BA Linguistics and ...

BA Linguistics and ...

Duration: 3 or 4 years depending on precise combination

Entry Requirements

• BTEC: DDM
• Access to HE: Minimum of 30 Level 3 Credits at Distinction
• Scottish Highers: AAABB
• Scottish Advanced Highers: AAB
• Irish LC: 340 points from 5 Higher level subjects at grade C1 or above
• Advanced Placement: 4 4 5 (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: Overall 75% including 3 extended level subjects

Minimum Entry Requirements: A language at A-level or equivalent is desirable but not essential.

Interview Policy: Candidates with ‘non-standard’ qualifications usually invited

Start of programme: September

Mode of Attendance: Full-time

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 modules 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
• Burmese++, QT1H BA/BULG
• Chinese+, QT11 BA/CHLG
• Development Studies, LQ93 BA/DVSLG
• Economics, LLQ13 BA/ECLG
• English, QQ31
• Geography**, LQ73 BA/GELG
• Georgian, QT19 BA/GHLG
• Hebrew+, QQ14 BA/HELG
• History, QV31 BA/HLG
• History of Art/Archaeology, VQ31 BA/HAALing
• Indonesian++, QTCH BA/ILG
• International Relations, LQ21 BA/IRLi
• Japanese+, QT12 BA/JLG
• Japanese Studies, TQ21 BA/JSL
• Korean+, QTCJ BA/KOLG
• Law, MTDH BA/LWI
• Music, QW33 BA/LGMS
• Middle Eastern Studies, TQ61 BA/MESLG
• Persian, QTD6 BA/LGP
• Politics, LQ23 BA/LGPOL
• Social Anthropology, LQ61 BA/LGSA
• South Asian Studies++ (3 Year), TQH1 BA/LGSAS
• South Asian Studies++ (4 Year), TQ3C BA/SASLiYA
• South East Asian Studies, TQJD BA/LGSEA
• Study of Religions, QV16 BA/LGSR
• Swahili+, QTD5 BA/LGSW
• Thai++, TQ31 BA/LGTH
• Tibetan++ (3 Year), QT13 BA/LT
• Tibetan++ (4 Year), QTC3 BA/LTi
• 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 modules 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 modules are available. Among the introductory modules in linguistics, Introduction to Phonology and Introduction to Grammatical Structure are core modules (i.e. modules which students must satisfactorily complete and pass in the summer examinations before being permitted to proceed to the next year of their degree). Compulsory modules obligatory.

All BA students must take modules to the value of 120 credits per year. Over the course of the degree, single-subject degree students take a minimum of 270 credits in linguistics and combined subject degree students take a minimum of 150 credits in linguistics.

4 year Programme Structure with 30 credits of Linguistics in year 1

Students who are required to take 90 credits of language in their 1st year, take General Linguistics 152900069 as their final module. This imbalance is redressed in the 3rd year (when the year abroad is in the 2nd year) or in the 2nd year (when the year abroad is in the 3rd year) where they will take 150 credits in linguistics and only 30 credits in the language. Please see the structure set out in the Programme Specifications PDF at the bottom of this page for more detailed information.

3 or 4 year Programme Structure that allows for 60 credits of Linguistics per year

Year 1

Core Modules

Core modules must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

• Introduction to Grammatical Structure 152900071 (30 credits) Full Year
• General Linguistics: Understanding Language 152900069 (30 credits) Full Year

Other Subject

Students take 60 credits from their other subject.

Year 2

Core Module

Core modules must be passed in order to proceed to the following year of study.

• Introduction to Phonology 152900070 (30 credits) Full Year

Core Module

Choose one of the following:

• Intermediate Syntax 152900032 (15credits) Term 1
• Intermediate Semantics 152900088 (15credits) Term 1

Optional Modules

Choose 15 credits from List A

Other Subject

Students take 60 credits from their other subject.

Year 3 (or Year 4 for combined degrees with a year abroad)

Compulsory Modules

Choose one of the following modules

• Intermediate Phonology 152900062 (15credits) Term 2
• Intermediate Syntax 152900032 (15credits) Term 1
• Intermediate Semantics 152900088 (15credits) Term 1

Compulsory Modules

Choose one of the following modules

• Advanced Syntax 152900033 (15credits) Term 2
• Dynamic Syntax 152900093 (15credits) Term 2
• Current Issues in Phonology 152900041 (15credits) Term 2
• Issues in Semantics 152900021 (15credits) Term 2

Optional Module

Choose modules to the value of 30 credits from List A or B or an open option.

List A (modules for year 2 or 3)

• Language, Society and Communication 152900083 (15credits) Term 1
• Morphology 152900036 (15credits) Term 1
• Psychology of Language 152900082 (15credits) Term 2
• Phonetics 152900094 (15credits) Term 2
• Topics in Lexical Semantics 152900065 (15credits) Term 1
• Altaic Morpho-Phonology 152900096 (15credits) Term 1 Not Running 2017/2018
• Historical Linguistics 152900037 (15credits) Term 1
• Linguistic Typology 152900044 (15credits) Term 2
• Introduction to Arabic Linguistics 15290095
• Introduction to Arabic Dialects 155901396 (30 credits) Full Year
• The structure of Bantu languages 155902004 (15credits) Term 2
• The Structure of Japanese 1 155900747 (15credits) Term 1 Not Running 2017/2018
• The Structure of Japanese 2 155900748 (15credits) Term 2 Not Running 2017/2018
• Topics in the Structure of Chinese 152900066 (15credits) Term 1
• Extended Essay in Linguistics (A) 152900097 (15credits) Term 1
• Extended Essay in Linguistics (B) 152900098 (15credits) Term 2
• Issues in World Englishes 152900101 (30 credits) Full Year
• Intercultural communication and interaction 152900107 (15credits) Term 2
• English in the Global World 152900111 (30 credits) Full Year

The following module is also available in year 1, available in year 3 only by permission of the Associate Dean Learning & Teaching

• Language in Africa 155900867 (30 credits) Full Year

List B (modules for year 3 only)

• Issues in Semantics 152900021 (15credits) Term 2
• Current Issues in Phonology 152900041 (15credits) Term 2
• Advanced Syntax 152900033 (15credits) Term 2
• Dynamic Syntax 152900093 (15credits) Term 2
• Independent Study Project in Linguistics 152900009 (30 credits) Full Year

Year abroad

If linguistics is studied with a language, the second or third year of the degree is usually spent abroad.