Informatics: Language Technology (master's two years)

You will learn which technologies are behind services like, for example, Google Translate, Apple's Siri og the IBM Watson system, and explore methods for automatic analysis of language data. You will also learn how the communicative system of human language can be formalized for efficient computational processing, as well as how advanced statistical models can enable computers to handle and model how people communicate through language.

The master's programme consists of course work and a thesis, with in-depth supervision by a multi-national group of experienced scientists. The language of instruction is English. Some courses are obligatory elements of the programme, others can be selected freely in consultation with your supervisor. The thesis is normally performed at the Department of Informatics, but you also have the opportunity to perform it somewhere else, eg. at another research institution or in cooperation with a local company.
has knowledge of the most important application areas of language technology (LT) for written language (also called Natural Language processing, NLP, or Computational Linguistics)
is familiar with the central research methods and technologies used in language technology and knows how to apply and implement them.
has detailed and specialized knowledge within a subarea of language technology, either an application area, a methodology or a theoretical field, and knowledge of state of the art of research within this field
has broad knowledge of various machine learning methods and how they can be applied within language technology
is familiar with methodological issues related to the design and evaluation of scientific experiments
is familiar with the broader fields of data science and artificial intelligence and understands how they relate to language technology

Language technology plays a much greater role in society today than a few years ago. Applications where language technology constitutes the largest parts, has become a public domain, like in Google Translate and Apple's Siri. At the same time, language technology is an important component in many other applications, such as in search technology; Different types of information systems, for example in the health sector; Development of web applications; Various types of mobile applications; Analysis of data and user behavior on the internet; intelligence; Social research, etc.

In the development of these types of applications, competence is required in both informatics and language, and in particular in methods and techniques for processing linguistic data informatically. This is what is more and more referred to as "language technology". In order to develop and maintain systems with linguistic components, people with interdisciplinary skills with knowledge of languages ​​and knowledge and skills in computer science, in general, and language technology are needed in particular.

Through the work of writing a master's thesis in computer science, you learn to work independently and to organize and plan your own work within specific deadlines. You learn to apply theoretical and practical knowledge that you have acquired through your study programme in your own original work, a master's thesis. During the master's studies you will also learn to write and work with scientific material – you learn to collaborate with others on research questions and communicate on academic issues, analyzes and conclusions in the field of computer science. You will be able to convey your own work and to acquire and relate to the feedback you receive.