Language studies is an interdisciplinary study that combines Language and Linguistics. The two disciplines combined focuses on two main aspects. The first is designed to equip students with at least one or multiple foreign languages, like English, German, French, Spanish and the like, and the second explores the structure and functions of language and communication and its impact on human society.

Language studies is ideal for students who are interested in the complexity of language and its evolution and for students interested in learning a foreign language as study topics include, language and culture, grammar, syntax, phonetics, pragmatics, morphology, semantics, discourse analysis, history of language and many more.

With a degree in language studies, graduates will develop excellent oral and written communication skills. They will learn to analyse and think critically and they will be equipped with the ability to discover how language works in different contexts. Additionally, language studies is not just about translating words. It gives students a better insight into people and their different cultures and it helps them learn about a country’s past and present, as well as providing insights into cultural differences and similarities.

Study levels:

There are a variety of courses in language studies available across many countries, and the programs fluctuate in duration and classroom format. Offered at the undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level, study programs under language studies include:

• Bachelor of Arts in English (Hons)
• Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature
• Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages
• Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Language Studies
• Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics
• Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology
• Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Linguistics
• Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Applied Languages
• Bachelor’s Degree in English, European Languages and Business Studies
• Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Modern Languages
• Bachelor of Arts in Languages, Civilisation and Language Sciences
• Bachelor of Science in International Business Administration and Foreign Languages
• Bachelor of Science in Human Language, Science, and Technology
• Bachelor’s Degree in English Philology
• Master of Arts in Linguistics
• Master of Arts in Translation Studies
• Master of Arts in English
• Master of Arts in Language Studies
• Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics
• Master of Intercultural Communication and Applied Translation
• Master of Arts in Translation
• Master of Arts in Translation and Interpreting Studies
• Master of Arts in Language and Cultural Diversity
• Master’s Degree in English Philology
• Master’s Degree in English Language and Communication Technologies
• Master of Science in Human Language, Science, and Technology
• Master of Science in Speech and Language Processing
• Ph.D.

Specialisations:

In order to understand the world and its problems, people must understand each other and there is no better way to understand other than to speak the same language. Specialisations in Language Studies are offered to students who are interested in developing their proficiency in targeted languages. Some of the most common areas of specialisation offered by universities include:

• Modern Foreign languages- German and French
• French studies
• English Literature
• Arabic
• Russian studies
• Japanese studies
• Korean studies
• Chinese
• Speech and Language Processing
• Mind, Language and Embodied Cognition
• Spanish
• East–Asian Studies
• American Studies

Employability:

Graduates in Language Studies have the opportunity to work in various fields. From opting for a career in advertising, communications, editing, publishing, journalism, teaching and many others, graduates can also develop a career in the tech industry, where companies work on improving text-to-speech recognition, natural language processing, and other similar technologies.

A degree in Language Studies also opens up opportunities in the field of Tourism which is a significantly promising career option. Students who are trained in foreign languages can engage in the department of tourism and provide valuable services.

Some of the most popular Language Studies jobs are:

• Teacher/Lecturer
• Translator
• Interpreter
• Journalist
• Copywriter
• Public Relations Specialist
• Editor
• Reporter
• Diplomat
• Academic Researcher
• Private Tutor
• Tour Manager
• Education Consultant