What can you do with a Linguistics degree?

A degree in linguistics prepares you for graduate study in a number of fields. First and foremost, of course, is linguistics. In fact, many students with an undergraduate or MA degree from our program are now at leading [this can be deleted] PhD programs in linguistics, including the University of Maryland, Columbia University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Michigan, the University of Massachusetts and the University of Arizona. However, the opportunities for graduates in linguistics are not limited to additional formal study in the field.

Linguistics is a growing and exciting field with increasingly important impact on other fields. Because language is central to so many human interactions and activities, linguistics is highly interdisciplinary and intersects with many different fields. Related disciplines include psychology and human development, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, computer science and artificial intelligence, communication studies, and speech and hearing sciences. The study of linguistics develops skills in data analysis, problem solving and logical thinking which can be applied to these and many other fields.

Linguistics course work provides an excellent foundation for work in many different areas. For example, a graduate with a BA in linguistics may find opportunities to teach English in a foreign country. A BA or MA coupled with excellent multilingual skills may prepare a graduate for work as a translator or interpreter. Add computer science courses to a linguistics degree, and a graduate can explore the burgeoning opportunities for linguists in computer and software engineering, such as creating search engines that work on the basis of natural languages or computers that comprehend and/or produce human language. (See EMU’s Graduate Certificate in Language Technology.)

An undergraduate degree in linguistics can also be of considerable value to students pursuing graduate training in other fields. A linguistics background together with a Masters degree in education may enable a student to teach English as a second language within the United States (See EMU’s MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)), or to teach a foreign language in an American school overseas. The analytical and writing skills developed through a linguistics program are highly valued in fields such as law or journalism.

Linguistics students may also go on for a PhD in Linguistics or Cognitive Science in order to teach at a college or university and contribute research in linguistics and/or human cognition, or to work in language-related industries.

To see current employment opportunities for linguists, check out the jobs posted on The LINGUIST List. Many of the jobs listed are academic positions, but an increasing number of listings are appearing for non-academic positions, creating an exciting array of opportunities for today's linguistics students.