Are you fascinated by how language works and what people can do with it? Language is a uniquely human phenomenon with lots of intricate aspects to explore. A Linguistics degree at Huddersfield will introduce you to the science of language and help you to understand how human beings communicate in so many diverse ways and in different contexts.

Why Linguistics?

• State-of-the-art facilities including a forensic linguistics lab, a research and resource centre and conference labs.
• Opportunity to take a five-week placement as part of the ‘Language in the Workplace’ module – a chance to see how the language skills you’ve learnt on the course can be applied to communication in a working environment.
• Get involved in the writing, editing and production of the popular department linguistics magazine, Babel.
• 95% of graduates from this subject are in work and/or further study fifteen months after graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 17/18, UK domiciled graduates).
• Opportunities to study a modern foreign language alongside your course through our Modern Languages Programme.
• Our team of academic staff are ranked in the top 5 in the UK for the quality of their research publications (REF 2014).

Our study of language will take a systematic look at language and how humans use it in everyday life. On this course, language is studied as a human behaviour from a number of viewpoints including its structure (e.g. syntax, phonetics, semantics), its function (e.g. in conversation, translation, persuasion and manipulation); its acquisition (e.g. child language acquisition, multilingualism, language teaching) and its impact or application in the world (e.g. language and power, forensic phonetics and forensic linguistics, subtitling, humour).

Placements

As part of the compulsory second year ‘Language in the Workplace' module you will have the chance to gain valuable experience spending 5 weeks in a work placement or work related activity. The module shows you how the language skills you aim to develop through your course can be applied to communication in the workplace.

If you’re studying full-time, this course also offers an optional one-year (48 weeks) work placement after the second year, in the UK or abroad. This will give you the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience, insight into your chosen career and open up your graduate employment prospects. Our Placement Unit and academic staff have excellent industry links and can support you in applying for and finding your placement(s), as well as during your placement year.

Some of our students have gained real-world experience in various teaching environments, in publishing houses and in marketing roles. Previous placement providers have included Maiden Voyage.Com, Kirklees Library Services, M-Four Translations, Quest Media and a range of primary and secondary schools.

Your Career

As an English Language and Linguistics graduate, you are valued for the advanced skills you have developed in communication, self-motivation, teamwork, analysis, creative problem solving and persuasiveness. Depending on your specialism, your career choices are as varied and exciting as your degree course.

Our graduates have gone on to a variety of careers within teaching, marketing and PR, journalsim and event management. A selection of companies that have employed Huddersfield graduates in recent years include Emerald Group Publishing, Roma Publications and Crown House Publishing. Others have opted for PGCE study and have become teachers, or continued their studies at postgraduate level.**

*Percentage of graduates from this subject who are in work and/or further study fifteen months after graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 17/18, UK domiciled graduates).