BA Linguistics and...
Duration: 3 or 4 years depending on precise combination
Overview
Entry Requirements
- A Levels: ABB
- A Level language desirable but not essential
- IB: 34 (5/5/5)
- BTEC: DDM
- Scottish Highers: AABBB
- Scottish Advanced Highers: ABB
- Irish LC: 320 points from 5 Higher level subjects at grade C1 or above
- Advanced Placement: 4 4 4 (Two semesters - UCAS Group A) plus US HSGD with GPA 3.0
- Euro Bacc: 80%
- French Bacc: 14/20
- German Abitur: 2.0
- Italy DES: 80/100
- Austria Mat: 2.0
- Polish Mat: 75%
Minimum Entry Requirements: A language at A-level or equivalent is desirable but not essential.
Interview Policy: Candidates with ‘non-standard’ qualifications usually invited
Modern linguistics is the scientific study of all aspects of the world’s languages from their sound systems and grammatical structure through to the interaction of language with culture, the study of meaning in language, and the use of language in modern technology. Linguists try to establish what types of structures are shared by different languages and the extent to which languages may differ from each other.
Linguistics can be taken as a combined subject degree or a single-subject degree. The list of possible subject combinations for the BA Linguistics and... degree is given above. SOAS is unique in the UK for being able to offer a range of subject combinations that include the opportunity to study the languages, literature, and cultures of Africa, Asia and the Near and Middle East. The study of linguistics may also be combined with a range of other disciplines in which the School has proven excellence such as music, law, development studies, economics, politics, religious studies, anthropology, art and archaeology and history. SOAS offers students an unparalleled range of options in choosing their second subject of study.
The linguistics component of the combined subject degree is designed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the way that languages are universally structured and trains students to master all the basic skills necessary for the analysis of different sound systems and semantics (the study of meaning in language). In addition, students may also take units dealing with language and social communication (focusing on the interaction of language and social groups), morphology (the structure of words), historical linguistics (the historical development of languages), phonetics and the structure of an African or Asian language.
Combinations
May be combined with
- African Studies, TQ51 BA/AFLG
- Arabic +, QT16 BA/ALG
- Bengali +, TQ41 BA/BeLing
- Burmese ++, QT1H BA/BULG
- Chinese +, QT11 BA/CHLG
- Development Studies, LQ93 BA/DVSLG
- Economics, LLQ13 BA/ECLG
- Geography **, LQ73 BA/GELG
- Georgian, QT19 BA/GHLG
- Hausa +, QTC5 BA/HALG
- Hebrew +, QQ14 BA/HELG
- Hindi +, QT1J BA/HNLG
- History, QV31 BA/HLG
- History of Art/Archaeology, VQ31 BA/HAALing
- Indonesian ++, QTCH BA/ILG
- Japanese +, QT12 BA/JLG
- Korean +, QTCJ BA/KOLG
- Law, MTDH BA/LWI
- Music, QW33 BA/LGMS
- Nepali +, QTD3 BA/LGNE
- Persian, QTD6 BA/LGP
- Politics, LQ23 BA/LGPOL
- Sanskrit, QQ19 BA/SLG
- Social Anthropology, LQ61 BA/LGSA
- South Asian Studies, TQH1 BA/LGSAS
- South East Asian Studies, TQJD BA/LGSEA
- Study of Religions, QV16 BA/LGSR
- Swahili +, QTD5 BA/LGSW
- Thai ++, TQ31 BA/LGTH
- Turkish +, QTC6 BA/LGTU
- Vietnamese ++ TQ3D BA/LGV
+ 4-year degree with (compulsory) one year spent abroad
++ 3 or 4-year degree with option of one year abroad
** Taught at King’s College London
Structure
In linguistics, the introductory courses introduce key concepts in semantics, syntax, phonology and phonetics, and lay the foundation for work in succeeding years when intermediate, advanced and more specialised optional courses are available. Among the introductory courses in linguistics, Introduction to Phonology and Introduction to Grammatical Structure are core courses (i.e. courses which students must satisfactorily complete and pass in the summer examinations before being permitted to proceed to the next year of their degree). Compulsory units are obligatory.
All BA students must take 4 course units per year. Over the course of the degree, single-subject degree students take a minimum of 9 units in linguistics and combined subject degree students take a minimum of 5 units in linguistics.
Year 1
Combined subject degree students take 2 units in linguistics:General Linguistics (compulsory, 1 unit)
Introduction to Grammatical Structure (core, 1 unit)
They also take 2 units from their other subject.
Year 2:
Combined subject degree students take 1.5 units in linguistics:
Introduction to Phonology (core, 1 unit)
Topics in Lexical Semantics (compulsory, 0.5 unit)/Language and Meaning 1 (compulsory, 0.5 unit)
They also take a half unit from the list of options in linguistics and 2 units from their other subject.
Year 3 (or Year 4 for combined degrees with a year abroad):
Combined subject degree students normally take 2 core half units:
Intermediate Phonology (core, 0.5 unit)
Intermediate Syntax (core, 0.5 unit)
They also take 1 unit from the list of options in linguistics and 2 units in their other subject.
Programme Specification
Teaching & Learning
Year abroad
Teaching & Learning
Each unit generally involves a 2-hour lecture and a tutorial, a 1-hour small-group discussion class each week. The tutorial is intended for further discussion of points made in the lecture and for the development of linguistic problem-solving skills.
Assessment varies according to the nature of the unit. Introductory courses are assessed in the end of year exams in May/June. Other units may involve written examinations, practical tests, course work, essays or a combination of these.
SOAS Library
SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.
