Linguistics (Placement Year) BA (Hons)

Lancaster University

Why Lancaster?

• Study a diverse course taught by one of best linguistics and English language departments in the world
• Benefit from small class sizes designed to challenge you as a linguist and sharpen your skills
• Gain practical experience using your linguistics skills and knowledge with opportunities like our School Volunteering module and research internships
• Experiment in our eye-tracking and EEG labs, Phonetics Lab, Perception and Learning Laboratory
• Learn from world leaders in linguistics education – the team wrote a first-year textbook Introducing Linguistics (published by Routledge)
• Explore different places, their traditions and cultures with the options to go on short trips or study abroad for an entire year

How does a child learn language? What is the relationship between accents and social status? How can voice recognition technologies be improved? Linguistics offers insight into the human mind, combining arts and sciences into one captivating subject.

A fascinating area

We’re one of the largest departments for this area in the country, and our experts are viewed as global leaders in this field. Our approach to linguistics brings theory to life by looking at how research is applied to the real world.

From day one, you’ll cover fascinating topics from language origins and loss to grammatical systems. We’ll explain the biology behind creating speech too and explore sounds like the clicks used in South African languages.

Inspiring teaching team

Whether you want to understand how people communicate across cultures or the different ways politicians use words to persuade, we have expertise across a very wide spectrum. They’ll share their latest research insights and discuss the exciting career possibilities you’ll be able to pursue. Think roles in teaching, technology, management, and more.

Alongside core teaching, you’ll pick from a range of modules. Maybe you’ll choose our fascinating Forensic Linguistics module. Or perhaps you’d prefer to take our Schools Volunteering module where you’ll gain practical experience using your linguistics skills and knowledge in the classroom. Other popular modules include Child Language Acquisition and The Language of Advertising.

Your Placement Year

A placement year is an excellent way to...

• try out a role that you may be interested in as a career path
• start to build your professional network (some placement students are offered permanent roles to return to after they graduate)
• develop skills, knowledge and experience to put you ahead of the field when you graduate

You'll spend your third year in a paid, graduate-level position, where you’ll work for between nine and twelve months in the type of role that you might be considering for after you graduate. As a full-time employee, you’ll have a detailed job description with specific responsibilities and opportunities to access training and development, the same as other employees.

Our Careers and Placements Team will help you to secure a suitable placement with expert advice and resources, such as creating an effective CV, and tips for applications and interviews. You will still be a Lancaster University student during your placement and we’ll keep in touch to check how you are getting on.

The university will use all reasonable effort to support you to find a suitable placement for your studies. While a placement role may not be available in a field or organisation that is directly related to your academic studies or career aspirations, all offer valuable experience of working at a graduate level and gaining a range of professional skills.

If you are unsuccessful in securing a suitable placement for your third year, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent non-placement degree scheme and continue with your studies at Lancaster, finishing your degree after your third year.