universities provide students with personalised attention throughout their studies and a unique campus and student life. This Joint Master’s Programme is tailored to students’ needs and offers them the opportunity to personalise their learning path in an international environment.
After completion of the Master’s Degree, you will be able to work as an expert in European languages, language diversity and cultures for industry and for local, national and international bodies. You will also be qualified to conduct high-profile research in language and culturally related topics across Europe or to proceed with a PhD programme.
The Master’s Degree offers the following:
- Specialised theoretical, methodological and practical training in the field of linguistic and cultural contact within a European framework
- Communication skills in multilingual and multicultural environments, speaking to specialist and non-specialist audiences
- An understanding of complex linguistic and cultural phenomena that are relevant in several career paths: multicultural business advising, multilingual project management, diplomacy, transcultural communication, media and transcultural communication and so forth
- A double or triple degree of master, depending on the number of universities where you have conducted studies (minimum 30 ECTS)
Starting your Studies in Turku
At the University of Turku, your main course path consists of studies in either the French and/or the German department. This means that a major part of your courses will be either in French or in German. The Master’s Degree will provide you with advanced research methods in these academic fields from the perspective of linguistic and cultural diversity.
There is also the possibility of including courses on Digital Language Studies or Finnish Culture Studies in your studies, which may add value to your professional profile in the future. Depending on where your interests lie, you can plan your courses to suit your career wishes.
You will conduct studies in at least two of the EC2U partner universities, but may well choose a third university. If you apply to the University of Turku as your home university, you also agree to spend two or three semesters at one of the universities mentioned above. Note that you can spend no more than two semesters at one university.
Entry requirements
General Requirement
You are an eligible applicant for Master’s-level studies if
- you have a nationally recognized first cycle degree – normally a Bachelor’s degree – from an accredited institution of higher education,
- your degree corresponds to at least 180 ECTS (European credits) or to three years of full-time study,
- your degree is in a relevant field for the Master’s degree programme that you’re applying to.
Please check the programme page for detailed degree requirements.
Language Requirements
In addition to the general English (B2.2) language requirements, the programme requires excellent language skills in French and/or German (B2.2).
Your language proficiency can be attested by official certificates from public institutions, including universities and their language centres, or by a degree in a foreign language.
- You must reach the minimum required test results to be considered eligible to attend the University of Turku. No exceptions will be made. Read more about the language requirements here.
Study right
It is not possible to have more than one Bachelor’s or Master’s study right at the same Faculty. Therefore, when accepting an offered study place, the student will lose any previous BSc. or MSc. study right at the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Turku.
You are eligible to apply to the master’s programme if your previous studies are in a relevant field. This comprises linguistics, applied language studies, European languages/foreign languages, modern philology, translation, culture, history, international relations or other branches of the social sciences and humanities.
You must provide the following documentation:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Transcript of records
- Proof of required language skills
- Curriculum vitae
- Motivation Letter in French, German or English
The documents other than the Motivation Letter are accepted in Finnish, Swedish and English. If the original documents are in a different language, they must be translated in English. For more detailed information, see general instruction for applying.
Instructions for the Motivation Letter
The Motivation Letter must be written in French, German or English. Pay special attention to your Motivation Letter. It is a very important document in evaluating your application. You are expected to cover the following:
- Who you are and why you are interested in this programme
- What are the most important skills and knowledge you have acquired in your previous studies; be specific also about your language skills in French or German
- How your educational and professional background are relevant and beneficial from the point of view of the Master’s Degree Programme in European Languages, Cultures and Societies in Contact
- Your career plans and how are you going to benefit from the programme in pursuing them
Admission to the Master’s Degree will be carried out by the Master’s Global Academic Committee, made up of the seven local directors, based on strictly academic criteria covered in the specific documentation requested from the applicant (see above).
The criteria will be assessed as follows:
- Transcript of records (up to 50 points)
- Knowledge of foreign languages (up to 20 points)
- Letter of motivation and CV (up to 30 points)
for a total of 100 points.
