Overview:
The Linguistics course at Cambridge University offers a comprehensive exploration of the systematic study of human language. Linguists delve into the vast diversity among world languages while uncovering shared linguistic properties that provide insights into the human mind.
This interdisciplinary approach makes linguistics a captivating field, where students might one day analyze historical texts to trace language grammar changes and the next day study the mechanics of speech generation in the larynx or record brain responses during categorization tasks.
Cambridge’s Linguistics programme ranks third in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022. Housed within the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics, this course benefits from expertise in the linguistics of European and foreign languages.
Regarding course costs, you can find details of tuition fees vary on the university website. Additionally, there are no mandatory extra course costs for Linguistics. However, depending on the chosen topic, some students might incur expenses like research trips or payments to volunteers for their Year 3 dissertation.
| UCAS Code | Q100 |
| Minimum Entrance Requirements | A-levels A*AA IB – 40-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level |
| Admission Test for Linguistics at Cambridge | All colleges require students to sit an admissions assessment using three data questions. Students will have 60 minutes to answer the questions. The assessment changed in 2023 to omit the essay question. For more information, see the Linguistics Admissions Assessment Specification and a sample Linguistics Admissions Assessment Past Paper. |
| Subjects Required for Linguistics at Cambridge | Non-specific. However, some of the useful preparations are English Language, Mathematics, an arts/science mix, a language (ancient or modern) |
| Extras things Cambridge linguistics tutors look for | Applicants to some Colleges are required to submit written work prior to interview. |
| Duration | 3 years – BA (Hons) |
| Admissions Statistics | Applications per place: 5 Number accepted: 31 |
| What is Linguistics at Cambridge? | At Cambridge University, the Linguistics course is a comprehensive programme that systematically studies human language. This course is designed to help students understand the diverse characteristics of individual languages. It also uncovers shared linguistic properties that offer valuable insights into the human mind. It draws upon an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating elements of philosophy, physics, engineering, and psychology. This also provides a well-rounded understanding of linguistics. Cambridge’s Linguistics course not only offers international recognition. It also allows students to explore the fascinating world of language and its relevance in various academic and real-world contexts. |
| Cambridge Colleges that offer Linguistics | Available at all Colleges except St Catharine’s |
| Structure of the Linguistics at Cambridge | A typical week involves four hours of lectures, two hours of supervision (in groups of six students in Part I, and two or three students in Part II). It also includes one to two hours of practical classes. Year 1 (Part I) Provides a foundation across a wide range of linguistic subfields taught within the Faculty. You take the following four papers: Sounds and Words, Structures and Meanings, Language, Brain and Machine, Linguistic Variation and Change Year 2 (Part IIA) In Part IIA, you take four papers chosen from a wide range of options dealing with different linguistic levels and perspectives. Not all options are offered every year. You can choose from: Phonetics, Phonology, Morphology, Syntax, Semantics and Pragmatics, Historical Linguistics, History of Ideas on Language Year 3 (Part IIB) In Part IIB, you take: Linguistic Theory – a general theory paper You will also take two further papers from the remaining Part IIA options. For your fourth paper, Part IIB also includes an element of individual research. This take the form of a dissertation of 8,000-10,000 words on a topic of your choice. |
| Common Careers after Linguistics at Cambridge | Graduates of Linguistics at Cambridge secure opportunities in: Google, Amazon, Facebook, The Foreign Office Vocational training in fields such as: Speech therapy and language technology (eg developing speech recognition and translation software,) translation, interpreting, and forensic linguistics. |
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