Facts & figures
Semiotician
English
Program
ELTE’s MA in Semiotics is an ideal choice if you wish to gain a comprehensive and multifaceted understanding of semiotic concepts, theoretical frameworks, approaches and methods, as well as the historical development and major stages of both international and Hungarian semiotics. The programme is also designed for those who wish to acquire reliable knowledge of the various academic fields connected to semiotic studies.
During the programme, students receive comprehensive theoretical training and gain a wide range of practical skills. This knowledge can later be applied across a broad range of professional fields. The value of semioticians is increasingly recognised on the international labour market.
Trained semioticians can apply their expertise in areas including information technology, communication theory and practice, media studies, visual culture research, behavioural studies, journalism, literary translation, criticism, empirical cultural research, text analysis, public relations planning, marketing and symptom evaluation. They bring valuable analytical and interpretative skills to these fields.
Programme details
Graduates of the programme are equipped to conduct theoretical research, carry out interdisciplinary expert analyses in various fields related to cultural and social sciences and in interdisciplinary contexts, and engage in applied semiotic activities, their promotion and communication within society. They are also able to interpret and develop applied sign systems. The programme prepares graduates to continue their studies at doctoral level.
an interdisciplinary orientation within the humanities;
the application of the valuable research and methodological results of classical semiotics linking them to the most recent scholarly results in the discipline;
equilibrium in teaching semiotic theory and its implications in applied semiotics;
flexibility in encouraging students to find their own subfield by enabling their specialization (free option possibilities built into the curriculum);
international context for research and education;
offering perspectives for students for doctoral studies in directions not restricted to semiotics.
Structure
Career
The labour market for specialists with an MA degree in semiotics includes job opportunities for experts who are expected to have the skills of
understanding current cultural movements;
grasping and describing the developmental logic in contemporary arts and the various forms of intercultural communication both within social interaction and national and international cultural texts;
interpreting and describing different media and message transfer processes;
analysing conflict, argumentation systems and philosophical discourse in any field which can be interpreted from the point of view of sign system constructions;
building models, typologies and create system-descriptions.
Employment may also be found in the fields linked to applied semiotics (e.g. sign system translation activities; analysis of behaviour symptoms in the work-place; symptom-interpretation in various social or work groups; activities for handling situations in spheres where special sign systems are involved, etc.).
Researchers at universities, in museums; copywriters, journalists, cultural critics; scriptwriters for videogames; enterprisers; translators; IT specialists; PR specialists.
Admissions
| EU/EEA students | Non-EU/EEA students | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fee/semester | 2,500 EUR | 2,500 EUR |
| Application fee |
The application fee is discounted for Early Bird applicants: EUR 100 (non-refundable) between 01/10/2026 - 30/11/2026 and between 01/02/2027 - 31/03/2027;
The regular application fee is: EUR 150 (non-refundable) between 01/04/2027-31/05/2027
|
The application fee is discounted for Early Bird applicants: EUR 100 (non-refundable) between 01/10/2026 - 30/11/2026 and between 01/02/2027 - 31/03/2027;
The regular application fee is: EUR 150 (non-refundable) between 01/04/2027-31/05/2027
|
| Entrance exam fee | 100 EUR | 100 EUR |
| Other cost |
Entry requirements
Applicants must hold a university bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent college degree) in the fields listed below. Full credit acknowledgement is only given for a bachelor’s degree in the field of Arts and Humanities.
In the case of diplomas from social sciences, informatics, law, natural sciences, contemporary and applied arts, each degree will be considered individually. The applicant must have 50 credits (but at least 20 credits to enter the programme) in the fields of aesthetics, philosophy, historical study, linguistics, literature, cultural and art studies.
Transcripts from your bachelor's degree as well as course descriptions will be requested.
The educational and outcome requirements are defined by the Ministry of Human Capacities Regulation No. 18/2016. VIII. 5. The details of the application and admission process are defined by the Organisational and Operational Regulations of ELTE.
