Sept 2027 Entry
1 year (Full-time)
2 years (Part-time)
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Under normal circumstances, the programme is completed in 1 year by full-time students and 2 years by part-time students. Non-local students must register as full-time. Those who wish to extend their studies beyond the normal duration may submit a formal request to the department for consideration.
Applicants are required to choose either the full-time or part-time mode on their application for admission to the programme. Students who study full-time are required to take a minimum of 9 credits per semester.
Notes to Applicants
Application to our postgraduate programmes can be done without any agency service. Applicants are required to apply online via the Study@PolyU website: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/study/pg.
Please note that all fields in the application forms should be filled. We will not consider applications that do not provide details of academic qualifications.
Early Round: 2026-10-20
Main Round: 2027-02-25
Early Round: 2026-10-20
Main Round: 2027-02-25
What's New
- Taught Postgraduate
- Undergraduate
- Undergraduate
Programme Aims
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Foster Interdisciplinary Mastery: Provide students with a comprehensive and synergistic understanding of Linguistics, Neuroscience, and Neurotechnology, enabling them to navigate the complex relationship between neural activity and language processing.
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Bridge the Technical-Humanities Divide: Equip students from diverse academic backgrounds (e.g., Humanities, Health Sciences, or Engineering) with the necessary "bridge" skills, such as computational coding for linguists and neuro-linguistic theory for engineers, to collaborate effectively in high-tech research and clinical environments.
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Develop Advanced Technical Competencies: Equip students with cutting-edge methodologies for neural data acquisition (including fMRI, EEG, and fNIRS) and train them to apply machine learning and Large Language Models (LLMs) to decode human speech and intent from brain signals.
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Advance Translational Clinical Innovation: Empower students to design, evaluate, and implement assistive technologies including BCIs and neuro-rehabilitation protocols that address the needs of individuals with language disorders.
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Cultivate Ethical and Professional Leadership: Instil a deep awareness of the ethical, legal, and social implications of neurotechnology, including neural privacy and data security, preparing graduates to lead responsibly in the rapidly evolving MedTech and Neurotechnology industries.
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Promote Research Excellence and Industry Readiness: Cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills through a rigorous Capstone project, enabling students to contribute to original research or lead innovation in the global neurotechnology market.
Characteristics
This programme offers a unique, interdisciplinary education grounded in language science and technology. It integrates neuroscience and neurotechnology to explore the biological basis of language, model its computational principles, and pioneer technologies, such as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), that decode and interpret brain activity. This innovative approach aims to drive transformative advancements in the diagnosis, therapy, and rehabilitation of speech and language disorders, while also positioning graduates to lead innovation in several emerging fields. By integrating language neuroscience and neurotechnology, the programme creates versatile applications, including adaptive assistive tools for real-time cognitive monitoring and early learning disorder assessment; advanced communication-restoration systems in healthcare; neuroergonomic solutions for safety and performance in high-stakes industries; and non-clinical neurofeedback technologies to enhance attention and cognitive well-being. Through this interdisciplinary foundation, the programme empowers professionals not only to redefine clinical practice but also to pioneer human-centred innovation across education, industry, and daily life.
Building upon these interdisciplinary objectives, the programme is uniquely structured to address two distinct yet complementary pathways within the field. While both tracks share a common foundation in language neuroscience and neurotechnology, this dual-track model allows students to tailor their expertise to match their professional goals—whether pioneering new knowledge at the frontiers of research, or translating that knowledge into tangible technologies that improve human communication, learning, and performance. This specialisation ensures graduates are not only versatile thinkers but also highly skilled practitioners, ready to lead in either academic innovation or applied technological development.
Career Pathways
Graduates will be positioned for three primary career pathways in Hong Kong:
Pathway A: Clinical Technology & Rehabilitation
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Role: Clinical Neurotechnology Consultant or Specialised Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP).
