Why did our students from Russia decide to choose the “the Applied Linguistics and Text Analytics” program?

This time we decided to find out more about why our students from Russia decided to choose the “the Applied Linguistics and Text Analytics” program. Many of them not only decided to change their major, but also specifically moved to Nizhny Novgorod to study for their master's degree.

A second-year master's student, who previously studied in another university, majoring in Linguistics:

Why did you choose HSE?

Because only the HSE offers new job perspectives for linguists who would like to develop in a new direction. At the moment linguists can work as translators or teachers, and it is too difficult to get into Computer Linguistics without some knowledge.

Why did you decide to change your major?

I decided to change my major because I realized that translation and teaching are not the directions I would like to pursue.

What do you like about the program?

I like the approach of the professors who are willing to help and explain the material when students have difficulties. I'm also attracted to the possibility of cross-campus education. But the most important thing for me is that the emphasis is on gaining practical knowledge, which gives more opportunities to students after graduation.

Have you faced any challenges during being a Humanities Bachelor?

It takes me longer to understand Data Science classes related to machine learning applications.

 

A 2nd year Master's student, previously studied at the HSE majoring in “Business informatics”: 

Why did you choose the HSE?

Because of certain circumstances I had to stay in Nizhny Novgorod, and in my opinion, there is no better higher education institution in this city than the HSE. I graduated with a Bachelor's degree from the HSE and I didn't want to study at another university in the city since high school.

Why did you decide to change my major?

Having analyzed the knowledge I received during my Bachelor's degree and after getting acquainted with the curriculum of the Master's program, I realized that business informatics within the HSE is enough for me for now. I have been studying languages and teaching languages for many years and I wanted to learn a bit more linguistics for a longer time. When I saw the new major in English, where both linguistics and programming are connected, I realized that I wanted to try it.

What do you like about the program?

I like the fact that the program is in English and there are classmates from other countries, but it's a pity we didn't have a chance to work with them face to face.

Have you encountered any difficulties being non linguist?

In my undergraduate years, I got used to more applied theory and most of the practical work, so it was difficult for me to learn a lot of information on the history of linguistics, its stages with names and dates. It was also difficult to focus on programming and linguistics in equal proportions in some papers because of my technical background.

A 2nd year Master's student, and previously studied linguistics at the HSE: 

Why did you decide to continue studying at the HSE?

I chose to stay at the HSE, because it is a very prestigious university not only in the region, but in all of Russia, and the HSE diploma makes it much easier to find a job. Besides, HSE gives you the opportunity to participate in interesting conferences and courses not only in Nizhny Novgorod, but also in other cities where there are campuses of our university. That's why, after I finished my Bachelor's degree, I knew exactly that I would go to HSE.

What attracted you to the program?

I was attracted by the fact that it was familiar, I knew what to expect and I did not need to guess what was going to happen. That is, my undergraduate knowledge was a good basis for me to continue studying Linguistics, but at the same time learning new skills. Also, unlike the other university, which I was also considering, here the training was not just based on theory, but on getting practical skills and immediately applying them to a job or project.

Have your expectations of the program been met?

As a whole, expectations were confirmed.

Why did you decide to continue to get a Master's degree?

I knew that studying in this program would provide the best career opportunities for me after graduation. With a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics and all the skills I had gained, I would be more competitive in the job market and not have to limit myself to teaching or translating.