Linguistics and Language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese)

Would you like to learn a new language or improve your proficiency while developing a deeper understanding of how language works in general? Our Certificate of Higher Education in Linguistics and Language (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese) introduces you to linguistics as the scientific study of language, in addition to developing your language proficiency.

Why choose this course?

• It is ideal if you want to study applied linguistics at the same time as learning a language at a more relaxed pace and build the academic foundation for further studies in linguistics and/or language and culture.

• It enables you to develop or improve your proficiency in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean or Mandarin Chinese, without needing prior knowledge of your chosen language.

• You will gain a basic understanding of linguistics as the scientific study of language including how language is structured, how it develops in children, the ways in which it reflects society and culture, how it defines individuals and groups and how it changes over time.

What you will learn

The linguistics modules allow you to learn about the structure and functions of language as well as how language is patterned and used. You will be introduced to major areas of linguistics, including applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics. You will also learn how to apply linguistics theories and concepts in real-world contexts, from language teaching and learning to intercultural communication.

The language component of this course enables you to develop a higher level of proficiency over two years in a modern language, choosing from French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Korean or Mandarin Chinese.

How you will learn

This course is available to study part-time only and follows an evening timetable. It is taught via lectures and seminars mostly in interactive smaller groups.

Highlights

• Applied linguistics has been taught at Birkbeck since 1965, so you will be taught by experienced specialists from a centre of teaching and research excellence.

• You will also join a community of mature and committed students from multilingual and multicultural backgrounds and learn from a community of scholars with a wide range of expertise in linguistics, language, culture and literature.

• You will benefit from a vibrant interdisciplinary research culture from our affiliated research centres, such as the Centre for French, Francophone and Comparative Studies (CFFCS) and the Centre for Iberian and Latin American Visual Studies (CILAVS), as well as from other public cultural events at Birkbeck.

Careers and employability

On successfully graduating from this Certificate of Higher Education in Linguistics and Language, you will have gained an array of important transferable skills, including:

• a high level of proficiency in a chosen language

• cross-cultural awareness for the contemporary global world

• advanced linguistics knowledge for careers in language and communication

• independent study and research skills

• critical thinking about real-world social issues.

Studying this course will prepare you for advanced studies in linguistics, languages, literature or cultural studies. It will also prepare you for roles in a range of fields, such as:

• language teaching

• education and administration

• translation

• media and communication

• marketing.

Graduates from this course have gone on to be employed in schools, the NHS, non-profit organisations and NGOs, media production and social media marketing.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

For information about course structure and the modules you will be studying, please visit Birkbeck’s online prospectus.

The linguistics subjects are assessed entirely by coursework, mainly in the form of essays. The language components are also assessed by written work, as well as by unseen examinations.