Modern Languages and Linguistics

Combine your passion for speaking languages with a fascination for how they work, by studying linguistics alongside one of ten languages.

Whether you’re starting your language from a beginners’ level, or with prior knowledge, you'll develop the spoken and written skills in your chosen language and explore the cultures and histories of the countries where the language is spoken thanks to language intensive learning and your year abroad.

Developing expertise in linguistics will help you navigate the uniquely complex phenomenon of language. You’ll explore language acquisition, structure and change, the mental and social processes that shape and sustain human interaction, as well as phonetics – the study of how speech sounds are physically produced.

Studying a language will compliment this expertise as you’ll be able to use these linguistic concepts and theories to enhance your language learning. Your year abroad will further enhance your language learning.

In your final year, you'll develop a project on a topic of your choice to demonstrate the skills and knowledge that you have gained during this four-year degree.

This joint honours degree offers you teaching of the highest standard, in a research-intensive environment where enthusiastic experts and students come together to explore linguistics and languages.

You’ll also be encouraged to get involved in a range of activities organised by the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies and Language@Leeds.

We offer the following languages at two entry levels: beginners or with prior experience (eg A-level or equivalent). If you have prior experience in Arabic or Thai, please contact us before applying:

• Arabic (from beginners' level only)

• Chinese

• French

• German

• Italian

• Japanese

• Portuguese

• Russian

• Spanish

• Thai

You must include your chosen language in the ‘Further Details’ section of your UCAS application.

Areas of staff expertise in linguistics include: phonetics, syntax, multilingualism, child and adult language acquisition, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, language change, language and gender, discourse and pragmatics, and endangered languages.

Specialist facilities

With a variety of specialist facilities and four libraries on campus, you’ll find plenty of space for study, group work, and research.

Facilities for linguistic research include a recording studio and a range of equipment and resources to help with experimental and corpus-based language projects.

The Language Centre includes digital language labs, audio/video practice booths and Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). The Language Zone offers excellent learning material in more than 50 languages, including online resources and advice. The Language Exchange and the Language Groups programme provide opportunities to practice with other learners and native speakers. You can also volunteer to help other learners and enhance your CV at the same time.

The world-class Brotherton Library is home to a wide variety of manuscripts, archive and early printed material in its Special Collections – valuable assets for your independent research. These include rare copies of magazines and unpublished letters with materials across the range of languages that we teach, from medieval Latin to the Leeds Russian Archive. Our main library resources are also excellent, and the University Library offers a comprehensive training programme to help you make the most of them.

Our Martin Thomas Translation Labs feature state-of-the-art computing facilities for translation studies as well as Interpreter Training Suites – ideal if you are considering a career in interpreting.

We also have links with several institutions that support language learning on campus, such as Instituto Cervantes (Spanish), Instituto Camoes (Portuguese) and Institut Ramon Llull (Catalan).