Language Sciences (Placement Year)

BSc Hons

  • UCAS code Q111
  • Entry year 2025
  • A level requirements AAB
  • Duration Full time 4 years

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • 3

    3rd for Linguistics

    The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2025)

  • World top three for Linguistics (QS World University Subject Rankings 2024)

  • 4th for Graduate Prospects (Linguistics) Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025

Why Lancaster?

  • Discover the fascinating science behind language – from how children acquire language skills to how machines comprehend and produce language
  • Prepare yourself for a range of rewarding specialist careers – from forensic linguistics to speech and language therapy
  • Work with experts in a department that is ranked 3rd in the world by QS 2024
  • Choose from modules that explore linguistics in the contexts of psychology, computing, the law and big data
  • Use our labs to conduct your own research in eye-tracking or electrical activity in the brain

Studying language from a scientific perspective will transform the way you think about the world. Language Science is a fast-moving and rapidly developing field that provides a gateway to careers in fields as diverse as computing, health, education and law enforcement.

Discover new perspectives

Language is found in almost every aspect of human life, and in this course, we study it through the lens of science. You’ll be learning about how language is constructed and how it’s used for communication and expression. As well as discovering how studying language from a scientific perspective intersects with other scientific fields, such as cognitive science, psychology, computer science and forensic science.

Drawing on research conducted within our department, you’ll explore topics such as:

  • The structures and sounds of the world’s languages and what unites them
  • The cognitive marvel of how children acquire their first language
  • Computational linguistics and how machines comprehend and produce language

You may also choose to specialise your study in areas such as psycholinguistics (the study of how linguistic behaviour relates to psychological processes), forensic linguistics (the application of linguistic knowledge and methods to legal contexts) and corpus linguistics (the computer-based study of vast text databases).

Get a head start

Studying Language Sciences at Lancaster University will help you develop hands-on skills in experimental methods, computing and quantitative data analysis, as well as the ability to communicate complex ideas and findings.

This is a fast-moving and rapidly developing field, and you’ll hear first-hand from our experts about their latest research. You'll also be able to take advantage of our excellent research facilities - which include a phonetics lab, an eye-tracking lab and an EEG lab.

Build your own degree

Studying at Lancaster will give you the flexibility to customise your degree, with a selection of optional modules to complement your core studies in first and second year.

In your final year, you will choose from a variety of optional modules, including:

  • Forensic Linguistics
  • Psycholinguistics
  • Corpus-based English Language Studies
  • Language, Cognition and Culture

Careers

The BSc in Language Sciences equips you with a unique set of skills that go beyond just the study of language. Not only will you acquire linguistic knowledge, but you will also learn how to manage, analyse and quantify data, how to conduct experiments and how to evaluate evidence.

These skills are in demand by employers such as Google and Amazon and could give you a competitive edge when applying to jobs in these and other sectors.

With the BSc in Language Sciences, you could pursue a career in:

  • AI technology
  • Speech and language technology
  • Data and forensic science
  • Speech and language therapy
  • Management and public relations
  • Journalism, media and publishing
  • Teaching

This course will also give you a great starting point to move onto further study and we have a range of specialist master's programmes available.

Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring that you gain a highly reputable degree. We are also dedicated to ensuring that you graduate with relevant life and work-based skills. We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award, which offers you the opportunity to complete activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development.

Visit our Employability section for full details.

Entry requirements

Grade Requirements

A Level AAB

IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component. For other English language qualifications we accept, please see our English language requirements webpages.

Other Qualifications

International Baccalaureate 35 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 Higher Level subjects

BTEC Distinction, Distinction, Distinction

We welcome applications from students with a range of alternative UK and international qualifications, including combinations of qualification. Further guidance on admission to the University, including other qualifications that we accept, frequently asked questions and information on applying, can be found on our general admissions webpages.

Contact Admissions Team + 44 (0) 1524 592028 or via ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

International foundation programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Contextual admissions

Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

Course structure

Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and some which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research. Not all optional modules are available every year.

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Fees and funding

Our annual tuition fee is set for a 12-month session, starting in the October of your year of study.

Our Undergraduate Tuition Fees for 2025/26 are:

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Fees and funding information

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Scholarships and bursaries

You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status:

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

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