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Job Function: Working within hospitals or NGOs to implement BCI-based communication systems for patients with locked-in syndrome, ALS, or severe stroke-induced aphasia. Bridging the gap between the patient’s clinical needs and the technical configuration of the assistive device.
Pathway B: Neuro-AI Research & Development
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Role: Neural Data Analyst or NLP Engineer (Brain-Inspired Computing).
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Job Function: Working for tech or AI startups to develop "silent speech" interfaces or brain-inspired Large Language Models (LLMs), which use neural data to improve how AI understands human linguistic intent.
Pathway C: Educational Technology (EdTech) & SEN Support
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Role: SEN Technology Specialist/SEN support officers in schools and universities
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Job Function: Designing and validating neurofeedback software or assistive technology for the Special Educational Needs (SEN) market.
Programme Structure
All MScLNN students must complete 13 credits of compulsory subjects and 18 credits of elective subjects.
Subject requirements for the MScLNN riders
To cater to diverse career and academic ambitions, the MScLNN offers two specialised riders, namely (a) Rider in Language Neuroscience and (b) Rider in Clinical and Assistive Neurotechnology. Students who complete the requirements of one or more riders will receive a certificate upon graduation issued by the department acknowledging the completion of the relevant rider(s).
The rider system is independent of the major programme award requirement. Therefore, students are NOT required to complete any rider to graduate from MScLNN. Students may also choose to pursue both riders or neither.
Core Areas of Study
Compulsory Subjects
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Neurobiology of Language
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Methods in Language Neuroscience
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Introduction to Brain-Computer Interfaces
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Neuroethics of Language and Communication
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Professional Ethics and Academic Integrity
Elective Subjects
Specialised Subjects in Language Neuroscience:
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Fundamentals of Cognitive Neuroscience
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Neurobiology of Language Disorders
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Foundations of Language Science
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Statistical Methods in Neuroimaging
Specialised Subjects in Clinical and Assistive Neurotechnology:
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Speech and Language Disorders and Assistive Technology
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Language Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI): Theory, Models and Practice
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Speech and Language Processing for Digital Health
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Introduction of Neuromodulation in Language Science
Others:
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Phonetics, Phonology and Neurotechnology
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Python Programming for Linguistics and Cognitive Science
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Neural Control and Technological Innovations in Voice and Swallowing
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Integrative Capstone Project in Language Neuroscience and Neurotechnology
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Semantics and Pragmatics
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Sign Language and Linguistics
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Introduction to Speech Therapy and Audiology
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Introduction to Communication Disorders and Audiology
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Computational Linguistics and NLP Technologies
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Psycholinguistics
(The above subject list is subject to revision.)
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Prof. Si CHEN
PhD, MS, MA, BA
(This programme is offered subject to approval)
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A Bachelor’s degree from a recognised institution.
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If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification was awarded by an institution where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purposes. Please refer to the "Admission Requirements" section for details.
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Applicants may be required to attend interviews or tests to further demonstrate their language proficiency.
For further information on academic matters, please contact:
Programme Leader, Prof. Si CHEN (tel: (852) 3400 8461; email: sarah.chen@polyu.edu.hk).
For general information, please contact:
LST General Office (tel: (852) 2766 7454; email: lst.tpg@polyu.edu.hk).
Medium of instruction:
The medium of instruction is English.
Remarks:
Starting from 2024/25 cohort, students are required to complete the compulsory 1-credit subject “CBS5T01 Professional Ethics and Academic Integrity” to satisfy the Academic Integrity and Ethics (AIE) requirement for graduation. No credit fee will be charged for this subject.
HK$9,000* per credit
* The following four subjects are charged at a higher rate of HK$10,100 per credit:
- Language Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI): Theory, Models and Practice
- Python Programming for Linguistics and Cognitive Science
- Statistical Methods in Neuroimaging
- Integrative Capstone Project in Language Neuroscience and Neurotechnology
(Note: No credit fee will be charged for the 1-credit subject “CBS5T01 Professional Ethics and Academic Integrity”.)
Required
Required
Required
