Do I need to speak a second language to study BA Linguistics?

No. Linguistics studies language as a system, not particular languages. Students bring varied language backgrounds, from monolingual English speakers to multilinguals. Knowledge of additional languages is useful for some projects but not required at entry.

How much maths does BA Linguistics involve?

Some — the methods and statistical literacy strand involves basic statistics, and computational linguistics options use spreadsheets and simple scripting. You do not need A-Level Maths, but comfort with numbers and structured thinking helps.

Will BA Linguistics prepare me for a career in technology?

It can. Computational linguistics options cover corpus methods and basic NLP literacy, and several graduates each year move into junior roles at technology companies working on search, voice and text systems. Most then pursue a Master's in computational linguistics or NLP.

Can I study BA Linguistics online?

Yes. The online route mirrors on-campus delivery with live tutorials, recorded lectures and supervised research projects. Distance learners follow structured deadlines and complete fieldwork in their own settings.

Is BA Linguistics a good preparation for speech and language therapy?

It is one of the strongest preparations for the graduate-entry conversion routes. Several BA Linguistics graduates each year progress to two-year Master's programmes in speech and language therapy at UK universities.

BA Linguistics in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Linguistics at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students who want to study language as a system — its sounds, its structures, its meanings and the social and cognitive contexts that shape both. The course is built around the core areas the Linguistics Association of Great Britain treats as foundational and the applied specialisms (computational, sociolinguistic, applied) the field is currently moving toward.

You graduate able to analyse a linguistic system with method, design a small-scale study that survives peer scrutiny, and apply linguistic thinking to real-world problems in technology, education, law, healthcare and policy.

Key Features

UK honours degree in linguistics — three years full-time, with online and distance routes.
Core-linguistics foundation across phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics.
Sociolinguistics and discourse strand grounded in current UK and international scholarship.
Computational and applied linguistics options including corpus methods and basic NLP literacy.
Empirical fieldwork project in year two — design, gather, analyse and write up linguistic data.
Final-year dissertation on a question of your own design.

What You Will Learn

The BA Linguistics is structured around the systematic study of language at every level — sound, structure, meaning, use — and the empirical methods linguists use to investigate it. You leave able to read primary research in the field, design and run a small study, and translate findings into practical insight in adjacent disciplines.

Phonetics and phonology — articulatory and acoustic phonetics, phonological theory, IPA fluency.
Morphology and syntax — word structure, phrase structure, contemporary syntactic theory.
Semantics and pragmatics — meaning, reference, implicature, speech act theory.
Sociolinguistics — variation, change, language and identity, World Englishes.
Psycholinguistics — language acquisition, processing, the bilingual mind.
Computational linguistics — corpus methods, basic natural-language processing, search and retrieval.
Field methods — data collection, ethical considerations, transcription, analysis.
Research methods — quantitative and qualitative approaches, statistical literacy, study design.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers fascinated by language as a system, regardless of whether they have studied a second language formally.
International students wanting a UK honours degree in linguistics taught in central London.
Career-changers from teaching, speech therapy, technology or research seeking academic grounding.
Mature applicants with strong analytical skills moving into language-focused careers.

Career Pathways

Linguistics graduates increasingly compete for roles across technology, education, research, healthcare and the public sector. The discipline's analytical training travels widely, and applied specialisms (computational, applied, sociolinguistic) open specific industry routes. Typical destinations include:

Linguist (UK government, intelligence services, specialist research)
Computational Linguist (technology company, NLP specialist firm)
Speech & Language Researcher (university, clinical research unit)
Lexicographer (dictionary publisher, terminology team)
Language Policy Analyst (government, devolved administration, language body)
Educational Materials Writer (ELT publisher, language school)

Graduates progress to a Master's in Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics or to specialist conversion routes such as speech therapy.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
GCSE English Language at grade 5 or equivalent English proficiency test.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement; numerical confidence is helpful for the methods strand but no maths A-Level required.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a portfolio and short interview.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.