Language requirements
Your knowledge of English must be at a good level in reading, listening and speaking. English is the working language of the MA program (C1 level preferred). The language knowledge is assessed and evaluated during the interview.
| Document | Comment |
|---|---|
| Online application form | - |
| Secondary school certificate (graduation certificate) | Notarized copy only on request. |
| Bachelor-level degree | An official copy of your completed Bachelor degree |
| Master-level degree | If you already have one. |
| Transcript of records | |
| CV | In English, in MS Word format with one low resolution photo |
| Motivation letter | A maximum of 500 words. |
| Essay/Other writing | |
| Copy of the main pages of the passport (needs to be valid) | Scanned, in colour all personal details and expiry date must be shown. Passport must be valid. |
| Copy of application fee payment receipt | |
| Copy of the Entrance exam fee payment receipt | |
| Other: Sample(s) of previous (academic) work or writing | 1) Some sample pages of the BA diploma work in English, or a 1-2-page summary of it in English. 2) A sample of any other writing (essay, project plan, seminar paper, artistic creation, a new work plan, 3) A list of the 10 most outstanding intellectual/cultural experiences of his/her life (reading and/or, |
Optional documents for admissions
- Research Proposal
Please consult with the coordinating department for more information - Language certificate
Official test result or certificate (if available); see program specific proficiency requirements. - Letter of Reference
Also called "Letter of recommendation." From a former instructor and/or employer.
Application deadlines
The deadline for application means the deadline of submission of the full and complete application package in the online system.
Period 1 (with Early Bird discount): 01/10-30/11/2025 23:59 (CET)
Period 2 (with Early Bird discount): 01/02-31/03/2026 23:59 (CET)
Period 3: 01/04-31/05/2026 23:59 (CET)
The application procedure includes 3 periods in order to give the applicants the freedom to submit their application when it’s most suitable for them. The applicants of each period have the same chance to get admittance for the programme. However, please note, that the Faculty of Humanities ELTE reserves the right to cancel the entrance periods in case the number of the admitted applicants reaches the limit during the previous entrance periods.
Procedure of the application
The application starts in the online application system. Students need to register in the system, fill in the online application form, upload the required documents and follow the instructions during the application process.
Applications will only be processed if the application fee (non-refundable) has been paid on the University’s online payment platform.
Before making the payment please visit the Faculty’s website (go to section Application and Entrance Exam fees) for detailed guidance on how to use the payment platform.
Payment platform: https://epay.elte.hu/
Entrance examination and selection process
After the university receives the full application package and it is checked by the Department of International Affairs, applicants will be invited to an oral entrance exam. An entrance exam date option will be sent no later than the application deadline for the relevant period. Please, check your messages in the application system, and the e-mail address that is linked to the account regularly.
Procedure of the entrance examination
The entrance exam contains a discussion about the motivation of the applicant. Successful applicants must have a good command of English to pass the entrance exam.
The format of the entrance exam is an online interview. Applicants must show a photo ID at the start of the interview, and a camera showing the student and his/her surroundings must be on throughout the interview. The applicant is prohibited from using earphones or headphones during the online oral examination. Ranking is based on the overall evaluation of academic excellence (based on the submitted documents) and the results of the entrance exam.
Results and the official decision will be announced in the application system. Admission letters are sent out also in the online application system within a few days.
For more information about the application procedures, please visit the Faculty’s website
Oral examination
The oral examination focuses on exploring the applicant’s motivation for choosing the programme and discussing how the MA in Semiotics is connected to their previous bachelor’s degree programme(s). During the oral examination, applicants may be required to present their bachelor’s thesis or the piece of written work they consider to be their strongest, and may also be asked to interpret a text provided during the interview.
Contacts
Admission
Department of International Affairs
E-mail: admission@btk.elte.hu
Address: 1088 Budapest, Múzeum krt. 4.
More information
Website
Prof. Dr. Katalin KROÓ
Department of Russian Language and Literature
More info: https://btk.elte.hu/en/graduate-schools
More info: https://btk.elte.hu/en/graduate-schools
Find the structure of the program on the webpage of the Faculty.
Main areas of specialisation
• Introductory studies in semiotic theory and history, as well as cultural sign history, building on knowledge acquired during bachelor’s studies and placing semiotics within broader contexts of cultural and scientific history (8-15 credits).
• Specialist knowledge in semiotics, including verbal and visual communication, semiotic text studies, various branches of cultural semiotics, and subfields of semiotic comparative studies. This includes the areas of semiotic semantics, semiotic syntax and semiotic pragmatics, together with their theoretical and practical aspects (40-75 credits).
• Elective specialised courses and programmes covering the theoretical and practical fields of cultural semiotics, related disciplines connected to semiotics, and applied semiotic studies (8-35 credits).