Application period: 7 January - 21 January 2026
Publication of rankings of candidates eligible to enroll: by 26 March 2026
Student fee: deadline will be announced in the admission offer
Enrollment (registration): deadline 31 August 2026
Arriving: at latest for the Orientation, held at the end of August in 2024 (exact date will be announced later)
Learn more about how to apply.
Programme in brief
The programme is 120 ECTS in total. The number consists of a mandatory module (30 ECTS, in English), an elective module (60 ECTS, in French or German, or another programme language) and a master’s thesis (30 ECTS, in French, German or English).
For course planning, note that you are required to spend between 60 and 90 ECTS credits at one or more universities in the EC2U Alliance in addition to your own university. It is highly recommended that already at applying to the programme you also start planning at which universities, in addition to the University of Turku, you will be studying during the programme.
Does this page answer your questions about the programme's content and academic matters? If not, contact hum-info@utu.fi.
Teaching at the School of Languages and Translation Studies is based on research conducted at the University of Turku. The key areas of the French and German departments are:
- Linguistic interaction and discourse in societies and organisations
- Digital communication and artificial intelligence in language use
- Foreign-language learning and teaching
- French/German in multilingual European and global societies
- French and German cultural and global multilingual landscapes and contexts
For more information, see research at the Department of French and research at the Department of German.
Get a more comprehensive view of the key research areas of the School of Languages and Translation Studies at the University of Turku.
To complete your Master’s Degree, you will write a master’s thesis. This means a scientific dissertation of 40–60 pages in which you present an original problem and research material. You may choose a topic for your master’s thesis according to your interests and from the fields of expertise at the partner universities at which you studied during the programme.
If you wish to write your master’s thesis at the university of Turku, note that it must be written in French, German or English. If your study path leads you to a different university on your fourth semester (consecrated mainly for writing the thesis), it is possible to write it also in another language of the programme universities.
The programme has a highly international character. Once you have completed it, you will have a double (or triple) degree certificate. This means that you are awarded a master’s degree by the universities where you studied at least 30 ECTS. To graduate from the University of Turku, your thesis must have a supervisor from the University of Turku in addition to the required 30 ECTS.
You are required to spend between 30 and 90 ECTS credits at one or more universities in the EC2U Alliance in addition to your home university. Two semesters abroad are required, and students may not spend more than two semesters at the same university. The following basic principles apply:
- You study the first semester at one of the universities (“University 1”).
- The second semester can be conducted at University 1 or at another university in the EC2U Alliance (“University 2”).
- You must study the third semester at a university other than University 1 (meaning at University 2 or University 3).
- You will develop and write your master’s thesis at the university of your choice. The master’s thesis can be co-supervised and may be written in French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese or German. If the fourth semester is spent at the University of Turku, the thesis must be written in either French, German or English.
The student fee is 1500 € per academic year. The fee covers the compulsory fees for Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) and membership in the Student Union of the University of Turku (TYY).
- Citizens of EU/EEA countries: The EC2U student fee minus the above-mentioned compulsory fees will be reimbursed.
- Others: The EC2U student fee is not reimbursable.
Career prospects
Completing the Master’s Degree will provide you with competences such as:
- Expertise in the European linguistic and cultural landscape and its societies
- Communication skills in multilingual and multicultural environments, to both specialist and non-specialist audiences
- Professional view on linguistic and cultural diversity
- Advanced research methods in the academic fields of linguistic and cultural contact and diversity
- Intercultural competences for the European labour market
- Scientific writing in your field of expertise
The Master’s Degree in European Languages, Cultures and Societies in Contact offers you a general scientific education and many possibilities for a future career. Depending on your interests and the profile you gained through the choice of your courses, you may find yourself working in the fields of communication, language technologies, culture, business or academic research. Whether you become a coordinator at an international organisation, a specialist working in a multinational company, a corporate analyst or a researcher at a university, you will encounter a multicultural and multilingual world in which you will be able to operate.
Completing the Master’s Degree programme in European Languages, Cultures and Societies in Contact will give you eligibility to apply for PhD studies in relevant fields.
